Navigating a Clinic Visit | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. クリニックの予約があります。

   I have a clinic appointment.

   クリニック

   clinic

   予約

   appointment

   あります

   have; there is

   More detail

   クリニック means “clinic.” It is a loanword written in katakana. In this sentence, it identifies the clinic connected with the appointment. Example: クリニックへ行きます。— “I go to the clinic.” The の in クリニックの connects two nouns: the first noun specifies the second. Thus クリニックの予約 means “a clinic appointment” or “an appointment at the clinic.” This pattern is reusable: 病院の予約 means “a hospital appointment.” 予約 means “appointment” here. It is a noun, and it can also appear in the useful verb 予約する, “to make or book an appointment.” Example: 予約をします。— “I make an appointment.” あります is the polite nonpast form of ある. ある expresses existence, and in this construction it naturally corresponds to “have” in English: 予約があります means that an appointment exists for the speaker. The form あります is polite; the plain nonpast form is ある. Example: 時間があります。— “I have time.” Together, クリニックの予約があります means “I have a clinic appointment.” Japanese leaves the subject unstated here; the fixed translation identifies the speaker as the person who has the appointment.

2. でも、最初に何をすればよいか分かりません。

   But I am not sure what to do first.

   でも

   but

   最初に

   first

   何を

   what

   すればよいか

   should do

   分かりません

   I’m not sure

   More detail

   でも means “but” here. It connects this sentence to an earlier point and marks a contrast. It commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence, as in でも、分かりません。 — “But I don’t know.” 最初に means “first” or “at the beginning.” 最初 is “the beginning” or “the first part,” and に marks the time or stage at which something happens. A reusable pattern is 最初に + action: 最初に名前を書きます。 — “I write my name first.” 何を is “what” as the object of an action. 何 means “what,” and を marks the thing acted on. Compare 何をしますか。 — “What will you do?” with 何が必要ですか。 — “What is needed?”; を and が mark different grammatical roles. すればよいか means “should do” or “ought to do” within an embedded question. する is the base form “to do”; すれば is its ba-form, used here with よい to present an action as appropriate. よい means “good” or “appropriate,” and the final か marks the embedded question. The object being considered is supplied by the preceding 何を, so 何をすればよいか means “what one should do” or “what to do.” For example, どこへ行けばよいか分かりません。 — “I’m not sure where I should go.” 分かりません means “I am not sure” or “I do not know” here. Its base form is 分かる, “to understand” or “to know”; 分かりません is its polite negative form. In this sentence, the understood subject is the speaker, matching the fixed translation. A useful contrast is 分かります — “I understand / I know” — and 分かりません — “I do not understand / I do not know.” Together, 最初に何をすればよいか asks which action is appropriate as the first step, and 分かりません says that the speaker does not know that answer. With でも, the whole utterance means: “But I am not sure what to do first.”

3. 受付で手続きを始めて、保険証を見せてください。

   Start at reception and show them your insurance card.

   受付

   reception desk

   手続き

   procedure

   始めて

   start

   保険証

   insurance card

   見せてください

   please show

   More detail

   受付 means “reception desk” here. The particle で after it marks the place where an action occurs, so 受付で means “at the reception desk.” Example: 受付で名前を言います。 — “I say my name at the reception desk.” 手続き means “procedure” or “formal process.” In 手続きを, を marks it as the object of the verb: it is the procedure being started. A useful pattern is Nを始める, “to start N.” 始めて is the te-form of 始める, “to start.” The te-form can connect actions in sequence: Aて、B means “do A and then B.” Here, 手続きを始めて、 introduces the first requested action. Example: 仕事を始めて、メールを確認してください。 — “Start work and check your email.” 保険証 means “insurance card.” It is the noun being acted on in 保険証を見せてください; を marks it as the object. The word 証 in this compound refers to a card or certificate, but the complete compound should be learned as the usual word for an insurance card. 見せてください is a polite request meaning “please show.” 見せて is the te-form of 見せる, “to show,” followed by ください, which makes a polite request. This differs from 見てください, “please look,” from 見る, “to look/see”: 見せる has the sense of making something visible to someone. The person to whom it is shown is not stated in the Japanese sentence; the translation supplies “them” from the situation. Example: 身分証を見せてください。 — “Please show your ID.” Together, 受付で手続きを始めて means “start the procedure at the reception desk,” and 保険証を見せてください means “please show your insurance card.” The te-form connects the two actions, so the whole utterance instructs the listener to begin the procedure at reception and then show the insurance card. The sentence uses polite request language appropriate for giving a courteous instruction.

4. 看護師に会う前に、書類に記入する必要がありますか。

   Will I need to fill out a form before I see the nurse?

