About This Lesson
Use Staying Safe When Air Quality Is Poor to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
今日は空気が重く感じられ、空気の質が悪いかもしれません。
KYO-oh wa KOO-kee ga oh-MOH-koo kahn-jee-RAH-reh, KOO-kee no SHEET-soo ga wah-roo-EE kah-moh sheh-reh-MAHN. The air feels heavy today, and air quality may be poor.
B
それなら、屋外で運動するのはよくないかもしれません。
soh-reh-NAH-rah, oh-koo-GAI deh oon-DOH soo-roo no wa yoh-KOO-nai kah-moh sheh-reh-MAHN. Outdoor exercise might not be a good idea, then.
A
公園で走る予定でした。
KOH-ehn deh hah-SHEE-roo yoh-TEI deh-SHEE-tah. I was planning to run in the park.
B
汚染が気になるなら、代わりに屋内で運動してください。
oh-SEHN ga kee-NEE-roo nah-RAH, kah-wah-REE nee oh-koo-NAI deh oon-DOH sheh-TEH koo-dah-SAI. If pollution bothers you, choose an indoor workout instead.
A
公園よりリラックスできない感じがしますが、ジムを使えます。
KOH-ehn yoh-REE ree-rahk-koo-soo deh-kee-NAI kahn-JEE ga shee-MAHSS ga, JEE-moo oh tsoo-KAI-eh-MAHSS. I could use the gym, although it feels less relaxing than the park.
B
空気の悪い場所で呼吸するより、屋内で運動するほうが健康的です。
KOO-kee no wah-ROO-ee bah-SHOH deh koh-KYOO soo-roo yoh-REE, oh-koo-NAI deh oon-DOH soo-roo hoh-oh ga ken-KOH-teh-kee dehss. Training indoors is healthier than breathing poor air.
A
外を歩く必要がある場合は、マスクを着けたほうがいいですか。
soh-toh oh hah-ROO-koo hee-tsoo-YOH ga ah-ROO bah-AI wa, MAHSS-koo oh tsoo-KEH-tah hoh ga EE dess-kah. Should I wear a mask if I need to walk outside?
B
マスクが役立つことがありますし、地域の健康に関する助言で追加の予防策が勧められるかもしれません。
MAHSS-koo ga yah-koo-DAHT-soo koh-toh ga ah-REE-mahss-shee, CHEE-ee-kee no ken-KOH nee kahn-SOO-roo JOH-gehn deh tsoo-KAH noh yoh-BOH-sah-koo ga soo-soo-meh-RAH-reh-roo kah-moh sheh-reh-MAHN. A mask can help, and local health advice may suggest extra precautions.
A
空気がよくなるまで走るのを延期するほうが安全そうです。
KOO-kee ga yoh-KOO nah-roo mah-DEH hah-SHEE-roo noh oh en-KEE soo-roo hoh ga ahn-ZEN soh dess. Postponing the run until the air improves seems safer.
B
そうすれば、運動が別の健康問題になるのを防げます。
soh-oh soo-REH-bah, oon-DOH ga BEHT-soo no ken-KOH mohn-DAI nee nah-roo noh oh fah-SOO-geh-MAHSS. That keeps exercise from turning into another health problem.Word by Word
今日
In 「今日」, the speaker means today, the day of the conversation. It sets the time for the following description of the air, and it can commonly be used to state when something is happening.
は
In 「今日は」, は marks today as the topic being discussed. It frames the rest of the sentence as information about today, and a time expression can commonly be followed by this marker.
空気
In 「空気」, the word means the air around the speakers. Here it is the thing that feels heavy, and it can commonly be used with descriptions of outdoor conditions.
が
In 「空気が重く感じられ」, が marks the air as the thing being perceived. It identifies what feels heavy, and it commonly marks the subject of a description or perception.
重く
In 「重く」, the air is described as feeling heavy or oppressive. This form describes how the air is perceived before 「感じられ」, and the same kind of form can describe how something feels or happens.
感じられ
In 「感じられ」, the heaviness is presented as something the speaker perceives or experiences. It connects the description 「重く」 to the rest of the sentence, and a common reuse pattern is to describe a quality that can be felt.
