About This Lesson
Use Borrowing a ladder safely to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
天井の照明を交換するために、あなたのはしごを使ってもいいですか？
ten-JOH-noh shoh-MAY-o koh-KAHN-soo-roo TAH-meh-nee, ah-nah-TAH-noh hah-shee-goh-o tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess-KAH? Can I use your ladder to change a ceiling light?
B
いいですが、使っている間は誰かに近くにいてもらってください。
ee-EE dess-gah, tsoo-KAHT-teh EYE-dah wah dah-reh-kah-nee CHEE-kah-koo-nee EE-teh moh-RAHT-teh koo-DAH-sigh. You can, but have someone stay nearby while you use it.
A
はしごが安定するように、兄が下を押さえられます。
hah-shee-goh-gah ahn-TAY soo-roo yoh-oo-nee, ah-NEE-gah SHEE-tah-o oh-sah-eh-RAH-reh-mahss. My brother can hold the bottom so it stays stable.
B
それなら役に立ちそうです。
soh-reh NAH-rah yah-koo-nee tah-chee-soh dess. That should help.
B
そのはしごは丈夫ですが、それでも気をつける必要があります。
soh-noh hah-shee-goh-wah JOH-boo dess-gah, soh-reh-deh-moh KEE-o tsoo-KEH-roo hee-tsoo-YOH ah-ree-MAHSS. The ladder is sturdy, but you still need to be careful.
A
少しの間だけ必要ですし、気をつけます。
soo-KOH-shee-noh EYE-dah dah-KEH hee-tsoo-YOH dess-shee, KEE-o tsoo-KEH-mahss. I only need it for a short time, and I'll be careful.
B
必要なだけ時間をかけてください。
hee-tsoo-YOH-nah dah-KEH JEE-kahn-o kah-KEH-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Take the time you need.
B
地面がぬれている場合は、外で使わないでください。
jee-MEN-gah noo-REH-teh-ee-roo bah-EYE-wah, SOH-toh-deh tsoo-kah-WAH-nigh-deh koo-DAH-sigh. Avoid using it outside if the ground is wet.
A
室内で使い、終わったら返します。
SHEE-tsoo-NIGH-deh tsoo-KIGH, oh-WAHT-tah-rah kah-eh-SHEE-mahss. I will use it indoors and bring it back when I am finished.
B
私が家にいない場合は、ドアの横に置いてください。
wah-TAH-shee-gah ee-EH-nee ee-NAH-ee bah-EYE-wah, doh-AH-noh YOH-koh-nee OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh. If I am not home, leave it beside my door.
A
わかりました。あなたが外出している場合は、ドアの横に置きます。
wah-kah-ree-mah-SHEE-tah. ah-nah-TAH-gah guy-SHOO-tsoo shee-teh-ee-roo bah-EYE-wah, doh-AH-noh YOH-koh-nee oh-KEE-mahss. Okay, I'll leave it beside your door if you're out.
B
時間がかかっても、安全を優先してください。
JEE-kahn-gah kah-KAHT-teh-moh, ahn-ZEN-o yoo-SEN-shi-teh koo-DAH-sigh. Focus on safety, even if it takes longer.Word by Word
天井
天井 means “ceiling” in 天井の照明, referring to the part of the room where the light is installed. A common reuse pattern is a noun followed by の to describe another noun, as in 天井の照明.
の
の links 天井 and 照明 in 天井の照明, showing that the light is associated with or located on the ceiling. The reusable pattern is AのB, meaning “B related to or belonging to A.”
照明
照明 means “light” or “lighting fixture” in 天井の照明. Here it is the thing that will be replaced, marked by を in 照明を交換する.
を
を marks 照明 as the object of 交換する in 照明を交換する. A common reuse pattern is a noun followed by を before the action performed on it.
交換
交換 means “replacement” here, and 交換する means “to replace” the ceiling light. It commonly takes the item being replaced with を, as in 照明を交換する.
する
する turns 交換 into the action 交換する, meaning “to replace.” A noun plus する is a reusable way to express an action related to that noun.
ため
ため expresses purpose in 交換するために, meaning “in order to replace” the light. It follows an action and, with に, introduces the purpose of that action.
に
に marks the purpose in 交換するために, so the phrase explains why the ladder is needed. The reusable pattern is an action followed by ために for “in order to do something.”
あなた
あなた means “you,” and in あなたのはしご it contributes the meaning “your” because it is followed by の. This is a way to identify the person associated with an object.
はしご
はしご means “ladder” in あなたのはしご. Here it is the object the speaker asks permission to use, and it is also the item being safely returned later.
