About This Lesson
Use Meal Prep for a Busy Week to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
来週は忙しそうなので、前もっていくつか料理を作っておくと助かりそうです。
rye-SHOO wa ee-soh-gah-SHEE-SOH noh-noh-deh, my-eh-MOHT-teh ee-koo-TSOO-kah RYOH-ree oh tsoo-KOOT-teh oh-koo toh tah-soo-kah-ree-SOH dess. Next week looks busy, so preparing some meals in advance would help.
B
作り置きは役立ちますが、毎日同じものを食べるのは避けましょう。
tsoo-koo-ree-oh-kee wa yah-koo-dah-chee-MAHS gah, mah-ee-nee-chee oh-NAH-jee moh-noh oh tah-beh-roo no wa sah-keh-mah-SHOH. Meal prep will help, but avoid eating the same thing every day.
A
野菜カレーをたくさん作ろうと思っていました。
noh-SAH-ee kah-REH oh tah-koo-SAHN tsoo-koo-ROH toh oh-MOHT-teh ee-mah-SHEE-tah. I was thinking of making a big batch of vegetable curry.
B
きちんと一人分ずつ分けて、安全に保存すれば大丈夫です。
kee-CHIN-toh hee-toh-ree-boon zoo-tsoo wah-keh-teh, ahn-ZEHN-nee hoh-ZOHN soo-REH-bah dye-JOH-boo dess. That works if you portion it properly and store it safely.
A
いくつか冷凍して、残りは冷蔵庫に入れておきましょうか。
ee-koo-TSOO-kah RAY-toh-SHOO shee-teh, noh-KOH-ree wa RAY-zoh-KOH nee ee-REH-teh oh-kee-mah-SHOH kah. Should I freeze some and keep the rest in the fridge?
B
何食分か冷凍してください。
nahn-SHOH-koo-boon kah RAY-toh-SHOO shee-teh koo-dah-SAI. Freeze a few portions.
B
選びやすいように、容器に一つずつラベルを貼ってください。
eh-RAH-bee-yah-SOO-ee YOO-nee, YOH-kee nee hee-TOH-tsoo zoo-tsoo RAH-beh-roo oh hah-TEH-teh koo-dah-SAI. Label each container so it is easy to choose.
A
昼食には、ご飯だけでなく、バランスのよいものも必要です。
CHOO-SHOH-koo nee wa, goh-HAHN dah-keh deh-nah-koo, bah-RAHN-soo noh yoh-ee moh-noh moh hee-TSOO-yoh dess. I also need something balanced for lunch, not just rice.
B
食べたいものに合わせて、卵や豆、鶏肉を加えてください。
tah-beh-TAI moh-noh nee ah-WAH-seh-teh, tah-mah-GOH yah mah-meh, toh-ree-nee-koo oh koo-WAH-eh-teh koo-dah-SAI. Add eggs, beans, or chicken, depending on what you feel like eating.
A
残り物に飽きたら、副菜を変えることができます。
noh-KOH-ree-moh-noh nee ah-kee-TAH-rah, foo-koo-SAI oh kah-eh-roo koh-toh gah deh-kee-MAHS. If the leftovers feel boring, I can change the side dish.
B
小さな変化で、作り置きの料理をもっと楽しめます。
CHEE-sah-nah hen-KAH deh, tsoo-koo-ree-oh-kee noh RYOH-ree oh MOHT-toh tah-noh-SHEE-meh-MAHS. Small changes make prepared meals more enjoyable.Word by Word
来週
来週 means next week in this dialogue. It identifies the upcoming week in 来週は忙しそうです. Use it with は when making next week the topic.
は
は marks 来週 as the topic in 来週は忙しそうです, meaning as for next week. It sets the time or subject that the following comment concerns. A common reuse pattern is a time expression followed by は.
忙しそう
忙しそう means seems busy or looks busy here. The form presents 忙しい as an appearance or impression rather than a firm statement. It is used in 来週は忙しそうなので to give the reason for planning ahead.
なので
なので means because or since in 来週は忙しそうなので. It connects the reason 忙しそう to the result that preparing meals would help. Use it after a description when explaining a reason politely.
前もって
前もって means in advance in 前もっていくつか料理を作っておく. It shows that the cooking happens before the busy week. It is useful when describing preparation done ahead of time.
いくつか
いくつか means some or several in いくつか料理. It gives an indefinite quantity without specifying the exact number. It commonly comes before the noun for the things being counted or selected.
料理
料理 means cooked dishes or meals in いくつか料理を作っておく. Here it refers to food prepared in advance, not the act of cooking itself. It can be used with を and 作る to describe preparing dishes.
