About This Lesson
Use Choosing the Right Commuter Pass to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
仕事の予定が変わったので、定期券が必要かもしれません。
shee-GOH-toh noh yoh-TAY gah kah-WAHT-tah noh-DEH, TAY-kee-ken gah hee-TSOO-yoh kah-MOH-shee-reh-mah-SEN. My work schedule has changed, so I may need a commuter pass.
B
定期券は、移動する頻度に合っている場合にだけ役に立ちます。
TAY-kee-ken wah, ee-DOH soo-roo HEEN-doh nee ah-tteh-EE-roo bah-AI nee DAH-keh yoh-kee nee tah-chee-MAHS. A pass only helps if it matches how often you travel.
A
今は以前より頻繁に移動するので、切符を一枚ずつ買うのは不便に感じます。
ee-MAH wah ee-ZEN yoh-REE HEEN-pahn nee ee-DOH soo-roo noh-DEH, KIP-poo oh ee-chee-MAI zoo-TSOO KAH-oo noh-wah FOO-ben nee KAHN-jee-MAHS. Buying single tickets feels inconvenient now that I travel more often.
B
では、柔軟な定期券と通常の定期券を比べてみてください。
deh-WAH, joo-NAHN nah TAY-kee-ken toh tsoo-JOH noh TAY-kee-ken oh koo-RAH-beh-teh MEE-teh koo-dah-SAI. Then compare the flexible pass with the regular one.
A
仕事のパターンが変わり続けるなら、柔軟な定期券のほうが私に合うかもしれません。
shee-GOH-toh noh pah-TAHN gah kah-WAH-ree tsoo-zoo-KEH-roo nah-rah, joo-NAHN nah TAY-kee-ken noh HOO gah wah-TAH-shee nee ah-OO kah-MOH-shee-reh-mah-SEN. If my work pattern keeps changing, the flexible pass may suit me better.
B
ときどき在宅勤務をするなら、それは便利そうですね。
toh-kee-DOH-kee zai-TAH-koo keen-MOO oh soo-roo nah-rah, soh-reh wah BEN-ree soh-OO dehss neh. That sounds useful if you sometimes work from home.
A
仕事の後で、交通アプリで両方の選択肢を比べてみます。
shee-GOH-toh noh ah-TOH deh, koh-TSOO ah-POO-ree deh ryoh-HOH noh sen-TAH-koo-shee oh koo-RAH-beh-teh MEE-MAHS. I'll compare both options in the transport app after work.
B
理想の予定ではなく、実際の一週間に合う定期券を選んでください。
ree-SOH noh yoh-TAY deh-wah nah-koo, jee-SAI noh ees-SHOO-kahn nee ah-OO TAY-kee-ken oh eh-RAHN-deh koo-dah-SAI. Choose the pass that matches your actual week, not an ideal schedule.Word by Word
仕事
In 「仕事の予定」, 仕事 means work or job and identifies the kind of schedule being discussed. It is useful when talking about work-related plans or arrangements.
の
In 「仕事の予定」, の links 仕事 to 予定 and shows that the schedule is related to work. It commonly connects one noun with another noun that it describes.
予定
In 「仕事の予定」, 予定 means the schedule or plans that have changed. Use it when discussing planned activities, arrangements, or timetables.
が
In 「予定が変わった」, が marks 予定 as the thing that changed. It is commonly used to identify what undergoes a change or what has a particular condition.
変わった
In 「予定が変わった」, 変わった means changed and presents the change as completed. This form is useful when explaining that a schedule, plan, or situation is no longer the same.
ので
Here, ので means because or since and gives the changed work schedule as the reason for possibly needing a pass. It is commonly placed after a reason before the resulting statement.
定期券
定期券 means a commuter pass in this dialogue, something being considered for repeated travel. It is used when discussing whether a pass is needed or which pass to choose.
必要
In 「定期券が必要」, 必要 means necessary or needed. The pattern identifies something that a person needs for a situation.
かもしれません
Together, 「かもしれません」 expresses polite uncertainty: a commuter pass may or might be needed. かも signals possibility, while しれ and ません complete the polite possibility expression. Use it when you want to state that something is possible without presenting it as certain.
は
In 「定期券は」, は marks the commuter pass as the topic of the statement. It frames the pass as the thing whose usefulness is being discussed.
移動する
In 「移動する頻度」, 移動する means to travel or move around. It identifies the activity whose frequency is being considered when choosing a pass.
頻度
頻度 means frequency, or how often something happens, here referring to travel. It is useful with an activity when discussing how often that activity occurs.