使って
使って is the connected form used in 使ってもいいですか, meaning “use” as part of a permission question. The reusable pattern is a verb in this connected form followed by もいいですか to ask whether an action is allowed.
も
も in 使ってもいいですか is part of the permission expression, not “also.” Together with いいですか, it asks politely whether using the ladder is acceptable.
いい
いい means “okay” or “acceptable” in 使ってもいいですか. In this construction, it gives permission when the answer is affirmative and is used to ask whether an action is permitted.
です
です makes いいですか polite in the permission question 使ってもいいですか. It gives the request a polite conversational ending.
か
か turns 使ってもいいですか into a question. It is placed at the end of this polite expression to ask for permission.
が
が has two functions in this dialogue: in いいですが it connects the ideas with “but,” while in 兄が it marks 兄 as the subject. The surrounding expression determines which function is intended.
いる
The meaning here is “be present”; the dialogue uses its connected form いて in 近くにいてもらってください. With もらってください, the request is to have someone remain nearby.
間
間 means “while” or “during” in 使っている間は, referring to the period when the ladder is being used. A common pattern is an ongoing action followed by 間 to describe what happens during that time.
は
は marks 使っている間 as the topic or setting in 使っている間は. The request applies specifically during the period of using the ladder.
誰か
誰か means “someone” in 誰かに近くにいてもらってください. It refers to an unspecified person who can stay nearby, and it is followed by に because that person is asked to perform the action.
近く
近く means “nearby” in 近くにいてもらってください. The に after it marks the place where the person should be present.
いて
いて is the connected form meaning “be present” in 近くにいてもらってください. It connects the action of staying nearby with もらってください, which makes the request about having someone do it.
もらって
もらって in いてもらってください expresses having someone do something as a favor, rather than physically receiving an object. The whole phrase asks the listener to arrange for someone to stay nearby.
ください
ください makes いてもらってください a polite request. A common reuse pattern is a connected verb form followed by ください when asking someone to do something.
安定
安定 means “stability” in 安定するように, referring to the ladder remaining steady. With する, it describes the ladder becoming or remaining stable.
よう
よう in 安定するように means “so that” or “in such a way that.” It introduces the desired result: the brother holds the bottom so the ladder stays stable.
兄
兄 means “older brother” in 兄が下を押さえられます. It is the person who can hold the bottom of the ladder in this situation.
下
下 means “bottom” or “underneath” in 兄が下を押さえられます. Here it refers to the lower part of the ladder, which the brother can hold in place.
押さえられます
押さえられます means “can hold down” or “can keep in place” in 兄が下を押さえられます. The form describes the brother’s ability to hold the ladder’s bottom so it remains stable.
それなら
それなら means “in that case” in それなら役に立ちそう, responding to the information about the brother helping. It is useful when drawing a conclusion from something just mentioned.
役に立ちそう
役に立ちそう means “seems useful” or “seems helpful” as a whole. 役 contributes the idea of a useful role, に links it with 立つ, and 立ちそう adds the impression that this usefulness is likely. A common reuse pattern is 役に立つ for saying that something is useful.
その
その means “that” in そのはしご, pointing to the ladder already under discussion. It comes directly before the noun it modifies.
丈夫
丈夫 means “sturdy” or “strong” in そのはしごは丈夫. It describes the ladder as physically reliable, although the speaker still says caution is necessary.
それでも
それでも means “still” or “even so” in それでも気をつける必要があります. It introduces advice that remains true despite the ladder being sturdy.
気をつける
気をつける means “to be careful” as a whole in 気をつける必要があります. 気 refers to attention, を marks it, and つける contributes the action of directing that attention; together they express carefulness. It is commonly used when giving safety advice.
必要
必要 means “need” or “necessity” in 気をつける必要があります. The phrase says that being careful is necessary, rather than merely suggesting it.
あります
あります in 気をつける必要があります says that a need exists. Together with 必要, it expresses “there is a need to be careful” in a polite way.
少し
少し means “a little” or “a short amount” in 少しの間だけ. Here it limits the length of time for which the ladder is needed.
だけ
だけ means “only” or “just” in 少しの間だけ. It emphasizes that the need will last for only a short period.
し
し connects the statement 必要です with the additional point 気をつけます in 必要ですし、気をつけます. It helps present the two points together as reasons for accepting the request.
気をつけます
気をつけます means “will be careful” in the speaker’s promise 気をつけます. 気 refers to attention, を marks it, and つけます is the polite form used to state the speaker’s intended action.
な
な links 必要 to だけ in 必要なだけ, making the meaning “as much as is necessary.” It connects the description of what is necessary with the following quantity or extent.
