Borrowing a Suitcase and Agreeing on Care | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: Before a trip, one adult borrows a suitcase and agrees how to protect it, document its condition, and return it clean..

EN → JA / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Suitcase and Agreeing on Care to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

来週の旅行に、あなたの中くらいのスーツケースを借りてもいいですか？

rai-SHOO no ryoh-KOH nee, a-NA-ta no na-ka-GOO-rai no SOO-tsu KAY-su o ka-RI-te-mo EE des-ka? Could I borrow your medium suitcase for my trip next week?
B

いいですが、取っ手は少し壊れやすいので気をつけてください。

ee-EE des-ga, TOHT-te wa SU-ko-shi ko-WA-re-ya-SOO-ee no de kee o TSU-ke-te ku-da-SAI. You can, but be careful with the handle because it's a little fragile.
A

そのことを覚えておいて、荷物を詰めすぎないようにします。

so-no ko-to o o-bo-E-te oh-EE-te, NEE-mo-tsu o tsu-MEH-su-gee-NAI yoo-nee shi-MAS. I'll keep that in mind and avoid overpacking it.
B

側面には傷も一つあります。

so-ku-MEN nee wa KEE-zoo mo hee-TO-tsu a-RI-mas. It also has a scratch on the side.
A

使う前に、私が写真を撮りましょうか？

TSU-ka-OO MA-eh nee, wa-TA-shi ga SHA-shin o TO-ri-ma-SHOO-ka? Would you like me to take a photo before I use it?
B

写真があれば、二人ともその状態をはっきり確認できます。

SHA-shin ga a-RE-ba, foo-TA-ree to-MOH so-no joh-TAI o HAH-kee-ree ka-KUN de-KE-mas. A photo would make the condition clear for both of us.
A

戻った次の日に返します。

mo-DOHT-ta TSU-gee no HEE nee ka-EH-shi-MAS. I'll return it the day after I get back.
B

中に持って入る前に、車輪を拭いてください。

NA-ka nee MOT-te ee-RU MA-eh nee, SHA-rin o foo-EE-te ku-da-SAI. Please wipe the wheels before bringing it inside.
A

返す前に、外でそうします。

ka-EH-su MA-eh nee, SOH-shi-MAS. I'll do that outside before I bring it back.
B

旅行中に取っ手で困ったら、教えてください。

ryoh-KOH-chuu nee TOHT-te de ko-MOHT-ta-ra, o-SHI-E-te ku-da-SAI. Let me know if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.