に
In 「頻度に合っている」, に marks the travel frequency as the standard that something matches. It commonly connects a matching or suitability expression to the thing being matched.
合って
In 「頻度に合っている」, 合って contributes the meaning of matching or fitting the travel frequency. Together with いる, it describes the pass as being in a state that fits that frequency.
いる
Here, いる completes 「合っている」 and shows that the matching relationship is an existing state. It is used after this form when describing something that remains in that state.
場合
In 「場合にだけ」, 場合 means a case or situation. It identifies the situation in which the pass is useful.
だけ
Here, だけ means only and limits the pass's usefulness to the situation just described. It is commonly used to restrict a statement to one condition or range.
役に立ちます
Together, 「役に立ちます」 means is useful or helpful. 役 contributes the idea of a useful role, に connects the expression, and 立ちます completes the polite expression. Use it when saying that a tool, service, or piece of information helps in a situation.
今
In 「今は以前より」, 今 means now or the current situation. It sets the present situation as the point being compared with an earlier one.
以前
In 「以前より頻繁に」, 以前 means before or previously. It identifies the earlier situation used as the comparison point.
より
Here, より means than or compared with and sets the earlier situation as the comparison baseline. It is useful when describing how the present differs from something earlier.
頻繁
In 「頻繁に移動する」, 頻繁 means frequent and describes travel as happening often. It is commonly used with に when describing how often an action occurs.
切符
切符 means a ticket, specifically the individual tickets being bought in this situation. It is used here as the thing bought one at a time instead of using a pass.
を
In 「切符を買う」, を marks 切符 as the direct object of buying. It identifies what the action is done to or directed toward.
一枚ずつ
Together, 「一枚ずつ」 means one at a time or one each. 一 means one, 枚 is the counter used here for tickets, and ずつ distributes the quantity separately. Use it when items are handled individually rather than all together.
買う
In 「切符を一枚ずつ買う」, 買う means to buy. It commonly appears with を to identify the item being purchased.
不便
In 「不便に感じます」, 不便 means inconvenient and describes buying individual tickets as troublesome in the current situation. It is useful for evaluating a method, service, or arrangement that is hard to use.
感じます
In 「不便に感じます」, 感じます means feel or find something to be a certain way. It presents 不便 as the speaker's impression of buying single tickets, rather than simply stating a general rule.
では
Here, では means then or in that case and responds to the previous point by introducing a suggestion. It is useful at the start of a response when moving from information to a next step.
柔軟
In 「柔軟な定期券」, 柔軟 means flexible and describes a pass that can suit changing circumstances. It is useful when evaluating an option that can adapt to different needs.
な
In 「柔軟な定期券」, な links 柔軟 to the noun 定期券 and lets it describe the pass. It is used after this kind of descriptive word before a noun.
と
In 「柔軟な定期券と通常の定期券」, と means and and connects the two pass options being compared. It commonly joins two nouns in a list or comparison.
通常
In 「通常の定期券」, 通常 means regular or usual and identifies the standard pass option. It describes a noun through the linking form の.
比べて
In 「比べてみてください」, 比べて means compare and introduces the comparison the listener is asked to try. This form connects the comparison action to the following request.
みて
In 「比べてみてください」, みて adds the idea of trying the action of comparing, not literally looking. It is commonly placed after an action in this kind of try-doing construction.
ください
Here, ください makes 「比べてみてください」 a polite request: please try comparing them. It is used after the requested action when speaking politely to another person.
パターン
In 「仕事のパターン」, パターン means pattern and refers to the person's work pattern. It is useful for describing a repeated or recognizable way that activities are arranged.
変わり
In 「変わり続ける」, 変わり contributes the meaning of changing. It combines with 続ける to describe a work pattern whose changes continue over time.
続ける
In 「変わり続ける」, 続ける means continue, so the whole expression means continue changing. It is useful after an action form when saying that an activity keeps going.
なら
Here, なら means if or when and sets the changing work pattern as the condition for choosing the flexible pass. It commonly introduces a condition before a result or recommendation.
ほう
In 「柔軟な定期券のほうが私に合う」, ほう means the side or option being preferred in a comparison. Here it highlights the flexible pass as the option that suits the speaker better.
私
In 「私に合う」, 私 means I or me and identifies the person for whom the pass is suitable. It is useful when stating whose needs or preferences an option matches.
合う
In 「私に合う」, 合う means suit or fit, so the pass is suitable for the speaker. The person affected by the suitability is marked with に.
