Preparing for a Stormy Commute | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 通勤中に嵐が来るかもしれません。

   A storm may hit during my commute.

   通勤中に

   during the commute

   嵐

   storm

   来る

   come; arrive

   かもしれません

   may; might

   More detail

   通勤中に means “during the commute.” 通勤 is “commuting,” and 中 marks being in the middle of an activity or period; に marks the time when something occurs. The phrase is reusable with other activities, for example 仕事中に電話が来ました。 — “A phone call came during work.” 嵐 means “storm.” It is a noun. Japanese commonly places a noun such as 嵐 before the predicate without an article, so the phrase does not separately express “a” or “the.” 来る means “come” or “arrive” here. Its dictionary form is 来る; the polite non-past form is 来ます, and the negative form is 来ない. In this sentence, the storm is understood as approaching or hitting the area, which is why “hit” is a natural translation even though the basic verb is “come.” かもしれません expresses possibility: “may” or “might.” It follows the plain form 来る here: 来るかもしれません means “may come.” The ending ません makes this expression polite; it does not negate the possibility. For example, 明日は雨が降るかもしれません。 — “It might rain tomorrow.” Together, 通勤中に sets the time, 嵐が identifies the storm as the subject of 来る, and 来るかもしれません says that its arrival is possible. Thus the whole utterance means, “A storm may hit during my commute.”

2. 移動しなければならないなら、早めに出て、ルートを変えられるようにしておいてください。

   If you have to travel, leave earlier and keep your route flexible.

   移動しなければならない

   have to travel

   なら

   if

   早めに

   earlier

   出て

   leave

   ルート

   route

   変えられる

   can change

   ようにしておいてください

   please make sure to keep it that way

   More detail

   移動しなければならない means “have to travel/move.” The useful pattern is verb-なければならない, literally a negative condition plus “it is necessary,” used to express obligation. Here 移動する is the base verb “to travel/move,” and 移動しなければならない is its non-past obligation form. Example: 予約しなければならない。 — “I have to make a reservation.” なら adds the condition “if that is the case.” After the obligation clause, 移動しなければならないなら means “if you have to travel.” This is a conditional use of なら, not part of the obligation form itself. 早めに means “earlier” or “a little early.” It is the adverbial form of 早め (“early; earlier than usual”), and it modifies the following action. Example: 早めに帰ります。 — “I’ll go home early.” 出て is the て-form of 出る, “to leave” or “go out.” The て-form links this action to what follows: 出て、... means “leave, and then ...” in this sentence. The form 出て itself does not mark past time. ルート is the noun “route.” It is a loanword written in katakana. Here it is the route that may need to be changed; the sentence does not specify a particular route. 変えられる means “can change” in this context. It is the potential form of 変える, “to change something,” so the form expresses ability or possibility. The subject of 変える is understood from the sentence rather than stated separately. Compare 変える “change” with 変わる “change/be changed”: ルートを変える means “change the route,” while ルートが変わる means “the route changes.” Example: 予定を変えられます。 — “I can change the plan.” ようにしておいてください asks someone to make arrangements in advance so that a desired state or possibility is maintained. In this sentence, 変えられるようにしておいてください means “please keep it possible to change [the route].” しておく combines する with おく and indicates doing something beforehand or leaving things prepared; ください makes the request polite. The full pattern verb-ておいてください is useful for “please do [something] in advance.” Together, 移動しなければならないなら sets the condition “if you have to travel.” 早めに出て gives the first requested action, “leave earlier,” and ルートを変えられるようにしておいてください gives the preparation to make route changes possible. The whole utterance therefore means: “If you have to travel, leave earlier and keep your route flexible.”

3. オフィスに行く必要があります。

   I need to go to the office.

