Checking an apartment before a long trip | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 私たちは数日間留守にするので、アパートをもう一度確認しましょう。

   We'll be away for several days, so let's double-check the apartment.

   私たちは

   we

   数日間

   for several days

   留守にする

   to be away

   ので

   because; since

   アパート

   apartment

   もう一度

   one more time; again

   確認しましょう

   let’s double-check

   More detail

   私たちは means “we” as the topic here. 私たち is the first-person plural pronoun “we/us,” and は marks what the sentence is about. Japanese pronouns do not show grammatical gender; the exact people included are not specified beyond the fixed translation’s “we.” 数日間 says that the duration is several days. 数日 means “several days,” and 間 marks a span of time, so the pattern 期間 + 間 can describe how long something continues. Example: 三日間休みます。 — “I will take three days off.” 留守にする is a reusable expression meaning “to be away” or “to leave a place unattended.” する is the verb “do/make,” and in this expression it forms the state or situation 留守にする; the observed form is non-past and fits the planned or expected situation described here. Example: 明日は留守にします。 — “I will be away tomorrow.” ので connects a reason with its result and means “because” or “since.” Here, the fact that the speakers will be away provides the reason for the suggestion that follows. It attaches to the preceding clause rather than independently meaning “so.” アパート is the noun “apartment.” It is a loanword written in katakana. Example: アパートを探しています。 — “I am looking for an apartment.” もう一度 means “one more time” or “again.” もう contributes the idea of an additional occurrence, while 一度 means “one time.” This expression can be placed before an action to request or describe repeating it. Example: もう一度言ってください。 — “Please say it one more time.” 確認しましょう means “let’s check” or, in this context, “let’s double-check.” The base verb is 確認する, “to check/confirm.” しましょう is the volitional form of する, used here to make a suggestion involving the speaker and the listener: 確認する → 確認しましょう. The object is marked by を, so アパートを確認しましょう means “let’s check the apartment.” Putting the parts together: 私たちは数日間留守にするので means “since we will be away for several days,” and アパートをもう一度確認しましょう means “let’s double-check the apartment.” Together, the utterance means: “We’ll be away for several days, so let’s double-check the apartment.”

2. 私は小型家電のコンセントを抜いて、コンロの火を消しました。

   I unplugged the small appliances and turned off the stove.

   私は

   I; as for me

   小型家電

   small appliances

   コンセント

   plug; power connection

   抜いて

   unplugging; disconnecting

   コンロ

   stove

   火

   flame; heat

   消しました

   turned off; extinguished

   More detail

   私は marks 私 (“I”) as the topic, with は setting the person being discussed. Here it identifies the speaker as the person who performed both actions. A useful pattern is Aは Bを V: “As for A, [A] V-ed B.” 小型家電 means “small appliances.” It is a compound of 小型 (“small-sized”) and 家電 (“household electrical appliance”). Japanese nouns generally do not mark plural number, so this form can refer collectively to one or more small appliances; the fixed translation presents them as plural. コンセント means “plug” or “power connection” in this sentence: it is the connection associated with the small appliances that is pulled out. Japanese also uses コンセント for an electrical outlet in other contexts, but here 小型家電のコンセントを抜く has the intended meaning “unplug the small appliances.” 抜いて is the te-form of 抜く, “to pull out” or “to remove.” In コンセントを抜いて、..., the te-form links this completed action to the next action in sequence: “unplugging ..., and then ...” The observed form is not past tense by itself; the past polite ending appears on the final verb. コンロ means “stove” or “cooktop.” It combines with の in コンロの火 to specify the fire or heat belonging to the stove: “the stove’s flame.” 火 means “fire” or, here, “flame.” In the expression 火を消す, it refers to extinguishing or turning off a flame, rather than generally switching off an electrical device. For example, ろうそくの火を消す means “to extinguish a candle flame.” 消しました is the polite past form of 消す, “to turn off” or “to extinguish.” The verb 消す is transitive, so the thing turned off or extinguished takes を: 火を消しました means “turned off/extinguished the flame.” The ending ました expresses a completed action in polite style. Its meaning here is determined by the object 火; with an electrical light, for example, 電気を消しました means “I turned off the light.” Together, 私は小型家電のコンセントを抜いて says “I unplugged the small appliances,” and コンロの火を消しました says “I turned off the stove’s flame.” The te-form connects the two actions, while the final polite past form places the utterance in the past: “I unplugged the small appliances and turned off the stove.”