   看護師

   nurse

   会う

   meet; see

   前に

   before

   書類

   documents; form

   記入する

   fill out

   必要がありますか

   is it necessary?

   More detail

   看護師 means “nurse.” It is a noun; Japanese nouns do not change for singular or plural, so the form itself does not state how many nurses are involved. 会う means “to meet” or, in this context, “to see.” Its dictionary form is 会う. The particle に marks the person met: 看護師に会う means “see the nurse.” Example: 先生に会います。 — “I meet the teacher.” 前に means “before.” With a verb in its plain form, 会う前に means “before meeting/seeing”: the event expressed by 会う is the reference point in time. Example: 寝る前に歯を磨きます。 — “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” 書類 means “document” or “form.” Japanese nouns do not mark number here, so the form can refer to a document or documents when the context supports that reading. In this utterance, the fixed translation supports “a form.” 記入する means “to fill out” or “to enter information in.” It is a compound verb whose dictionary form ends in する; its polite form is 記入します. The particle に in 書類に記入する marks the document or form receiving the information. Example: この用紙に名前を記入してください。 — “Please write your name on this form.” 必要がありますか means “is it necessary?” or, with an action expressed before it, “will I need to …?” 必要 means “necessary,” and あります is the polite form of ある, “to exist/be present.” Here, 必要がありますか asks whether the necessity exists; it does not itself specify a numeric quantity. The final か marks a polite question. Example: 予約が必要ですか。 — “Is a reservation necessary?” Putting the parts together, 看護師に会う前に means “before I see the nurse,” and 書類に記入する必要がありますか asks whether filling out the form is necessary. The complete utterance therefore means: “Will I need to fill out a form before I see the nurse?”

5. たぶん必要です。特に、今回が初めての受診なら必要です。

   Probably, especially if this is your first visit.

   たぶん

   probably

   必要です

   is necessary

   特に

   especially

   今回

   this time; this occasion

   初めて

   for the first time

   受診

   medical consultation; medical visit

   なら

   if

   More detail

   たぶん means “probably” and marks the speaker’s uncertainty about the statement that follows. It commonly appears before the main predicate, as here. Example: たぶん行きます。 — “I’ll probably go.” 必要です means “is necessary” here. The useful base expression is 必要だ in plain style; 必要です is its polite form. 必要 is a noun-like な-adjective meaning “necessary,” so it can also modify a noun with 必要な, as in 必要な書類 — “the necessary documents.” In this sentence, the omitted thing understood from the context is what is necessary; the phrase itself does not name it. 特に means “especially” and highlights the condition introduced afterward. It does not itself mean “only.” Example: 特に朝は混みます。 — “It is especially crowded in the morning.” 今回 means “this time” or “this occasion.” It refers to the current occasion rather than expressing a general meaning of “first.” 今回の予定 means “this occasion’s schedule” or, more naturally, “the schedule for this time.” 初めて means “for the first time” or “first-ever” in the relevant situation. In 初めての受診, it modifies the following noun through の: “a first medical visit.” It is different from 最初の, which more directly means “the first” in an order or sequence. Example: ここに来るのは初めてです。 — “This is my first time coming here.” 受診 is a formal noun for receiving a medical consultation or having a medical visit. It is also commonly used with する: 受診する — “to see a doctor / receive medical care.” In the fixed sentence it is a noun inside 初めての受診, not the する form. なら makes the preceding noun phrase a condition: “if it is …” or “if … is the case.” Here 今回が初めての受診なら means “if this occasion is your first medical visit,” matching the fixed translation’s “if this is your first visit.” With a noun or noun-like expression, the reusable pattern is Nなら、… — “if it is N, ….” The first sentence combines たぶん + 必要です: “It is probably necessary.” The second sentence begins with 特に, then gives the condition 今回が初めての受診なら — “especially if this is your first medical visit” — and ends with another 必要です, “it is necessary.” Together, the utterance means: “It is probably necessary, especially if this is your first visit.”

6. その後は、メインの待合室で待てばよいですか。

   Should I wait in the main waiting room after that?

   その後

   after that

   メイン

   main

   待合室

   waiting room

   待てばよいですか

   should I wait?

   More detail

   その後 means “after that” and refers to a point or action already established in the situation. 後 means “after/later,” while その points back to something identifiable from context. Example: その後、電話しました。 — “After that, I called.” メイン is a loanword meaning “main” or “primary.” It is commonly used before の to describe the central or primary member of a noun phrase. Example: メインの入口 — “the main entrance.” 待合室 means “waiting room.” It is a compound noun: 待合 refers to waiting together or waiting for service, and 室 means “room.” Here it is the place being identified as the main one. Example: 待合室で待ちます。 — “I wait in the waiting room.” 待てばよいですか asks whether waiting is the appropriate action. The lexical verb is 待つ, “to wait.” Its form here is 待てば: the conditional form of 待つ, followed by よい, literally “good/acceptable.” The pattern 〜ばよいですか is a polite way to ask “Is it okay if I …?” or “Should I …?” The polite question ending ですか marks the whole expression as a question. Example: ここで待てばよいですか。 — “Should I wait here?” Together, その後は sets “after that” as the topic, メインの待合室で identifies the main waiting room as the place, and 待てばよいですか asks whether waiting there is the appropriate next action. The complete meaning is: “Should I wait in the main waiting room after that?”