   オフィス

   office

   行く

   go

   必要があります

   is necessary

   More detail

   オフィス Here, オフィス means “office.” It is a noun commonly used for an office or workplace and is written in katakana. The particle に follows it and marks it as the destination of movement. Japanese does not mark definiteness in this noun itself; the fixed translation renders it as “the office” in this context. 行く 行く is the dictionary form meaning “to go.” In オフィスに行く, the destination is marked by に before the verb. The dictionary-form verb can come before 必要, as part of the reusable pattern verb + 必要がある. 必要があります 必要 is a noun meaning “necessity” or “need,” and あります is the polite nonpast affirmative form of ある, “to exist.” Together, 必要があります states that a need exists. With a preceding dictionary-form verb, the pattern verb + 必要があります means “need to do the verb.” The negative counterpart 必要はありません means that it is not necessary. Whole utterance オフィスに marks the destination, 行く supplies the action, and 行く必要があります says that going is necessary. Therefore, オフィスに行く必要があります。 means “I need to go to the office.” Japanese has no separate subject word corresponding to “I” here; the fixed translation supplies the speaker-oriented English subject. The polite form makes the statement suitable for ordinary polite conversation.

4. でも、嵐がもっと強くなる前に戻って来られます。

   But I can come back before it gets stronger.

   でも

   but

   嵐

   storm

   もっと

   more

   強くなる

   become stronger

   前に

   before

   戻って来られます

   can come back

   More detail

   でも introduces a contrast: “but.” It connects this sentence with the preceding situation without changing the content of the sentence that follows. 嵐 means “storm.” The following が marks 嵐 as the subject of the clause, so here the storm is the thing that becomes stronger. Japanese often leaves the personal subject of the main clause unstated; the fixed translation supplies “I” for 戻って来られます. もっと means “more” or “to a greater degree.” It modifies 強くなる, indicating a further increase in strength rather than simply stating that the storm is strong. 強くなる means “become stronger.” It combines 強い (“strong”) with なる (“become”), and the adjective appears in its connective form 強く before なる. This describes a change of state: 強い = “is strong,” while 強くなる = “becomes stronger.” Here, with もっと, it means “become stronger.” 前に means “before.” In 嵐がもっと強くなる前に, it introduces the later event in the time relationship: the storm becoming stronger. The main-clause event, returning, is to happen before that event. The pattern [clause] 前に is reusable for “before [clause].” 戻って来られます means “can come back” in this sentence. 戻って来る is the compound verb “come back” or “return”: 戻って is the te-form of 戻る (“return”), linking to 来る (“come”). The potential form of 来る is 来られる, and its polite non-past form is 来られます, giving 戻って来られます the meaning “can come back.” The non-past polite form can describe a present ability or a future possibility, as it does here. Together, 嵐がもっと強くなる前に means “before the storm becomes stronger,” and 戻って来られます means “I can come back.” With でも at the beginning, the complete utterance is: “But I can come back before it gets stronger.”

5. 防水の靴を履いて、普段から浸水する道路は避けてください。

   Wear waterproof shoes and avoid any streets that usually flood.

   防水の

   waterproof

   靴

   shoes

   履いて

   wearing; put on and

   普段から

   usually; ordinarily

   浸水する

   flood

   道路

   road; street

   避けてください

   please avoid

   More detail

   防水の describes something as waterproof. 防水 means “waterproofing” or “water resistance,” and の links this noun to the noun that follows: 防水の靴 = “waterproof shoes.” 靴 means footwear, especially shoes. The form is unchanged here; Japanese does not mark this noun for English-style singular versus plural in this phrase. 履いて comes from 履く, “to put on or wear footwear.” 履いて is the te-form. Here it connects the instruction to the next one: 靴を履いて、… means “put on shoes and then …” or “wear shoes and …” The verb 履く is specifically used for items worn on the feet, such as shoes and socks. 普段から means “ordinarily” or “as a usual matter.” 普段 refers to normal times, while から marks the point from which something applies. In this sentence it gives a habitual sense, not a one-time flood: the roads flood regularly or under their usual conditions. 浸水する means “to become flooded” or “to be inundated.” Its base form is 浸水する; する verbs use this dictionary-form ending in a noun-modifying clause. Because 普段から浸水する comes directly before 道路, it describes “roads that usually flood.” 道路 means “road” or “street.” It is the noun described by the preceding clause. The pattern [clause] + noun is a common Japanese way to say “a noun that [does something]”: 浸水する道路 = “roads that flood.” 避けてください means “please avoid.” It is built from 避ける, “to avoid,” in the te-form 避けて, followed by ください, which makes a polite request. This is a request rather than a bare command. For example, 危険な場所を避けてください。 means “Please avoid dangerous places.” Together, 防水の靴を履いて gives the first requested action, “wear waterproof shoes,” and 普段から浸水する道路は避けてください gives the second, “please avoid streets that usually flood.” The whole utterance is therefore: “Wear waterproof shoes and avoid any streets that usually flood.”