3. ベランダのドアと寝室の窓は、しっかり施錠されていますか。

   Are the balcony door and bedroom windows secure?

   ベランダ

   balcony

   ドア

   door

   寝室

   bedroom

   窓

   window

   しっかり

   securely; firmly

   施錠されていますか

   is/are locked?

   More detail

   ベランダ means “balcony.” In Japanese, nouns can directly modify another noun in compounds: ベランダのドア means “the balcony door,” with の linking the location/type to ドア. ドア means “door.” Here it is the first item in a coordinated topic: ドアと… means “the door and …”; と connects the two listed items. 寝室 means “bedroom.” In 寝室の窓, の links “bedroom” to 窓, giving “bedroom window(s).” Japanese nouns generally do not mark singular versus plural, so 窓 can correspond to “window” or “windows”; the fixed translation selects the plural reading here. 窓 means “window.” Together, 寝室の窓 is “the bedroom window(s).” The topic marker は comes after the coordinated noun phrase, marking “the balcony door and bedroom window(s)” as what the question is about. しっかり means “securely” or “firmly” here. It describes the locked state as properly secure, rather than merely mentioning that locking occurred. The related adverb きちんと can also mean “properly” in suitable contexts, but it is not the form used here. 施錠されていますか asks whether something is locked. The base verb is 施錠する, “to lock.” 施錠されている presents the resulting state as “be locked,” and 施錠されていますか is its polite question form. The passive-looking されて form is built from する as される; います marks the continuing/resulting state, and か marks a question. This differs from simply asking whether someone locks something: 施錠していますか would ordinarily ask whether someone is locking it or keeps locking it, depending on context. As a reusable pattern, [thing]は、しっかり施錠されていますか。 asks, “Is/Are [thing] securely locked?” For example: 倉庫のドアは、しっかり施錠されていますか。 — “Is the warehouse door securely locked?” The full utterance combines ベランダのドア (“the balcony door”) and 寝室の窓 (“the bedroom window(s)”), joined by と, then marks them with は as the topic. しっかり施錠されていますか asks whether they are in a properly locked state. Thus the whole meaning is: “Are the balcony door and bedroom windows secure?”

4. ベランダのドアには鍵がかかっていて、私は今から寝室の窓を確認します。

   The balcony door is locked, and I will check the bedroom windows now.

   ベランダ

   balcony

   ドア

   door

   鍵がかかっていて

   be locked, and…

   私は

   I; as for me

   今から

   from now

   寝室

   bedroom

   窓

   window

   確認します

   will check

   More detail

   ベランダ means “balcony.” It is a noun and can modify another noun with の: ベランダのドア means “the balcony door.” ドア means “door.” In this sentence, ベランダのドア identifies the door associated with the balcony. The pattern AのB commonly means “B of/at A” or “A’s B,” with the exact relation supplied by context. 鍵がかかっていて describes something as locked. The fixed expression 鍵がかかる literally uses 鍵 “key/lock” with かかる; in this usage, it means that a lock is engaged, rather than saying that someone is actively locking the door. かかっていて is the て-form of かかっている, linking this state to the next clause. Here it gives the connected meaning “being locked, and …”. 私は sets 私 “I” as the topic, marked by は. The topic marking presents the following action as what I will do. 私 itself is not marked for grammatical gender or number in this form. 今から means “from now” or “starting now.” With an action, it marks the point at which the action will begin. It is different from 今 alone, which simply means “now”; 今から emphasizes the starting point or the period ahead. 寝室 means “bedroom.” In 寝室の窓, it modifies 窓 with の, identifying the window or windows associated with the bedroom. 窓 means “window.” Japanese nouns generally do not require a plural ending, so the unmarked form can refer to one window or more than one when context supports it. The fixed translation specifies “windows,” while the target form itself does not overtly mark that number. 確認します means “will check” in this sentence. Its base form is 確認する, “to check” or “to confirm,” and 確認します is its polite non-past form. Japanese non-past forms can describe a future action when a future time is established; here, 今から supplies that forward-looking context. The verb expresses the checking action, not its eventual result. Together, ベランダのドアには sets the balcony door as the place or item concerning the state, and 鍵がかかっていて says that it is locked while linking onward. 私は今から identifies the speaker and marks the action as beginning now. 寝室の窓を確認します means that the speaker will check the bedroom window or windows. Thus the whole utterance means: “The balcony door is locked, and I will check the bedroom windows now.”