を
を marks 料理 as the object of 作って in 料理を作っておく. It shows what is being made. A common pattern is a food or object followed by を and an action verb.
作って
作って means make or prepare in 作っておく. This te-form links the preparation to おく and expresses doing it ahead of time. It is useful when connecting one action to another action or auxiliary expression.
おく
おく in 作っておく means to do something in advance and keep the result ready. Together, 作っておく describes preparing meals before they are needed. The reusable pattern is an action in te-form followed by おく.
と
と means if or when in 作っておくと助かりそうです. It connects the preparation condition with the expected helpful result. This form is useful for describing a predictable result of an action.
助かりそう
助かりそう means seems helpful or looks like it will help in 作っておくと助かりそうです. It presents the expected benefit of preparing meals in advance. It is useful when giving a practical suggestion based on an anticipated result.
です
です gives the sentence a polite ending in 助かりそうです. It presents the statement respectfully without changing the meaning of 助かりそう. It is commonly used at the end of polite statements.
作り置き
作り置き means food prepared and kept for later in this dialogue. It is the topic in 作り置きは役立ちますが and refers to the meal-preparation plan as a whole. Use it when discussing food made ahead for later meals.
役立ちます
役立ちます means is useful or helps in 作り置きは役立ちますが. It says that prepared food provides practical help during the busy week. It commonly follows the thing that is useful, marked by は or が.
が
が means but in 作り置きは役立ちますが. It connects the positive point about meal prep with the following caution. Here it has a contrast function rather than marking the subject.
毎日
毎日 means every day in 毎日同じものを食べる. It describes the repeated time pattern that should be avoided. It commonly comes before the action it specifies.
同じ
同じ means the same in 同じもの. It shows that the food is unchanged from day to day. It is placed before the noun or noun-like expression it describes.
もの
もの means thing or food item in 同じものを食べる. Here it refers to the same food rather than naming a particular dish. It can follow a describing word and take を before an action.
食べる
食べる means eat in 同じものを食べるのは避けましょう. It names the eating action that the speakers want to avoid repeating. It can be followed by の to turn the action into a topic.
の
の turns 食べる into the noun-like expression 食べるの, meaning eating or the act of eating. In 食べるのは避けましょう, it allows the action to be marked as the topic by は. This pattern is useful when discussing an action as a matter or activity.
避けましょう
避けましょう means let us avoid in 同じものを食べるのは避けましょう. The polite volitional form makes this a gentle proposal or recommendation to avoid the action. It is useful when suggesting that people not do something.
野菜
野菜 means vegetables in 野菜カレー. It specifies the main type of ingredient in the curry. It commonly comes before a food noun to describe its contents.
カレー
カレー means curry in 野菜カレー. Together with 野菜, it identifies the planned dish as vegetable curry. It can be used after an ingredient or style word to name a dish.
たくさん
たくさん means a lot or plenty in たくさん作ろう. It describes making a large amount of the curry for later portions. It commonly comes before an action or quantity-related expression when indicating abundance.
作ろう
作ろう expresses the intention to make in 作ろうと思っていました. In this sentence, it is part of a thought about preparing a large batch, rather than a direct instruction. A reusable pattern is an action in this form followed by と思う.
思って
思って means thinking or holding the thought in 作ろうと思っていました. The te-form connects 思う with いました to describe the earlier ongoing thought. It is useful in the construction an intended action plus と思っている or いました.
いました
いました helps express that the speaker had been thinking in 作ろうと思っていました. Together with 思って, it places that state of thinking in the past while keeping the sentence polite. The full expression describes a previous intention.
きちんと
きちんと means properly in きちんと一人分ずつ分けて. It asks for careful, orderly portioning rather than an approximate division. It commonly comes before the action it describes.
一人分
一人分 means one person's portion in 一人分ずつ. It identifies the amount intended for one person. It is useful when dividing food or supplies according to the number of people served.
ずつ
ずつ means each or per in 一人分ずつ. It distributes the portions so that each one is a one-person serving. It commonly follows the amount or unit that is repeated for each portion.
分けて
分けて means divide or portion out in 一人分ずつ分けて. The te-form connects the portioning step with the next storage instruction. It is useful when describing sequential preparation steps.
安全
安全 means safe or safety-related in 安全に保存すれば. With に, it describes storing the food in a safe manner. It is useful when specifying that an action should be carried out safely.
に
に changes 安全 into the adverbial phrase 安全に保存, meaning store safely. It shows the manner in which the food should be stored. This use differs from に marking a destination such as 冷蔵庫に.