7. 受付から別の場所へ行くように言われない限り、そこにいてください。

   Stay there unless reception sends you somewhere else.

   受付

   reception; front desk

   別の

   another; different

   場所

   place

   行く

   go

   言われない限り

   unless told

   そこ

   there

   いてください

   please stay; please be there

   More detail

   受付 means “reception” or “the front desk.” Here, 受付から uses から to mark reception as the source of the instruction. 別の means “another” or “different” and modifies 場所 (“place”). 別 is a useful form meaning “different” or “separate,” and の links it attributively to the following noun; 別の is not an inflected form of 別. 場所 means “place” or “location.” In 別の場所へ, へ marks the destination or direction: “to another place.” 行く is the dictionary form “to go.” Useful forms include 行きます (“goes/will go,” polite non-past) and 行った (“went,” past). Here it describes going to another place. 言われない限り is a reusable “unless …” pattern. 言う means “to say” or “to tell”; 言われる is the passive form “be told,” and 言われない means “not be told.” 限り can mean “as long as”; after a negative condition such as 言われない, the combination means “unless [someone] is told.” Example: 先生に帰るように言われました。 — “I was told by the teacher to go home.” In 帰るように言う, ように introduces the action someone is told to do; the passive makes the person receiving the instruction the grammatical subject. そこ means “there.” It indicates the place where the addressee should remain, while the exact referent comes from the situation. いてください is a polite request to remain or be present. いて is the te-form of いる (“be; remain” for an animate subject), followed by ください (“please”). A contrasting negative request is いないでください, “please do not stay/be there.” Together, 別の場所へ行くように言われない限り means “unless you are told to go to another place,” and そこにいてください means “please stay there.” 受付から identifies reception as the source of that instruction. The whole utterance means: “Stay there unless reception sends you somewhere else.” The ending is a polite instruction, and 〜ない限り introduces its exception.

8. 手順が分からないと、不安になります。

   I feel nervous when I do not know the procedure.

   手順

   procedure; steps

   分からない

   not know; not understand

   と

   when; if

   不安

   anxiety; uneasiness

   なります

   become; feel

   More detail

   手順 means “procedure” or “steps.” It is a noun for an ordered way of doing something. In this sentence, 手順が marks the procedure as what is or is not understood: 手順が分かる means “understand the procedure.” 分からない is the plain negative form of 分かる (“understand; know”). The ending -ない makes the statement negative, so this form means “do not understand” here. The が in 手順が分からない marks what is understood or not understood; it does not mean that the procedure performs an action. と connects the condition or situation to its result. In this pattern, [condition] と、[result] means “when/if [condition], [result],” often presenting the result as a natural or expected consequence. Here, 手順が分からないと means “when I do not know the procedure.” 不安 expresses anxiety, uneasiness, or nervousness. It can function as a noun and also as a descriptive な-word; with なる, it describes a change into that state. For example, 将来が不安です。 means “I am anxious about the future.” なります is the polite form of なる, “become.” In 不安になります, 不安に marks the state that results, and なります means “become anxious” or, naturally here, “feel nervous.” The polite ending -ます makes the sentence suitable for neutral polite speech. Together, 手順が分からないと sets the situation—when the procedure is not understood—and 不安になります gives the resulting feeling: “I feel nervous when I do not know the procedure.” The sentence describes a recurring or expected connection between that situation and the speaker’s feeling, rather than specifying a single past event.

9. それは普通のことです。スタッフに一つ一つの手順を説明してもらえます。

   That is normal. You can ask the staff to explain each step.