Word by Word

来週 来週 means “next week” in the phrase 来週の旅行. It is used for a week following the current week, often before の when modifying another noun.
の の links 来週 to 旅行 in 来週の旅行, meaning “the trip next week.” A common reuse pattern is noun の noun, where the first noun describes or specifies the second.
旅行 旅行 means “trip” or “travel” here, referring to the speaker’s upcoming trip. In this dialogue it appears in 来週の旅行, and it can also be used with a destination or purpose in a new example: 旅行に行く.
に に marks the purpose or destination connected with the trip in 旅行に. Here, 来週の旅行に借りる means borrowing it for the trip; a common reuse pattern is purpose or destination に plus an action.
あなた あなた means “you” and identifies the person who owns the suitcase in あなたの中くらいのスーツケース. With の, it means “your”; in Japanese, the person can often be understood from context, but this dialogue states it explicitly.
中くらい 中くらい means “medium-sized” and describes the suitcase in 中くらいのスーツケース. The pattern 中くらいの plus a noun is useful when describing an object’s size.
スーツケース スーツケース means “suitcase,” the object being borrowed and cared for in this dialogue. It is the object marked by を in スーツケースを借りて.
を を marks スーツケース as the object of the borrowing action in スーツケースを借りて. A common reuse pattern is noun を plus a verb for an action performed on that noun.
借りて 借りて means “borrow” here and appears in the permission request 借りてもいいですか. This form connects 借りる with the permission expression もいいですか; a reusable pattern is noun を借りてもいいですか.
も も contributes to the permission construction 借りてもいいですか, which asks whether borrowing is acceptable and means “May I borrow it?” In this construction, も follows the te-form of the action before いいですか.
いい いい means “okay” in 借りてもいいですか, so the whole expression asks whether the action is allowed. It is not describing the suitcase as good here; it evaluates whether the proposed action is acceptable.
です です gives the question a polite tone in 借りてもいいですか. It is used here as the polite ending of the permission question, making the request suitable for a respectful conversation.
か か marks 借りてもいいですか as a question. At the end of a polite sentence, it signals that the speaker is asking for an answer rather than making a statement.
が が means “but” in いいですが, contrasting permission with the warning that follows. This use connects two parts of a sentence where the second part adds a limitation or caution.
取っ手 取っ手 means “handle,” specifically the suitcase handle discussed in the warning. It is the topic in 取っ手は少し壊れやすいので, focusing attention on the part that needs care.
は は marks 取っ手 as the topic in 取っ手は少し壊れやすいので. The sentence first establishes the handle as the subject of discussion and then describes its fragile condition.
少し 少し means “a little” and softens the description in 少し壊れやすい. It indicates a limited degree, so the handle is somewhat easy to break rather than described as completely unusable.
壊れやすい 壊れやすい means “fragile” or “easy to break” here. The form describes a tendency for the handle to break, and a common reuse pattern is a verb stem plus やすい for something easy to do.
ので ので means “because” or “since” in 壊れやすいので, giving the reason for the request to be careful. It commonly follows a reason clause before the resulting request or statement.
気をつけて Together, 気をつけて means “be careful” in 気をつけてください. 気 contributes the idea of attention, を marks it within the expression, and つけて is the connected form that leads into the polite request; use this expression when warning someone to pay attention.
ください ください makes 気をつけてください a polite request meaning “please be careful.” It follows a te-form and is useful when asking someone respectfully to perform the action.
その その means “that” and points back to the information just given about the fragile handle in そのこと. It comes directly before the noun it describes.
こと こと means “matter” or “thing” in そのこと, referring to the information about the handle. The expression そのこと treats the previously mentioned point as something to remember.
覚えておいて 覚えておいて means “keep it in mind” in 覚えておいて. 覚えて expresses remembering, while おいて adds the idea of keeping that state for later; use the whole expression when someone should remember information while carrying out a later activity.
荷物 荷物 means “luggage” or “belongings” in 荷物を詰めすぎない. It is the thing being packed into the suitcase and is marked by を in this phrase.
詰めすぎない 詰めすぎない means “not overpack” here, referring to putting too much luggage into the suitcase. The negative form expresses what the speaker will avoid, and a useful pattern is a verb plus すぎない for not doing something excessively.
ように In 詰めすぎないようにします, ように turns the preceding action into the aim of the speaker’s effort, and に connects that aim to します. The whole expression means “make sure not to overpack it” or “try not to overpack it”; a reusable pattern is verb phrase ようにします.
します します means “will do” in 詰めすぎないようにします, expressing the speaker’s commitment to act in a certain way. With ように, it is used to say that someone will make an effort to achieve or avoid the preceding situation.
側面 側面 means “side surface” in 側面には傷も一つあります. It identifies the part of the suitcase where the scratch is located, and it is followed by には to mark that location as the topic.
傷 傷 means “scratch” or “mark” here, referring to existing damage on the suitcase. In 傷も一つあります, it is something that the suitcase has in addition to the other condition information.
あります あります expresses that an inanimate thing exists or is present in 傷も一つあります. In this dialogue, it naturally means that the suitcase has a scratch; it is used for objects and conditions rather than people.
使う 使う means “use” in 使う前に, referring to using the suitcase. Its plain form comes before 前に to mean “before using it”; a common pattern is verb plain form 前に.
前 前 means “before” in 使う前に. Together with the preceding verb, it places one action earlier than another, and the pattern verb 前に is useful for describing preparation.
私 私 means “I” or “me” and identifies the person who will take the photo in 私が写真を撮りましょうか. It is marked by が as the person responsible for the proposed action.
写真 写真 means “photo” and is the object to be taken in 写真を撮りましょうか. It is used with 撮る for taking a photograph.
撮りましょう 撮りましょう means “shall I take” in 写真を撮りましょうか, making a polite offer to take the photo. With か at the end, it asks whether the other person would like the speaker to do it; this is useful when offering help.
あれば あれば means “if there is” or “if available” in 写真があれば. It introduces the condition that a photo exists, and a common reuse pattern is noun があれば when discussing what can be done if something is available.
二人とも 二人とも means “both of us” in 二人ともその状態をはっきり確認できます. 二人 identifies two people, and とも adds the meaning that both people are included; use it when the same point applies to each of two people.
状態 状態 means “condition” or “state,” referring to the suitcase’s condition in その状態をはっきり確認できます. It is the thing being clearly checked and is marked by を in the sentence.
はっきり はっきり means “clearly” in はっきり確認できます. It describes the clarity of the checking, emphasizing that both people can determine the condition without ambiguity.
確認 確認 means “checking” or “confirmation” in 確認できます, referring to checking the suitcase’s condition from the photo. It commonly combines with できます to express that something can be confirmed or checked.
できます できます means “can do” here, so 確認できます means “can confirm” or “can check.” It expresses that the photo makes the checking possible for both people, and the polite form is suitable for this conversation.
戻った 戻った means “got back” or “returned” in 戻った次の日, referring to the speaker’s return from the trip. It modifies 次の日 and places that day after the return; a common pattern is a past-form verb before a noun.
次 次 means “next” in 次の日, identifying the day following the return. Together with 日, it forms the time expression “the next day.”
日 日 means “day” in 次の日. Here it is part of the time expression 次の日, which specifies when the suitcase will be returned.
返します 返します means “will return” or “will give back” in the promise to return the suitcase. The polite nonpast form can describe a future commitment when the context is a plan or promise.
中 中 means “inside” in 中に持って入る. It marks the interior as the destination of bringing the suitcase, and に connects that destination to the movement.
持って 持って means “carrying” or “bringing” in 持って入る. It is the connected form of 持つ and links the act of carrying the suitcase with entering; use it when one action accompanies or leads into another.
入る 入る means “enter” or “go inside” in 持って入る. Together, the phrase describes bringing the suitcase into the inside, and it follows the connected form of 持つ.
車輪 車輪 means “wheels,” referring to the suitcase wheels that should be wiped. It is the object of 拭いて in 車輪を拭いてください.
拭いて 拭いて means “wipe” in 拭いてください, telling the listener to wipe the wheels. It is the connected form used before ください, a common way to make a polite request.
外 外 means “outside” in 外で, specifying where the speaker will wipe the wheels. It is followed by で because the action takes place there.
で で marks 外 as the location where the wiping will happen in 外でそうします. A common reuse pattern is place で plus an action to say where an activity occurs.
そう そう means “that way” or “so” in そうします, referring back to wiping the wheels as requested. It lets the speaker confirm that they will carry out the previously mentioned action without repeating it.
返す 返す means “return” or “give back” in 返す前に. Its plain form appears before 前に, meaning “before returning it”; a useful pattern is verb plain form 前に for sequencing actions.
困ったら 困ったら means “if you have trouble” in 困ったら教えてください. It presents trouble during the trip as the condition for telling the owner, and the たら pattern is commonly used for an “if or when” condition.
教えて 教えて means “tell me” or “let me know” in 教えてください. It is the connected form used with ください to make a polite request for information, especially when asking someone to report a problem.