保存
保存 refers to storing or preserving food in 安全に保存すれば. It names the storage action that forms the condition for the food being okay. It is useful with food, files, or other things that need to be kept for later.
すれば
すれば means if one does in 保存すれば大丈夫. It forms the condition that must be met for the result 大丈夫. A common reuse pattern is an action followed by すれば and the resulting judgment.
大丈夫
大丈夫 means all right or okay in 保存すれば大丈夫です. Here it reassures the listener that the plan is acceptable if the food is stored safely. It is commonly used to confirm that a situation or plan is fine.
冷凍
冷凍 means freezing in 冷凍して. It identifies the method used for keeping some portions longer. With して, it forms the action of freezing.
して
して is the te-form used in 冷凍して and connects freezing with the rest of the question. It presents freezing as one step in the proposed arrangement. The te-form is commonly used to link sequential actions.
残り
残り means the rest or the remaining portions in 残りは冷蔵庫に入れておきましょうか. It refers to what is left after some portions are frozen. It commonly appears with は when contrasting the remaining items with another group.
冷蔵庫
冷蔵庫 means refrigerator in 冷蔵庫に入れておきましょうか. It identifies where the remaining food should be put. It commonly combines with に when marking the destination of 入れる.
入れて
入れて means put in in 冷蔵庫に入れておく. The te-form links putting the food in the refrigerator with おく, expressing that it should be left there ready. It is useful for describing placing something inside a container or location.
おきましょう
おきましょう in 入れておきましょうか means let us leave or keep it prepared. After 入れて, the expression 入れておく means put something somewhere and leave it there for later. The question form with か makes this a polite suggestion.
か
か marks the question in 入れておきましょうか. It turns the polite proposal into a question asking whether that plan is suitable. It commonly appears at the end of a polite question.
何食分
何食分 means several meals' worth in 何食分か冷凍してください. It measures the amount by the number of meals it can provide, without specifying the exact number. It is useful when portioning food for future meals.
ください
ください makes 冷凍してください a polite request to freeze the portions. It asks the listener to carry out the action respectfully. A common pattern is an action in te-form followed by ください.
選びやすい
選びやすい means easy to choose in 選びやすいように. It describes the containers as easier to select from because they are labeled. The pattern verb stem plus やすい is useful for describing an action that is easy to do.
よう
よう means so that or in such a way in 選びやすいように. It introduces the purpose of labeling the containers. The reusable pattern is a desired or useful result followed by ように.
容器
容器 means container in 容器に一つずつラベルを貼ってください. It refers to the individual food containers receiving labels. It is useful for talking about something used to hold or store an item.
一つ
一つ means one item in 一つずつ. Together with ずつ, it distributes the labeling action one item at a time. This pattern is useful when handling individual objects in a group.
ラベル
ラベル means label in 容器に一つずつラベルを貼ってください. It is the item attached to each container to make choosing easier. It commonly appears with ラベルを貼る when describing labeling something.
貼って
貼って means stick or attach in ラベルを貼ってください. The te-form combines with ください to make a polite request to attach the labels. It is useful for paper, stickers, or labels placed onto a surface.
昼食
昼食 means lunch in 昼食には. It identifies the meal for which a balanced item is needed. It commonly appears with には when setting a meal as the context or purpose.
ご飯
ご飯 means rice in ご飯だけでなく. In this dialogue, it refers specifically to rice as one part of lunch. It can be followed by だけ to say that rice alone is insufficient.
だけ
だけ means only or just in ご飯だけでなく. It limits the statement to rice, preparing the meaning not just rice. It is useful when specifying that something is the sole item or extent being considered.
で
で is part of the negative-addition pattern ご飯だけでなく. Together, だけでなく means not only rice and introduces additional foods. This pattern is useful when saying that one item is not the only relevant item.
なく
なく completes the negative-addition expression だけでなく, meaning not only. It connects the limited item ご飯だけ with the additional balanced food. Use the whole pattern だけでなく when adding something beyond the first item.
バランス
バランス means balance in バランスのよいもの. Here it concerns a balanced food choice for lunch. It commonly combines with のよい to describe something well-balanced.
よい
よい means good or suitable in バランスのよいもの. Here it describes food that has a good balance for lunch. It appears before もの to characterize the food being needed.
も
も means also or too in バランスのよいものも必要です. It adds the balanced item to rice rather than replacing the earlier topic. It commonly marks an additional thing that is needed or included.
必要
必要 means necessary or needed in バランスのよいものも必要です. It states that a balanced food item is required for lunch as well. It commonly follows the thing that is needed and can take です for a polite statement.