6. 駅の近くの地下道は、大雨のときによく浸水します。

   The underpass near the station often floods in heavy rain.

   駅

   station

   の近く

   near

   地下道

   underpass

   大雨

   heavy rain

   のとき

   during; when

   よく

   often

   浸水します

   floods

   More detail

   駅 means “station.” It is a noun and can be followed by の to link it to another noun or noun-like phrase: 駅の出口 means “the station’s exit” or “the exit of the station.” の近く means “near.” In 駅の近く, の links 駅 to 近く, so the phrase literally identifies a location near the station. 近く is a noun-like location expression; it can also be used in patterns such as 家の近く (“near the house”). 地下道 means “underpass” or “underground passage.” It is the noun that is described as being near the station and later as flooding. 地下 means “underground,” while 道 means “road” or “path,” but 地下道 is used as the established compound noun “underpass.” 大雨 means “heavy rain.” It is a compound noun, not a general marker of any particular amount of rain. The phrase 大雨のとき means “when there is heavy rain” or “during heavy rain.” のとき means “when” or “during the time of.” Here, 大雨 comes before の, so the condition is heavy rain. The same pattern can be reused with other nouns, such as 旅行のとき (“when traveling” / “during a trip”). よく means “often” here. It modifies the following event and says that flooding happens frequently. In other contexts, よく can also mean “well,” so its meaning comes from the construction and situation; here, the frequency meaning is fixed by the translation and sentence. 浸水します means “floods” here. Its base form is 浸水する, “to flood” or “to be inundated.” します is the polite nonpast form of する, so 浸水します can describe a recurring event as well as a future event; よく makes the recurring reading clear. In this sentence, the underpass is the place that becomes flooded. The related sentence in the context uses 浸水する in a modifying form, as in “roads that usually flood.” Together, 駅の近くの地下道 means “the underpass near the station.” 大雨のときに marks the condition or time “during heavy rain,” よく adds the frequency “often,” and 浸水します states the polite nonpast event “floods.” The complete meaning is: “The underpass near the station often floods in heavy rain.”

7. 少し時間がかかっても、代わりに大通りを通ってください。

   Take the main road instead, even if it adds a little time.

   少し

   a little

   時間

   time

   かかっても

   even if it takes

   代わりに

   instead

   大通り

   main road

   通ってください

   please go via

   More detail

   少し means “a little” here, specifying a small amount. It can also modify degree in expressions such as 少し寒い (“a little cold”), but here it modifies the amount of 時間. 時間 means “time.” In 少し時間がかかる, it is the time required for something: 少し時間がかかります。—“It takes a little time.” The verb かかる commonly describes time or cost being required; it is not the same as かける, which can mean deliberately spending or applying something. かかっても comes from the base form かかる: かかる → かかって → かかっても. The て-form followed by も creates an “even if” condition. Thus, 少し時間がかかっても means “even if it takes a little time.” Japanese leaves the subject of かかる unstated here; the sentence does not need to state who or what takes the time. 代わりに is an adverbial expression meaning “instead” or “in place of that.” It marks an alternative choice. Here it introduces taking the main road as the alternative route; the fixed translation supports this route-choice meaning. 大通り means “main road” or “major street.” It is a noun compound pronounced おおどおり, with 大 contributing the sense “large/main” and 通り meaning “street” or “road.” Learn 大通り as the established word for a major road, rather than treating 大 as the inflected form of 大きい. Example: 大通りを渡ります。—“I cross the main road.” 通ってください is a polite request formed from 通る (“to pass through” or “go via”) and ください: 通る → 通って + ください. The て-form before ください asks someone to do the action politely. 通る focuses on passing along or through a route; 行く is the more general “go.” Here 通ってください asks the listener to use the road as the route. Together, 少し時間がかかっても expresses the concession “even if it takes a little time.” 代わりに then marks the alternative, and 大通りを通ってください asks politely to go via the main road. The whole utterance means: “Take the main road instead, even if it adds a little time.”