5. 留守の間、サーモスタットの設定温度を下げたほうがいいですか。

   Should we lower the thermostat while we are gone?

   留守の間

   while we are away

   サーモスタット

   thermostat

   設定温度

   set temperature

   下げたほうがいいですか

   should ... lower?

   More detail

   留守の間 means “while we are away” here. 留守 refers to being away from home or otherwise not present, and 間 marks the period during which something applies. The reusable pattern is Nの間 (“during N” / “while N lasts”). Example: 旅行の間、犬の世話をお願いします。 — “Please take care of the dog during the trip.” サーモスタット is a noun meaning “thermostat.” It is a Japanese loanword, and its form does not change for number or grammatical role. Here it identifies the device whose temperature setting is being discussed. 設定温度 means “set temperature.” It is a compound of 設定 (“setting” or “set value”) and 温度 (“temperature”); the noun 温度 is the temperature being specified, not the device itself. A related reusable example is 設定温度を20度にします。 — “I’ll set the temperature to 20 degrees.” 下げたほうがいいですか asks whether it would be better to lower something. The verb is 下げる, “to lower,” a transitive verb: the subject causes an object’s level or value to become lower. Its form here is 下げた, followed by ほうがいい, a recommendation pattern. In this pattern, the た form does not simply report past time; V-たほうがいい means “it is better to V” or “should V.” ですか makes the recommendation a polite question. The intended subject is “we,” as shown by the fixed translation, although Japanese does not state that subject in this sentence. Example: 窓を閉めたほうがいいですか。 — “Should we close the window?” Together, 留守の間 sets the time period, サーモスタットの設定温度 identifies the thermostat’s set temperature as the object of the action, and 下げたほうがいいですか asks whether lowering it is advisable. The complete meaning is: “Should we lower the thermostat while we are gone?” This is a polite way to ask for advice or confirmation.

6. 設定を下げてください。ただし、アパートが寒くなりすぎるほど低くしないでください。

   Set it lower, but not so low that the apartment gets too cold.

   設定

   setting

   下げてください

   please lower it

   ただし

   but; however

   アパート

   apartment

   寒くなりすぎる

   become too cold

   ほど

   to the extent that

   低くしないでください

   please do not lower it

   More detail

   設定 means “setting” here, specifically the thermostat setting understood from the surrounding context. It is a noun. A useful related expression is 設定温度 (“set temperature”), as in the preceding question; 設定 itself does not mean “temperature.” 下げてください asks someone politely to lower something. The underlying verb is 下げる (“lower”), and 下げて is its て-form. The pattern verb-てください is a polite request: 見てください means “please look.” The object is not stated inside this phrase; in this utterance, the intended object is the setting. ただし introduces an exception or restriction: “but” or “however.” It limits the request that came immediately before it, rather than starting an unrelated point. アパート means “apartment.” It is a noun written in katakana. In the sentence, it is the thing whose temperature is described as becoming too cold. 寒くなりすぎる means “become too cold.” 寒い is “cold,” and 寒く is its adverbial form used before なる (“become”). In なりすぎる, なり is the continuative form of なる used before すぎる; it is not a て-form. すぎる adds the meaning “too much” or “excessively”: 食べすぎる means “eat too much.” Thus 寒くなる is “become cold,” while 寒くなりすぎる is “become too cold.” ほど marks an extent or degree and can introduce a result: 眠れないほど暑い means “so hot that one cannot sleep.” Here, 寒くなりすぎるほど means “to the extent that it becomes too cold,” linking the excessive lowering with its unwanted result. 低くしないでください means “please do not make it low” or, in this context, “please do not lower it.” The base adjective is 低い (“low”); its adverbial form 低く combines with する (“make/do”) to express making something low. しない is the negative form of する, and ないでください is a polite request not to do something. This is distinct from 低くなりません (“does not become low”), which describes a state or change rather than asking someone not to cause it. Putting the parts together, 設定を下げてください says “Please lower the setting.” ただし adds a limitation, and アパートが寒くなりすぎるほど低くしないでください says not to lower it to the extent that the apartment becomes too cold. The full utterance is therefore: “Set it lower, but not so low that the apartment gets too cold.”

7. 私は近所の人に、届いた荷物を受け取ってもらうよう頼みました。

   I also asked our neighbor to collect any packages.