食べたい
食べたい means want to eat in 食べたいもの. It describes the learner's desired food and modifies もの. The pattern verb stem plus たい is useful for expressing what someone wants to do.
合わせて
合わせて means according to or matching in 食べたいものに合わせて. It says that the added ingredients should be chosen in line with what the person wants to eat. It is useful when adjusting a choice or action to fit a condition or preference.
卵
卵 means eggs in 卵や豆、鶏肉. It is one of the example foods suggested for making lunch more balanced. It can be listed with other food nouns using や.
や
や lists examples in 卵や豆、鶏肉. It indicates that eggs and beans are examples in the list, while 鶏肉 is also included. It is useful for giving a non-exhaustive list of items.
豆
豆 means beans in 卵や豆、鶏肉. It is one of the foods that can be added to lunch. It commonly appears as a food noun in a list of possible ingredients.
鶏肉
鶏肉 means chicken in 卵や豆、鶏肉. It is another suggested food for adding balance to lunch. It can be listed alongside other ingredient nouns.
加えて
加えて means add in 卵や豆、鶏肉を加えてください. The te-form combines with ください to make a polite request to include these foods. It is useful when telling someone to add an ingredient or item to something.
残り物
残り物 means leftovers in 残り物に飽きたら. It refers to food remaining from an earlier meal or preparation. It commonly appears with に when describing becoming tired of that food.
飽きたら
飽きたら means if or when one gets tired of something in 残り物に飽きたら. The に-marked 残り物 is the food that has become tiresome, and たら introduces the condition. It is useful for describing what to do when a feeling or situation occurs.
副菜
副菜 means side dish in 副菜を変えることができます. It refers to the accompanying dish that can be changed to make leftovers less boring. It is useful when distinguishing an accompanying dish from the main food.
変える
変える means change in 副菜を変えることができます. It describes replacing or altering the side dish while keeping the prepared meal practical. It commonly takes the item being changed with を.
こと
こと turns 変える into the noun-like expression 変えること in 変えることができます. It allows the ability expression to apply to the action of changing the side dish. This pattern is useful for saying that someone can or cannot do an action.
できます
できます means can or be able to in 変えることができます. Together with こと, it says that the speaker is able to change the side dish. The reusable pattern is an action in dictionary form followed by ことができます.
小さな
小さな means small in 小さな変化. It directly describes 変化 and presents a minor adjustment as useful. It is commonly placed immediately before the noun it describes.
変化
変化 means change or variation in 小さな変化. Here it refers to small adjustments in the prepared meals, such as changing a side dish. It is useful when discussing a difference or variation in a situation.
もっと
もっと means more in もっと楽しめます. It increases the degree of enjoyment that can result from small changes. It commonly comes before the adjective or verb phrase whose degree is increased.
楽しめます
楽しめます means can enjoy in 作り置きの料理をもっと楽しめます. It says that prepared meals can be enjoyed more when small changes are made. It commonly follows the thing enjoyed, marked by を, and expresses an ability or possibility.
Grammar Points
〜たら
飽きたら、小さな変化を楽しめます。
ah-kee-TAH-rah, CHEE-sah-nah hen-KAH oh tah-noh-SHEE-meh-MAHS.If you get tired of it, you can enjoy small changes.
Attach たら to the past form to express a condition: “if/when ...”. Here, 飽きる becomes 飽きたら.
〜てください
容器にラベルを貼ってください。
YOH-kee nee RAH-beh-roo oh hah-TEH-teh koo-dah-SAI.Please put a label on the container.
Use the て-form + ください to make a polite request. 貼る becomes 貼ってください.
Japanese Vocabulary
きちんと
adv
kee-CHIN-toh
properly; neatly
安全に
adv
ahn-ZEHN-nee
safely
一人分ずつ
phrase
hee-toh-ree-boon zoo-tsoo
one serving at a time; into individual portions
作り置き
noun
tsoo-koo-ree-oh-kee
pre-cooked food; meal prep
前もって
adv
my-eh-MOHT-teh
in advance
同じ
adj
oh-NAH-jee
same
避ける
verb
sah-KEH-roo
to avoid
避けましょう
保存
noun
hoh-ZOHN
storage; to preserve
野菜カレー
noun
noh-SAH-ee kah-REH
vegetable curry
役立つ
verb
yah-koo-DAH-tsoo
to be useful; to help
役立ちます
来週
noun
rye-SHOO
next week
料理
noun
RYOH-ree
cooking; dish
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to be useful; to help
Show Answer
役立ちますin advance
Show Answer
前もってvegetable curry
Show Answer
野菜カレーproperly; neatly