8. 防水カバーがあれば、ノートパソコンを守るのに役立ちますか。

   Would a waterproof sleeve help protect my laptop?

   防水カバー

   waterproof cover

   があれば

   if there is / if you have

   ノートパソコン

   laptop

   守る

   protect

   役立ちますか

   is it useful?

   More detail

   防水カバー means “waterproof cover/sleeve.” 防水 describes resistance to water, and カバー is a cover-like protective item. Together they form a noun compound, as in 防水バッグ (“waterproof bag”). があれば is the conditional form of ある (“exist; be available”). The pattern Nがあれば can mean “if there is N” or, for something available for use, “if you have N.” Here it sets the condition involving a waterproof cover. あれば is not a past form; it is the conditional form of ある. ノートパソコン means “laptop,” a noun for a portable computer. The object marker を shows that the laptop is the thing being protected. Example: ノートパソコンを使います。 — “I use a laptop.” 守る is the dictionary form of the verb “protect.” Its object is marked by を, so ノートパソコンを守る means “protect the laptop.” Example: 荷物を守る。 — “Protect the luggage.” 守る itself does not specify past or non-past time; the surrounding construction supplies the intended use here. 守るのに uses の to turn the preceding verb phrase into a noun-like unit and に to mark purpose or suitability. Thus ノートパソコンを守るのに means “for protecting the laptop” or “for helping to protect the laptop.” This is different from the concessive pattern のに meaning “although”; here 役立つ makes the purpose reading clear. 役立ちますか is a polite question based on 役立つ, “be useful” or “help.” The polite non-past form is 役立ちます, and か turns it into a question. In Vのに役立つ, the construction means “be useful for V-ing” or “help with V-ing.” Example: この説明は勉強するのに役立ちます。 — “This explanation is useful for studying.” Putting the parts together, 防水カバーがあれば sets the condition “if there is a waterproof cover” or “if you have one,” ノートパソコンを守るのに gives the purpose “for protecting the laptop,” and 役立ちますか asks whether it is useful. In the full sentence, the conditional context naturally produces the translation “Would a waterproof sleeve help protect my laptop?”

9. 使ってください。遅れるのは困りますが、機器が壊れるともっと困ります。

   Use one, because delays are frustrating, but damaged equipment is worse.

   使ってください

   please use it

   遅れる

   be delayed; be late

   困ります

   be a problem

   機器

   equipment; device

   壊れる

   break; become damaged

   もっと困ります

   be even more of a problem

   More detail

   使ってください is a polite request meaning “please use [it/one].” 使って is the て-form of 使う (“to use”), and ください makes a request. The object is omitted because it is understood from the situation; the fixed translation identifies it as the item being discussed. 遅れる means “to be late” or “to be delayed.” It is the dictionary form of the verb. In 遅れるのは, the clause 遅れる is turned into a topic with の, and は marks that topic: “as for being delayed…” This pattern is reusable with other verbs, such as 待つのは大変です (“Waiting is difficult”). 困ります is the polite nonpast form of 困る, meaning that something causes trouble or is unacceptable. Here, the subject is the situation of delay, not a person who is merely feeling inconvenience. The nonpast form can describe a present or expected consequence. 機器 is a noun meaning “equipment” or “device.” It is a relatively formal, general term; a more specific device can instead be named when needed. 壊れる means “to break” or “to become damaged.” It is an intransitive verb: the equipment becomes damaged, without stating who caused the damage. The related transitive verb 壊す means “to break or damage something,” as in 機器を壊す (“damage the equipment”). もっと困ります means “be even more of a problem.” もっと is the comparative adverb “more/even more,” and it modifies 困ります; it does not belong to 機器 or 壊れる. The comparison is between the two situations introduced in the sentence: delay is troublesome, while equipment damage is more troublesome. が links the two clauses with a contrastive “but”: 遅れるのは困りますが、機器が壊れるともっと困ります means “Being delayed is a problem, but if the equipment breaks, that is an even bigger problem.” Putting the utterance together, 使ってください gives the request “Please use one.” The next clause explains the reason and contrast: delays are troublesome, but damaged equipment would be worse. The whole utterance therefore means: “Use one, because delays are frustrating, but damaged equipment is worse.”