   私は

   I

   近所の人

   our neighbor

   届いた

   arrived

   荷物

   package(s)

   受け取ってもらう

   have someone receive it/them for me

   頼みました

   asked

   More detail

   私は marks 私 (“I”) as the topic, with は presenting it as what the sentence is about. 私 is the first-person pronoun; Japanese does not require a separate verb form for this pronoun. Here it identifies the person who made the request. 近所の人 means “our neighbor” in this utterance. 近所 means “neighborhood” and 人 means “person”; の links them, so the phrase describes a person associated with the neighborhood. The possessive relationship in the fixed translation is understood from context rather than expressed by a separate possessive word in this phrase. Japanese nouns do not normally mark singular versus plural, so this form itself does not establish a numeric count. The particle に marks the person who is asked to perform the action. 届いた is the past form of the intransitive verb 届く, “to arrive” or “to reach its destination.” Before a noun, this form describes something that has arrived: 届いた荷物 means “the package(s) that arrived.” The form belongs to 届く, not to 荷物; 荷物 remains a noun. Example: 手紙が届いた。 — “The letter arrived.” 荷物 means “package,” “parcel,” or “luggage,” depending on context. In this sentence it refers to the package(s) to be collected. Japanese does not use a plural ending here, so the word can refer to one or more packages; the exact number comes from context rather than from the form itself. 受け取ってもらう combines the te-form 受け取って of 受け取る, “to receive” or “to collect,” with もらう, “to receive a favor.” This pattern presents the subject as getting another person to perform an action as a favor: 人に V-てもらう means “have/ask someone to V” or “get someone to V.” Here the neighbor is the person who receives the package(s), while the speaker is the person benefiting from that action. Example: 友達に荷物を受け取ってもらいました。 — “I had a friend receive the package for me.” 頼みました is the polite past form of 頼む, “to ask” or “to request.” The ending ました marks a completed action in polite style. With 受け取ってもらうよう, it says that the speaker made a request for the neighbor to perform that favor. The pattern V-てもらうよう頼む is a reusable way to say “ask someone to do V.” Putting the parts together, 届いた荷物 identifies the package(s) that arrived, and 受け取ってもらうよう頼みました says that the speaker asked the neighbor to receive or collect them as a favor. The complete utterance means: “I also asked our neighbor to collect any packages.”

8. それで、私たちの留守中もこの部屋に人がいるように見えるので助かります。

   That helps the place look occupied while we are away.

   それで

   so; because of that

   私たちの

   our

   留守中

   while away; during an absence

   この

   this

   部屋

   room

   人

   person; people

   いる

   be present

   ように見える

   seem to be; look as if

   助かります

   be helpful; be a relief

   More detail

   それで connects this sentence to a preceding situation and means “so” or “because of that.” Here it links the helpful result to the arrangement described in the context. It is a connective, not part of the later noun phrase. 私たちの means “our.” 私たち is “we/us,” and の marks a possessive or other noun-to-noun relationship: 私たちの留守中 = “during our absence.” The form 私たちの does not itself show whether “we” refers to two people or more. 留守中 means “during an absence” or “while someone is away.” 留守 means being away or not at home, and 中 adds the meaning “during” or “in the middle of.” The compound can be reused with another possessor, such as 旅行中 (“during a trip”), although that is a different noun. この is the demonstrative “this” used before a noun. It points to a contextually identifiable nearby or current referent; here it modifies 部屋, giving この部屋 (“this room”). Unlike an English pronoun, この cannot stand alone as the noun phrase in this use. 部屋 means “room.” With この, it forms the reusable noun phrase この部屋 (“this room”). Example: 部屋にいます。 — “I am in the room.” 人 means “person” or, depending on context, “people.” In 人がいる, it is the participant that is present. Japanese nouns generally do not mark singular versus plural here, so 人 can cover either one person or multiple people when the context permits. が marks this noun as the subject of いる. いる is the nonpast form of いる, used for the presence or existence of people and animals. Its polite form is います. It is different from ある, which is generally used for inanimate things: 人がいる = “people are present,” while 荷物がある = “there is luggage/a package.” ように見える means “seem to be” or “look as if.” The clause before it, 人がいる, is the situation that appears to be true: 人がいるように見える = “it looks as if people are present.” 見える is the intransitive form meaning “be visible” or “appear/look”; it is not the transitive 見る (“look at” or “see”). A reusable pattern is 〜ように見える for “it looks as if ~.” 助かります is the polite nonpast form of 助かる. In this sentence it means “that is helpful” or “that is a relief,” rather than literally “is rescued.” The polite form 助かります is suitable for expressing appreciation about a helpful result. For example, 手伝ってくれると助かります。 — “It would help if you could help me.” Together, それで introduces the result, 私たちの留守中 sets the time, この部屋に人がいるように見える says that it appears that people are present in this room, and 助かります expresses that this is helpful. The whole utterance therefore means: “So, it helps that this room looks occupied while we are away.”