ときどき
In 「ときどき在宅勤務をする」, ときどき means sometimes and shows that working from home happens occasionally. It is commonly placed before the action it describes.
在宅勤務
在宅勤務 means working from home in this dialogue. In 「在宅勤務をする」, it names the activity being done occasionally.
する
In 「在宅勤務をする」, する means to do and combines with 在宅勤務 to express doing that activity, or working from home. It is commonly used after a noun to describe carrying out an activity.
それ
In 「それは便利そうですね」, それ means that or it and points back to the flexible pass just mentioned. It lets the speaker comment on the previously discussed option without repeating its name.
便利
In 「便利そうですね」, 便利 means convenient or useful and evaluates the flexible pass positively. It is useful when describing something that makes an activity easier.
そう
In 「便利そうですね」, そう means seems or looks and presents convenience as an impression. It is commonly attached to a descriptive word when saying that something appears to have that quality.
です
Here, です provides the polite sentence ending in 「便利そうですね」. It gives the speaker's comment a polite tone.
ね
In 「便利そうですね」, ね adds a gentle tone and invites agreement with the impression that the pass seems useful. It is useful when making a comment intended to be shared with the listener.
両方
In 「両方の選択肢」, 両方 means both and includes the two options under discussion. It is useful when referring to two items together.
選択肢
選択肢 means option or choice, referring here to the available pass options. It is useful when discussing alternatives between which someone must decide.
みます
In 「比べてみます」, みます means will try doing and expresses the speaker's intention to try comparing both options. It is commonly placed after an action to say that someone will try it.
交通
In 「交通アプリ」, 交通 means transportation and identifies the app as related to transport services. It is useful as part of terms about travel or public transportation.
アプリ
In 「交通アプリ」, アプリ means app or application. It identifies the digital tool the speaker plans to use for comparing the options.
後
In 「仕事の後で」, 後 means after or later and places the comparison after work. It is commonly used with an event or activity to describe when something happens afterward.
で
In 「交通アプリで」, で marks the app as the tool or means used for comparing the options. It is useful for identifying where or by what means an action is carried out.
選んで
In 「選んでください」, 選んで means choose or select and names the action being requested. It is used in this form before ください to make a polite request.
理想
In 「理想の予定」, 理想 means ideal and describes a schedule imagined as perfect or preferred. It is contrasted with the actual week when giving the recommendation.
ではなく
Together, 「理想の予定ではなく、実際の一週間」 means not the ideal schedule but the actual week. で supplies the linking form, は highlights the contrast, and なく provides the not part. Use it when rejecting one basis or choice and directing attention to another.
実際
In 「実際の一週間」, 実際 means actual or real and points to the week as it really happens. It is used here to contrast real travel habits with an ideal schedule.
一週間
In 「実際の一週間」, 一週間 means one week and refers to the learner's real weekly travel pattern. It is useful when considering activities or schedules across a seven-day period.
Grammar Points
〜てみる
両方を比べてみて。
ryoh-HOH oh koo-RAH-beh-teh MEE-teh.Try comparing both.
Attach みる to the て-form to express trying an action. Here, 比べてみて means “try comparing.”
〜続ける
パターンは変わり続ける。
pah-TAHN wah kah-WAH-ree tsoo-zoo-KEH-roo.The pattern keeps changing.
Attach 続ける to a verb stem to express continuing an action or state.
Japanese Vocabulary
移動する
verb
ee-DOH soo-roo
travel; move around
移動する頻度
一枚ずつ
adv
ee-chee-MAI zoo-TSOO
one at a time
切符を一枚ずつ買う
合っている
verb
aht-TEH-ee-roo
match; be suitable for
頻度に合っている
仕事
noun
shee-GOH-toh
work
仕事の予定
切符
noun
KIP-poo
ticket
切符を買う
定期券
noun
TAY-kee-ken
commuter pass
定期券が必要
必要
adj
hee-TSOO-yoh
necessary; needed
定期券が必要かもしれません
頻度
noun
HEEN-doh
frequency
移動する頻度
不便
adj
FOO-ben
inconvenient
不便に感じます
変わった
verb
kah-WAHT-tah
changed
予定が変わった
役に立つ
phrase
yah-kee nee tah-TSOO
be useful; help
役に立ちます
予定
noun
yoh-TAY
schedule; plan
仕事の予定
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
travel; move around
Show Answer
移動するchanged
Show Answer
変わったbe useful; help
Show Answer
役に立つmatch; be suitable for