10. 出発する前に、スマホのバッテリーが満タンか確認します。

    Before I leave, I will make sure my phone battery is full.

    出発する

    leave; depart

    前に

    before

    スマホ

    smartphone

    バッテリー

    battery

    満タンか

    whether it is full

    確認します

    will check; will make sure

    More detail

    出発する means “to depart” or “to set off.” It is the dictionary/plain form of 出発します; the form used here is required before 前に. For example, 朝7時に出発します。 means “I will set off at 7 a.m.” 前に means “before.” After a verb, the pattern is plain-form verb + 前に: 食べる前に means “before eating.” Here, 出発する前に means “before I leave,” referring to an action that has not yet happened at the checking time. スマホ is a common shortened loanword meaning “smartphone.” It is a noun and can be used directly before another noun to specify its type or association, as in スマホの画面 (“the smartphone’s screen”). バッテリー means “battery.” In スマホのバッテリー, の links the two nouns: the battery associated with the smartphone, or “the phone battery.” 満タンか expresses “whether it is full.” 満タン means “full” in the sense of being filled to capacity, especially for fuel or a battery. The か turns the statement into an embedded yes-or-no question: バッテリーが満タンか means “whether the battery is full.” The subject marker が identifies the battery as the thing whose state is being checked. 確認します means “check” or “make sure.” It is the polite nonpast form of 確認する; in this sentence, the fixed translation gives it a future-oriented meaning: “I will make sure.” The pattern Xか確認します means “I will check whether X.” For example, 予約があるか確認します。 means “I will check whether there is a reservation.” Together, 出発する前に sets the time, スマホのバッテリーが満タンか states the yes-or-no condition, and 確認します gives the checking action. The whole utterance means: “Before I leave, I will make sure my phone battery is full.”

11. そうすれば、ルートが変わったときに最新情報を確認できます。

    Then you can check updates if the route changes.

    そうすれば

    then; if you do so

    ルート

    route

    変わった

    changed

    とき

    when; time

    最新情報

    latest information; updates

    確認できます

    can check; can confirm

    More detail

    そうすれば links the sentence to an action or situation already understood: “if you do so” or “then.” そう points back to that earlier matter, and すれば is the conditional form of する. The phrase is a reusable way to show a result that follows from a preceding action; it does not by itself name what that action is. ルート means “route.” It is a noun commonly used for a path or planned course. In this sentence, ルートが marks the route as the subject of the change. 変わった means “changed” here. Its base form is 変わる, an intransitive verb: the route changes, rather than someone directly “changing” it in the wording here. 変わった is its plain past form. Before とき, this form presents the change as having occurred or as the relevant completed change, so the whole clause can naturally mean “when the route changes” or “if the route changes,” depending on context. とき means “when” or “at the time.” The pattern A とき places an action or situation A in a time-related condition. Thus ルートが変わったとき means “when the route has changed” in this utterance; the fixed translation presents it naturally as “if the route changes.” 最新情報 means “the latest information” or “updates.” 最新 specifies that the information is the most current, while 情報 is “information.” Japanese nouns do not require a plural form here, so “updates” is a natural translation in this context even though the Japanese form does not mark a particular number. 確認できます means “can check” or “can confirm.” The base verb is 確認する “to check/confirm”; its potential form is 確認できる, and the observed できます is the polite form of that potential expression. The potential form presents checking the information as possible or available, while ます gives the sentence a polite style. Together, そうすれば sets up a resulting possibility, ルートが変わったとき gives the condition or time when the route changes, and 最新情報を確認できます says that checking the latest information is possible. The whole utterance therefore means: “Then you can check updates if the route changes.”