About This Lesson
Use Stay Focused on Needed Purchases to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
靴を買いに来ましたが、店頭にある他の商品に気を取られています。
KOO-tsu o KAI-nee kee-ma-SHTAH-gah, TEN-toh nee ah-roo HOH-kah no SHOH-hin nee KEE o toh-rah-reh-TEH ee-mahs. I came for shoes, but the other items on display are distracting me.
B
他のものを追加する前に、買いに来たものから始めましょう。
HOH-kah no moh-noh o tsoo-EE-kah soo-roo MAH-eh nee, KAI-nee kee-tah moh-noh kah-rah hah-jee-meh-MAH-shoh. Start with what you came for before adding anything else.
A
靴は必要ですが、ジャケットは欲しくなるだけです。
KOO-tsu wah hee-TSOO-yoh deh-soo gah, JAH-ket-toh wah ho-SHEE-koo nah-roo dah-KEH deh-soo. The shoes are necessary, but the jacket is only tempting.
B
では、今はジャケットを買い物かごに入れないでおきましょう。
DEH-wah, EE-mah wah JAH-ket-toh o KAI-moh-noh KAH-goh nee ee-reh-NAI deh oh-kee-ma-SHOH. Then keep the jacket out of your basket for now.
A
この靴下なら靴に合いますし、古くなった靴下の代わりになります。
KOH-noh KOO-tsoo-shee-tah nah-rah KOO-tsu nee ah-ee-MAHS-shee, foo-roo-koo NAHT-tah KOO-tsoo-shee-tah no kah-wah-REE nee nah-ree-MAHS. These socks would match the shoes and replace my worn pair.
B
その靴下のほうが、ジャケットよりあなたの計画に合っています。
SOH-noh KOO-tsoo-shee-tah no HOH-gah, JAH-ket-toh YOH-ree ah-nah-TAH no KAY-kah-koo nee ah-tteh ee-MAHS. They fit your plan better than the jacket.
A
靴と靴下を買って、それから店を出ます。
KOO-tsu toh KOO-tsoo-shee-tah o KAH-tteh, SOH-reh kah-rah MEE-seh o DEH-mahs. I'll take the shoes and socks, then head out.
B
それなら、買い物を必要なものに絞れて、実用的です。
SOH-reh nah-rah, KAI-moh-noh o hee-TSOO-yoh nah moh-noh nee shee-BOH-reh-teh, jee-TSOO-yoh-teh-kee deh-soo. That keeps your shopping trip focused and practical.Word by Word
靴
靴 means shoes here, the item the speaker came to buy. In 靴を買いに来ました, it is the object of the buying action. It is useful in shopping and clothing conversations.
を
を marks 靴 as the object of the action in 靴を買いに来ました. It commonly follows the thing someone buys, uses, or does. Use it when identifying what an action is directed toward.
買い
買い is the form of 買う used in 靴を買いに来ました, meaning buying as the purpose of coming. The pattern expresses coming in order to buy something. It is useful when explaining the purpose of arriving somewhere.
に
に marks purpose in 靴を買いに来ました, so the phrase means coming to buy shoes. It follows the action connected to the purpose of coming. This use is common when stating why someone comes or goes somewhere.
来ました
来ました means came in this dialogue and is the polite past form of 来る. It describes the speaker's arrival for the purpose stated before it. Use this form when politely reporting that you came somewhere.
が
が connects 靴を買いに来ました with the contrasting idea that other products are distracting. Here it works like but and signals a change or contrast between two clauses. It is useful when adding an unexpected point after a statement.
店頭
店頭 means the shopfront or area where products are displayed for customers. In 店頭にある他の商品, it identifies where the other products are located. It commonly appears when discussing products available or displayed at a shop.
ある
ある means be located or exist for the inanimate products in 店頭にある他の商品. It states that the products are present at the shopfront. A common reuse pattern is a place followed by にある when describing where an object is.
他
他 means other in 他の商品, referring to products besides the shoes. It marks the items as different from the main item under discussion. It commonly appears before の when modifying another noun.
の
の links 他 with 商品 in 他の商品, making the meaning other products. It connects a modifying noun to the noun being described. This pattern is useful for expressing relationships such as category, ownership, or description.
商品
商品 means a product or item for sale in 他の商品. Here it refers to the other merchandise displayed in the shop. It is useful when discussing goods in a store or items being considered for purchase.
気を取られています
気を取られています means being distracted or having one's attention taken away in 他の商品に気を取られています. 気 contributes the idea of attention or mind, を marks what is taken, and 取られています expresses the ongoing state of having it taken. The construction commonly describes being distracted by something marked with に.
もの
もの means thing or item here. In 他のものを追加する it refers to additional things, while in 買いに来たもの it refers to what the person came to buy. It commonly follows a describing phrase when referring to the thing that fits that description.