Grammar Points

〜てもいいですか

借りてもいいですか

ka-RI-te-mo EE des-ka

May I borrow it?

Use 〜てもいいですか to politely ask for permission to do something.

〜ないようにします

詰めすぎないようにします

tsu-MEH-su-gee-NAI yoo-nee shi-MAS

I will avoid overpacking.

〜ないようにします expresses an intention to avoid doing something.

Japanese Vocabulary

スーツケース noun
SOO-tsu KAY-su suitcase
壊れやすい adj
ko-WA-re-ya-SOO-ee fragile; easily broken
覚えておいて phrase
o-bo-E-te oh-EE-te keep in mind; remember
気をつけてください phrase
kee o TSU-ke-te ku-da-SAI please be careful
詰めすぎないようにします phrase
tsu-MEH-su-gee-NAI yoo-nee shi-MAS I will avoid overpacking
写真 noun
SHA-shin photo
借りてもいいですか phrase
ka-RI-te-mo EE des-ka may I borrow
取っ手 noun
TOHT-teh handle
傷 noun
KEE-zoo scratch
側面 noun
so-ku-MEN side
中くらい adj
na-ka-GOO-rai medium
旅行 noun
ryoh-KOH trip

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

may I borrow

Show Answer借りてもいいですか

fragile; easily broken

Show Answer壊れやすい

I will avoid overpacking

Show Answer詰めすぎないようにします

keep in mind; remember

Show Answer覚えておいて