9. これで、安心して出発できそうです。

   Now I feel more relaxed about leaving.

   これで

   with this; now

   安心して

   feeling at ease

   出発

   departure; leaving

   できそうです

   seems possible

   More detail

   これで combines これ (“this”) with で, which marks a means, condition, or situation. Here it frames the current situation as sufficient for what follows, giving the natural sense “with this” or “now.” The exact referent of これ is not specified by the sentence itself. 安心して comes from the verb 安心する (“to feel relieved; to feel at ease”). Its て-form links that state to the next action: the speaker can leave while feeling at ease. A useful pattern is 安心して + verb, meaning “do something with peace of mind.” 出発 is a noun meaning “departure,” and it also combines with する to form 出発する (“to depart; to leave”). In this sentence it is the action that the speaker may be able to carry out. For example, 明日出発します。 means “I will leave tomorrow.” できそうです expresses an apparent possibility. できる means “can” or “be able to”; with 出発, 出発できる means “can leave.” The form できそう is made by attaching そう to the verb stem でき, and it means “seems likely to be possible.” The polite ending です makes the statement polite. Thus 出発できそうです is less definite than 出発できます (“I can leave”): it means “it seems I can leave.” Together, これで sets the current situation as the basis, 安心して describes the speaker’s state while acting, and 出発できそうです says that leaving now appears possible. The whole utterance means: “Now I feel more relaxed about leaving.”

10. このチェックリストには少し時間がかかりましたが、やる価値はありました。

    This checklist took a little time, but it was worth it.

    この

    this

    チェックリスト

    checklist

    には

    in/for

    少し

    a little

    時間

    time

    かかりました

    took (time)

    やる

    do

    価値

    worth; value

    ありました

    was

    More detail

    この means “this” and is a demonstrative that must come before a noun: この本 means “this book.” It identifies the checklist as the one being presented as “this”; the form itself does not show who owns it. チェックリスト is the noun “checklist,” written as a loanword. It can be reused directly with demonstratives or other modifiers, for example: チェックリストを確認します。— “I check the checklist.” には combines に and は. Here, に marks the matter associated with the time required, while は makes that matter the topic and can add a contrastive effect. The pattern [topic]には時間がかかる is useful for saying that something takes time. The fixed translation gives the intended reading: the checklist, rather than an unspecified activity, is presented as taking time. 少し means “a little” or “a small amount.” Here it modifies 時間, so the sentence says that the required time was limited, without stating an exact amount. For example: 少し休みます。— “I’ll rest a little.” 時間 means “time.” In this sentence it is the amount of time required, not a particular clock time. In the pattern 時間がかかる, it combines with かかる to express time being needed. かかりました is the polite past form of かかる. In this use, かかる means “to take” time or “to require” time; the polite past form presents that requirement as completed. A useful pattern is 作業に時間がかかります—“The work takes time.” The form かかりました is not the past form of 時間; it is the inflected verb. The connective が after かかりました links the first statement to a contrasting second statement. It commonly corresponds to “but” in this kind of sentence. やる is the plain, nonpast form of the verb “to do.” Before 価値, it names an action as something that may have value: [action]をやる価値がある means “it is worth doing [the action].” In this utterance, the action is understood from the checklist-related context rather than being separately named after やる. 価値 means “value” or, in the construction やる価値がある, “worth.” The noun itself is followed by a clause with ある: やる価値がある means “there is value in doing it,” naturally “it is worth doing.” For example: 読む価値があります。— “It is worth reading.” ありました is the polite past form of ある, “to exist” or “to be present.” With 価値, it says that the value existed or applied in the completed situation, producing “was worth it.” This is a form of ある, not an inflection of 価値. Together, このチェックリストには少し時間がかかりました presents the checklist as requiring a small amount of time. The contrastive が then connects it to やる価値はありました: despite that time requirement, there was value in doing it. The complete intended meaning is that the checklist took a little time, but completing it was worth it.