の
In 「空気の質」, の links 空気 and 質 to mean the quality of the air. It connects one noun to another in a descriptive relationship, and this marker is commonly used in noun-to-noun phrases.
質
In 「質」, the word means quality, referring here to the condition of the air. Together with 「空気の」, it identifies what may be poor, and it can commonly describe the quality of a substance or service.
悪い
In 「悪い」, the air quality is described as poor or bad. It gives a negative evaluation of 「空気の質」, and it can commonly describe an unfavorable condition.
かもしれません
The expression 「かもしれません」 says that poor air quality is possible but not certain. Here, かも introduces possibility, while しれ, ませ, and ん complete the polite expression; it is useful when giving a cautious prediction.
それ
In 「それなら」, それ refers to the situation just mentioned, especially the possibility of poor air quality. It points back to shared information, and it can commonly refer to something already stated or understood.
なら
In 「それなら」, なら means based on that information or then. It introduces the conclusion that outdoor exercise may not be a good idea, and it is commonly used when responding to a condition or piece of information.
屋外
In 「屋外で」, 屋外 means outdoors or outside. It identifies where the exercise would take place, and it can commonly describe activities done in an open-air setting.
で
In 「屋外で運動する」, で marks the place where the action occurs. The exercise takes place outdoors, and this marker is commonly used after a location for an activity.
運動
In 「運動する」, 運動 means exercise or physical activity. It is combined with する to express doing exercise, and this combination is useful when discussing regular physical activity.
する
In 「運動する」, する means to do or carry out the activity of exercise. It turns 運動 into an action, and it commonly follows activity nouns to express doing them.
よく
In 「よくない」, よく gives the evaluation of being good or favorable. With ない, the whole expression means not a good idea, so よく should not be understood here as often; it is useful in evaluations of choices or situations.
ない
In 「よくない」, ない makes the evaluation negative, producing the meaning not good. Together with よく, it describes outdoor exercise as an unfavorable choice, and this pattern is commonly used to reject or criticize an option.
公園
In 「公園で」, 公園 means park, the place where the speaker planned to run. It is followed by で because it is the location of the action, and it can commonly identify a place for outdoor activities.
走る
In 「走る予定」, 走る means to run. It describes the planned activity in the conversation, and the dictionary-form verb can commonly come before a noun such as a plan.
予定
In 「走る予定でした」, 予定 means a plan or scheduled intention. It presents running as what the speaker had planned, and a verb can commonly come before it to specify the planned action.
でした
In 「予定でした」, でした politely states that the plan was the case. It places the plan in the past relative to the conversation, and it is commonly used after a noun when politely describing a past situation.
汚染
In 「汚染」, the word means pollution or contamination. Here it refers to pollution that may cause concern outdoors, and it can commonly be used when discussing environmental conditions.
気になる
In 「汚染が気になる」, 気になる means that the pollution is concerning or bothersome to the person. The components 気, に, and なる work together to express something coming to a person’s attention as a concern; a common reuse pattern is to say that a particular matter is concerning.
代わり
In 「代わりに」, 代わり means instead or in place of something else. It introduces indoor exercise as the alternative to the outdoor choice, and it can commonly be used when replacing one option with another.
に
In 「代わりに」, に completes the expression meaning instead. It marks the alternative role of indoor exercise, and this phrase is commonly used before the replacement action or choice.
屋内
In 「屋内で運動してください」, 屋内 means indoors. It specifies where the recommended exercise should take place, and it can commonly describe activities carried out inside a building.
して
In 「運動してください」, して is the connecting form of する before a polite request. It links the activity of exercising to ください, and this form commonly appears when asking someone to do an action politely.
ください
In 「運動してください」, ください makes the statement a polite request to exercise. It follows して and softens the instruction, and it is commonly used after an action form when asking someone to do something.
より
In 「公園より」, より marks the park as the comparison point. The sentence says the gym feels less relaxing than the park, and this marker commonly introduces the standard used for comparison.
リラックス
In 「リラックスできない」, リラックス means relaxation or the feeling of relaxing. It combines with できない to say that relaxing is not as possible or easy, and it can commonly describe the degree of comfort in a place.