時間
時間 means “time” in both 時間をかけて and 時間がかかっても. With をかける, it is time someone deliberately spends; with がかかる, it is time that is required.
かけて
かけて in 時間をかけて means “spend or take time” in the connected expression 時間をかけてください. It is used when telling someone to allow or spend the time needed for an action.
地面
地面 means “ground” in 地面がぬれている場合. It is the surface whose condition determines whether using the ladder outside is safe.
ぬれて
ぬれて is the connected form used in 地面がぬれている場合, meaning “be wet.” Together with いる, it describes the ground as being in a wet condition.
場合
場合 means “case” or “situation” in 地面がぬれている場合は. It introduces the condition under which the advice applies.
外
外 means “outside” in 外で使わない. It identifies the location where the ladder should not be used when the ground is wet.
で
で marks 外 as the location of the action in 外で使わない. A common reuse pattern is a place followed by で before the action carried out there.
使わない
使わない means “not use” in 外で使わない. It gives the negative action in the safety instruction to avoid using the ladder outside in wet conditions.
室内
室内 means “indoors” or “inside a room” in 室内で使い. With で, it marks the place where the speaker will use the ladder instead.
使い
使い is the connected form of “use” in 室内で使い、終わったら返します. It links using the ladder indoors with the next action of returning it.
終わったら
終わったら means “when it is finished” or “once finished” in 終わったら返します. It sets the time for returning the ladder, and the reusable pattern is an action followed by たら for a condition or time.
返します
返します means “will return it” in 終わったら返します. The object is understood from the conversation, and the polite form presents the speaker’s promise to give the ladder back.
私
私 means “I” or “me” in 私が家にいない場合. It identifies the neighbor whose presence or absence determines where the ladder should be left.
家
家 means “home” or “house” in 家にいない. With に, it identifies the place in relation to which someone is or is not present.
いない
いない means “not be present” in 家にいない. It states the condition that the neighbor is away from home, which triggers the instruction to leave the ladder by the door.
ドア
ドア means “door” in ドアの横. It is the object used to identify the location where the ladder should be left.
横
横 means “side” or “beside” in ドアの横. The pattern nounの横 identifies a place next to the noun.
置いて
置いて is the connected form meaning “place” or “leave” in ドアの横に置いてください. It connects the action of leaving the ladder with the polite request ください.
わかりました
わかりました means “okay” or “I understand” in the reply to the neighbor’s instructions. It is a polite acknowledgment that the speaker accepts or has understood what was said.
外出
外出 means “going out” or “being away” in 外出している場合. With している, it describes the person as currently away from home.
して
して is the connected form of する in 外出している. It links 外出 with いる to express the ongoing state of being out.
置きます
置きます means “will place” or “will leave” in ドアの横に置きます. Here it states the speaker’s planned action if the other person is out, using a polite form.
かかって
かかって in 時間がかかっても means “take time” or “require time.” It connects with も to express “even if it takes longer,” preserving the condition that safety should come first.
安全
安全 means “safety” in 安全を優先してください. It is the thing the listener is told to put first when using the ladder.
優先して
優先して means “prioritize” in 安全を優先してください. It is the connected form of the action and combines with ください to make a polite instruction; a common reuse pattern is a priority or goal followed by を優先する.
Grammar Points
～てもいいですか
はしごを使ってもいいですか。
hah-shee-goh-o tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess-KAH?May I use the ladder?
Permission is asked with ～てもいいですか. The も adds the meaning “even if” or “it is okay to.”
～てください
横に置いてください。
YOH-koh-nee OH-ee-teh koo-DAH-sigh.Please put it beside it.
～てください is used to make a polite request or give a polite instruction.
Japanese Vocabulary
はしご
noun
hah-shee-goh
ladder
安定する
verb
ahn-TAY soo-roo
to be stable
押さえる
verb
oh-sah-EH-roo
to hold down; to keep in place
気をつける
phrase
KEE-o tsoo-KEH-roo
to be careful
近くにいる
phrase
CHEE-kah-koo-nee EE-roo
to stay nearby
交換する
verb
koh-KAHN-soo-roo
to change; to replace
使ってもいいですか
phrase
tsoo-KAHT-teh moh EE dess-KAH
May I use it?
少しの間
phrase
soo-KOH-shee-noh EYE-dah
for a short time
照明
noun
shoh-MAY
light; lighting
丈夫
adj
JOH-boo
sturdy; durable
天井
noun
ten-JOH
ceiling
必要
adj
hee-tsoo-YOH
necessary; need
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
May I use it?
Show Answer
使ってもいいですかto hold down; to keep in place
Show Answer
押さえるto change; to replace
Show Answer
交換するto stay nearby