追加する
追加する means add in 他のものを追加する, referring to putting extra items into the purchase. The item being added is marked with を. Use it when including another item, detail, or element in something.
前
前 means before in 追加する前に, setting the time before adding anything else. It follows an action phrase to establish an earlier point in time. The pattern is useful for giving an order of actions.
来た
来た means came in 買いに来たもの and identifies the thing the speaker came to buy. It is the plain past form of 来る used inside the phrase modifying もの. This pattern helps specify what someone came to do or obtain.
から
から means from or starting with in 買いに来たものから始めましょう. It marks the item that should be the starting point. It is useful when telling someone where to begin in an ordered task.
始めましょう
始めましょう means let's start and invites the listener to begin an action together. Here it follows the starting point marked by から. Use this polite form when proposing the first step of a task or activity.
は
は marks 靴 as the topic in 靴は必要ですが. It presents shoes as the item being discussed and helps set up the contrast with the jacket. It is useful when highlighting or comparing a topic.
必要
必要 means necessary in 必要です, describing the shoes as required for the planned purchase. With です, it forms a polite statement of necessity. It is useful when explaining that something is needed rather than optional.
です
です makes 必要です a polite statement that the shoes are necessary. It follows the description and gives the sentence a polite tone. Use it when making a straightforward polite evaluation or statement.
ジャケット
ジャケット means jacket, the extra item being considered in this shopping conversation. It appears as ジャケットは when it is the topic and as ジャケットを when it is the item to keep out of the basket. It is useful when discussing a jacket as a clothing purchase.
欲しく
欲しく is the form of 欲しい used in 欲しくなる, contributing the idea of wanting the jacket. It is followed by なる, which expresses a change into that state. This form is useful when describing the point at which someone starts to want something.
なる
なる means become in 欲しくなる, so the construction describes becoming wanting or starting to want the jacket. Here なる supplies the change into the state expressed by 欲しく. It is commonly used after a description of a new condition or feeling.
だけ
だけ means only or just in 欲しくなるだけ. It limits the statement to the fact that the jacket merely makes the speaker want it, rather than showing that it is necessary. It is useful for restricting a description to one result or extent.
では
では means then or in that case at the beginning of では、今はジャケットを買い物かごに入れないでおきましょう. It responds to the previous decision and introduces a resulting suggestion. Use it when moving from a stated situation to a practical next step.
今
今 means now in 今は, referring to the present shopping decision. With は, it sets the current moment as the topic and gives the idea of for now. It is useful when describing a temporary choice or action.
買い物かご
買い物かご means shopping basket in 買い物かごに入れない. It is the container into which a shopper might put an item. It is useful in store conversations about selecting, adding, or leaving out products.
入れない
入れない means not put in, referring to not putting the jacket in the shopping basket. It is the negative form of 入れる and takes the item being put in as its object. Use it when deciding not to place something inside a container.
で
で connects 入れない with おきましょう in 入れないでおきましょう. Together they express leaving the jacket unplaced for now, while で links the negative action to that decision. This pattern is useful when choosing to refrain from an action temporarily.
おきましょう
おきましょう means let's leave it that way or let's refrain for now in 入れないでおきましょう. With the negative action before it, it indicates maintaining the decision not to put the jacket in the basket. Use it when making a polite temporary decision.
この
この means this or these in この靴下 and points to the socks being selected. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. It is useful when choosing or discussing an item near the speaker or already under consideration.
靴下
靴下 means socks in この靴下, the item that matches the shoes and replaces the worn pair. It is discussed as a practical addition to the planned purchase. It is useful in conversations about clothing and replacing worn items.
なら
なら frames この靴下 as the item being considered in この靴下なら. It gives the sense of if it is these socks or when it comes to these socks before stating what is true about them. Use it when making a judgment based on a particular option.
合います
合います means match or go well with in 靴に合います, describing the socks as suitable with the shoes. The thing they match is marked with に. It is useful when discussing whether clothing, colors, or other items go together.
し
し adds another supporting point in 合いますし、古くなった靴下の代わりになります. It says that the socks match the shoes and also serve another useful purpose. Use it when listing multiple reasons or features.
古く
古く contributes the meaning of old or worn in 古くなった靴下. It is the form of 古い used before なる to describe a change of condition. It is useful when explaining that an item has reached an old or worn state.
なった
なった means became in 古くなった, describing the socks that have become old or worn. Together with 古く, it expresses a changed condition. Use this pattern when an object has developed a new state over time.
代わり
代わり means replacement or substitute in 古くなった靴下の代わりになります. It identifies the new socks as the replacement for the old pair. The pattern Nの代わり is useful when saying that one thing substitutes for another.