できない
In 「リラックスできない」, できない says that relaxing cannot be done or is not possible enough. Here it contributes to the impression that the gym is less relaxing than the park, and it can commonly describe an activity that a person cannot carry out.
感じ
In 「感じがします」, 感じ means a feeling or impression. It presents the speaker’s impression that the gym is less relaxing, and it can commonly be used when reporting how something seems to a person.
します
In 「感じがします」, します is the polite form used to express that an impression is felt or seems present. It completes the expression about the speaker’s impression, and this construction is commonly used to describe how something feels.
ジム
In 「ジムを使えます」, ジム means gym. It is the indoor facility the speaker could use for exercise, and it can commonly refer to a place used for physical training.
を
In 「ジムを使えます」, を marks the gym as the thing being used. It identifies the object connected with 使えます, and this marker commonly follows the object of an action.
使えます
In 「ジムを使えます」, 使えます means can use or be able to use. It presents the gym as an available option for the speaker, and it can commonly describe the ability or possibility of using a facility or tool.
場所
In 「空気の悪い場所」, 場所 means place or location. It identifies the kind of place where the air is poor, and it can commonly follow a description to specify a location.
呼吸
In 「呼吸する」, 呼吸 means breathing. It refers to taking in the poor air, and it can commonly be combined with する when discussing the act of breathing.
ほう
In 「運動するほうが健康的です」, ほう presents indoor training as the preferable side of a comparison. Together with より and が, it identifies which option is healthier, and this expression is commonly used to compare two choices.
健康的
In 「健康的です」, 健康的 means healthy or health-promoting. It evaluates indoor training as better for health than breathing poor air, and it can commonly describe a habit, choice, or condition.
です
In 「健康的です」, です politely states the evaluation that something is healthy. It closes the comparison in a polite way, and it is commonly used after an adjective-like description.
外
In 「外を歩く」, 外 means outside or outdoors. It identifies where the walking takes place, and it can commonly be used when contrasting an outdoor setting with being inside.
歩く
In 「外を歩く」, 歩く means to walk. It describes the activity the speaker may need to do outside, and it can commonly be used for movement on foot.
必要
In 「歩く必要」, 必要 means need or necessity. It says that walking outside may be unavoidable, and it commonly comes before がある to express the need to do something.
ある
In 「歩く必要がある」, ある says that the need to walk exists. Together with 必要が, it expresses that walking is necessary, and a common reuse pattern places an action before 必要がある.
場合
In 「場合は」, 場合 means case or situation. It introduces the situation in which walking outside is necessary, and it can commonly follow a condition before advice or a response.
マスク
In 「マスクを着けたほうがいい」, マスク means mask. It is the protective item being considered, and it can commonly be used as the object of an action meaning to wear or put on.
着けた
In 「着けたほうがいい」, 着けた refers to putting on or wearing the mask. This form appears in the advice pattern with ほうがいい, and that pattern is commonly used when recommending an action.
ほうがいい
The expression 「着けたほうがいい」 means it is better to wear or put on the mask, so it gives advice. Within it, ほう presents the preferable option, が marks that option, and いい evaluates it as good; this is a common pattern for recommending an action.
か
In 「着けたほうがいいですか」, か marks the sentence as a question. It turns the advice pattern into a request for guidance, and it is commonly placed at the end of a polite question.
役立つ
In 「マスクが役立つ」, 役立つ means to help or be useful. It describes the mask as providing a benefit in the poor-air situation, and it can commonly be used when an object is useful for a purpose.
こと
In 「役立つことがあります」, こと packages being useful as a fact or possible occurrence. It allows the sentence to say that a mask is sometimes helpful, and a verb can commonly come before ことがある to express that something sometimes happens.
あります
In 「役立つことがあります」, あります says that the helpful result can occur or be the case. It completes the pattern expressing possibility or occasional occurrence, and it is the polite form used in this sentence.
し
In 「ありますし」, し adds the point about local health advice to the previous point about masks. It signals that there is another related reason or fact, and it can commonly connect multiple supporting points.
地域
In 「地域の健康に関する助言」, 地域 means a local area or region. It limits the advice to guidance connected with the local area, and it can commonly describe local services, rules, or conditions.