なります
なります means becomes or serves as in 代わりになります. In the full construction, the socks serve as a replacement for the worn socks. It is useful when explaining what role or function something takes on.
その
その means that or those in その靴下のほうが and refers back to the socks just mentioned. It comes before the noun it identifies. Use it when referring to an item associated with the listener or with the preceding conversation.
ほう
ほう identifies the side or option being favored in その靴下のほうが、ジャケットより. It helps present the socks as the better choice in the comparison. The pattern is useful when comparing two options and selecting one as more suitable.
より
より means than in その靴下のほうが、ジャケットより. It marks the jacket as the standard of comparison. Use it when stating that one option is better, more suitable, or otherwise different from another.
あなた
あなた means you in あなたの計画 and identifies whose plan is being discussed. With の, it contributes the meaning your. It is useful when referring directly to the listener's plan, choice, or responsibility.
計画
計画 means plan in あなたの計画に合っています. Here it is the shopping plan that the socks fit better than the jacket. It is useful when discussing an intended course of action or a planned goal.
合っています
合っています means fits or aligns with in あなたの計画に合っています. It describes the socks as being in agreement with the listener's plan, and the plan is marked with に. This form is useful for saying that an option suits a plan, purpose, or condition.
と
と joins 靴 and 靴下 in 靴と靴下, meaning shoes and socks. It connects nouns that are being taken together. Use it when listing two or more items as a combined set.
買って
買って means buy and links the buying action to what follows in 靴と靴下を買って、それから店を出ます. It is the form used to connect sequential actions, while それから makes the order explicit. Use it when describing one action followed by another.
それから
それから means then or after that in それから店を出ます. It clearly marks the next action after buying the shoes and socks. Use it to organize actions in time or explain the next step.
店
店 means shop or store in 店を出ます. Here it is the place the speaker leaves after completing the purchase. It is useful when talking about entering, staying in, or leaving a shop.
出ます
出ます means leave or go out in 店を出ます, so the speaker leaves the shop. With a place marked by を, it describes exiting that place. Use this polite form when reporting that someone leaves a building or location.
それなら
それなら means if that's the case or then in それなら、買い物を必要なものに絞れて. It draws a conclusion from the decision to buy only the shoes and socks. Use it at the start of a response when evaluating or acting on what someone has just said.
買い物
買い物 means shopping in 買い物を必要なものに絞れて. It refers to the overall shopping activity, not just one individual item. It is useful when discussing the purpose, scope, or result of a shopping trip.
必要な
必要な means necessary or needed in 必要なもの, describing the items that are required. This form directly modifies もの and helps identify which things should remain in the purchase. Use it before a noun when specifying something that is needed.
絞れて
絞れて expresses keeping the shopping narrowed or focused in 買い物を必要なものに絞れて. The pattern shows the shopping being limited to the needed items and links that result to the evaluation 実用的です. It is useful when describing a choice that reduces a larger range to a specific target.
実用的
実用的 means practical in 実用的です, evaluating the focused purchase as useful for its intended purpose. With です, it forms a polite evaluation. Use it when something emphasizes usefulness and necessary function rather than unnecessary extras.
Grammar Points
動詞ます形の語幹＋に来る
靴を買いに来ました。
KOO-tsu o KAI-nee kee-ma-SHTAH.I came to buy shoes.
The verb stem＋に来る expresses coming somewhere for the purpose of doing something.
～ないでおく
ジャケットは買い物かごに入れないでおきましょう。
JAH-ket-toh wah KAI-moh-noh KAH-goh nee ee-reh-NAI deh oh-kee-ma-SHOH.Let's leave the jacket out of the shopping basket for now.
～ないでおく means intentionally not doing something for now or as a deliberate choice.
Japanese Vocabulary
ジャケット
noun
JAH-ket-toh
jacket
気を取られる
phrase
KEE o toh-rah-REH-roo
to be distracted
気を取られています
靴
noun
KOO-tsu
shoes
靴を買いに来ました
今
adv
EE-mah
now; for now
今はジャケットを
他の商品
phrase
HOH-kah no SHOH-hin
other products
他の商品に気を取られています
追加する
verb
tsoo-EE-kah soo-roo
to add
他のものを追加する前に
店頭
noun
TEN-toh
shopfront; in-store display area
店頭にある
入れる
verb
ee-REH-roo
to put in
入れないでおきましょう
買いに来る
phrase
KAI-nee KOO-roo
to come to buy
買いに来ました
買い物かご
noun
KAI-moh-noh KAH-goh
shopping basket
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary; needed
靴は必要ですが
欲しくなる
phrase
ho-SHEE-koo nah-ROO
to start wanting
欲しくなるだけです
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
other products
Show Answer
他の商品to come to buy
Show Answer
買いに来ましたto start wanting
Show Answer
欲しくなるjacket