関する
In 「健康に関する」, 関する means to concern or relate to. It links health with the advice, showing what the advice is about, and it can commonly follow a noun marked by に before another noun.
助言
In 「健康に関する助言」, 助言 means advice or guidance. It refers to information that may recommend additional precautions, and it can commonly describe formal or practical guidance from an authority.
追加
In 「追加の予防策」, 追加 means additional or extra. It shows that the precautions go beyond the basic measure already discussed, and it can commonly modify a noun to indicate something added.
予防策
In 「追加の予防策」, 予防策 means a precaution or preventive measure. It refers to an action intended to reduce health risk outside, and it can commonly be used when discussing ways to prevent a problem.
勧められる
In 「予防策が勧められる」, 勧められる means be recommended or be advised. It presents the precautions as guidance given by local health advice rather than as the speaker’s personal command, and it can commonly describe measures recommended by an authority.
なる
In 「よくなる」, なる means become or change into a state. With よく, it describes the air improving, and a common reuse pattern expresses a change by placing a description before なる.
まで
In 「空気がよくなるまで」, まで means until. It sets the point up to which the run should be postponed, and it can commonly follow an event or change that marks the endpoint of waiting.
延期
In 「走るのを延期する」, 延期 means postponement or delay. It says that the planned run should be moved to a later time, and it can commonly be used with an activity marked as the thing being postponed.
安全
In 「安全そうです」, 安全 means safe. It describes postponing the run as a choice that appears to involve less risk, and it can commonly evaluate a plan, place, or action.
そう
In 「安全そうです」, そう means seems or appears to be. It shows that the speaker is making an impression-based judgment that postponing is safer, and it can commonly follow a description when the speaker is judging how something looks or feels.
すれば
In 「そうすれば」, すれば contributes the meaning if one does so or by doing that. Together with そう, it refers back to postponing the run and introduces the result, and this form is commonly used to state what follows from an earlier action.
別
In 「別の健康問題」, 別 means another or different. It distinguishes the possible new health problem from the original air-quality concern, and it can commonly modify a noun to introduce a separate matter.
問題
In 「健康問題」, 問題 means problem or issue. Here it refers to a health problem that exercise could create if done in poor air, and it can commonly combine with a noun to specify the type of problem.
防げます
In 「健康問題になるのを防げます」, 防げます means can prevent. It says that postponing the run can stop exercise from becoming another health problem, and it can commonly be used for preventing an unwanted result.
Grammar Points
い形容詞の連用形：〜い → 〜く
空気が重く、リラックスできない。
KOO-kee ga oh-MOH-koo, ree-rahk-koo-soo deh-kee-NAI.The air is heavy, and I cannot relax.
い形容詞は、動作や状態を説明するときに語尾を「〜く」に変えます。
〜必要がある
それなら、屋外で運動する予定を延期する必要がある。
soh-reh-NAH-rah, oh-koo-GAI deh oon-DOH soo-roo yoh-TEI oh en-KEE soo-roo hee-tsoo-YOH ga ah-ROO.Then, we need to postpone the plan to exercise outdoors.
「〜必要がある」は、何かをすることが必要だと表す表現です。
Japanese Vocabulary
それなら
conj
soh-reh-NAH-rah
then; in that case
悪い
adj
wah-ROO-ee
poor; bad
空気の質が悪いかもしれません。
運動
noun
oon-DOH
exercise
汚染
noun
oh-SEHN
pollution; contamination
屋外
noun
oh-koo-GAI
outdoors; outdoor
屋外で運動する
phrase
oh-koo-GAI deh oon-DOH soo-roo
to exercise outdoors
空気
noun
KOO-kee
air
今日は空気が重く感じられます。
空気の質
phrase
KOO-kee no SHEET-soo
air quality
公園
noun
KOH-ehn
park
重い
adj
oh-MOH-ee
heavy
重く
走る
verb
hah-SHEE-roo
to run
予定
noun
yoh-TEI
plan; schedule
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
air quality
Show Answer
空気の質to exercise outdoors
Show Answer
屋外で運動するthen; in that case
Show Answer
それならplan; schedule