   それは

   as for that

   普通

   normal; ordinary

   こと

   thing; matter

   です

   is

   スタッフ

   staff

   一つ一つ

   one by one; individually

   手順

   step; procedure

   説明してもらえます

   can have someone explain

   More detail

   それは sets “that” as the topic. それ is a demonstrative pronoun for something relatively close to the listener or already identified in the conversation; は marks the topic. Here, the fixed translation supports “that” without identifying a more specific referent. 普通 means normal or ordinary here. It is a な-adjective (also used as a noun), so before a noun it uses 普通の, as in 普通の方法 (“an ordinary method”). Its opposite in this sense is 特別 (“special”), but the two are not interchangeable in every context. こと means a matter, fact, or situation. In 普通のこと, の links 普通 to the noun こと, producing “an ordinary matter/thing.” This is not the concrete-word sense of “thing” in every context. Example: それは大切なことです。 — “That is an important matter.” です is the polite nonpast copula, completing the nominal statement 普通のことです: “is a normal matter.” It is not itself a separate English verb with all the same tense and agreement behavior; Japanese predicates do not change for English-style subject person or number here. スタッフ means “staff.” In the second sentence, スタッフに marks the staff as the people from whom the requested explanation is received. に has several uses in Japanese, so its exact role comes from this construction and context. 一つ一つ expresses treating items individually, “each one” or “one by one.” The repeated form distributes attention across the items; it does not by itself assert a particular total number. Before 手順, the full relationship is 一つ一つの手順, “each individual step.” Example: 問題を一つ一つ確認します。 — “I check the problems one by one.” 手順 means a procedure or step in a procedure. In this sentence it refers to the individual steps that make up the relevant procedure, not necessarily to one isolated physical object. 手順を説明する is a reusable pattern meaning “explain the procedure/steps.” 説明してもらえます combines 説明する (“to explain”) with てもらえる, the potential form of the auxiliary pattern てもらう. V-てもらう presents the speaker as receiving the benefit of someone’s action; V-てもらえる means “can have someone do V” or “can get V done.” The polite form もらえます makes the request or available option courteous. Thus スタッフに説明してもらえます means that the listener can ask the staff to explain it, with スタッフに identifying who performs the explanation. Example: 先生に見てもらえます。 — “I can have the teacher look at it.” Together, それは普通のことです says “That is normal.” Then スタッフに一つ一つの手順を説明してもらえます says that the listener can have the staff explain each individual step. The two sentences therefore give reassurance and a practical option: the situation is ordinary, and the staff can be asked to explain the procedure step by step.

10. 書類を書く時間が十分にあるように、早めに着きます。

    I will arrive early so I have enough time for the paperwork.

    書類

    paperwork; documents

    書く

    to write

    時間

    time

    十分に

    enough; sufficiently

    あるように

    so that there is; so that it is available

    早めに

    early; earlier than usual

    着きます

    will arrive; arrive

    More detail

    書類 means documents or paperwork. In this sentence it is the object of 書く: 書類を書く means “write the paperwork.” The noun can refer to documents as a set, without specifying how many. 書く is the plain-form verb “to write.” Here its plain form comes before 時間 to describe the time: 書類を書く時間 means “time to write the paperwork.” Example: メールを書く時間がありません。 — “I don’t have time to write an email.” 時間 means time. In 書類を書く時間, it is the available period for carrying out the action described before it. The particle が marks this time as the subject of the following availability expression. 十分に means sufficiently or enough. It modifies the following availability expression, saying that the amount of time is adequate. Example: 十分に休みます。 — “I rest sufficiently.” あるように expresses a goal or desired condition: “so that there is” or “so that it is available.” ある is the plain form meaning “exist” or “be available” for an inanimate thing such as time. The pattern Xがあるように can therefore mean “so that X is available.” 早めに means relatively early or earlier than usual or expected. It is formed from 早め (“somewhat early; on the early side”) plus に, which makes an adverbial expression. It does not necessarily mean the earliest possible time. 着きます means “will arrive” here. Its base form is 着く (“to arrive”); 着きます is the polite nonpast form. Japanese nonpast forms can describe a future event, as they do here because the fixed translation presents the arrival as future. Example: 八時に着きます。 — “I will arrive at eight.” Together, 書類を書く時間が十分にあるように means “so that there is enough time to write the paperwork,” and 早めに着きます means “I will arrive early.” The complete sentence is: “I will arrive early so I have enough time for the paperwork.”

11. 時間に余裕があれば、急がずに受診できるはずです。

    Extra time should make the appointment feel less rushed.

    時間

    time

    余裕

    余裕; spare time or leeway

    あれば

    if there is

    急がずに

    without rushing

    受診

    medical consultation

    できる

    can do

    はずです

    should be expected to

    More detail

    時間 means “time.” It is a noun and can refer to an amount or period of time. In the preceding context, 書類を書く時間 is “time to write the documents”; here, 時間に余裕がある means that there is enough extra time or leeway. 余裕 means spare capacity or leeway. With 時間, 時間に余裕がある describes having time available beyond what is strictly necessary. Its useful opposite is 時間に余裕がない, “not having much time to spare.” あれば is the conditional form of ある, “to exist” or “to be available.” Here it means “if there is” in the sense of “if time is available.” The pattern Nがあれば means “if there is N” or “if one has N”; the particle is に in 時間に余裕があれば because 余裕がある is the expression used for having leeway in a particular area. 急がずに means “without rushing.” It is built from 急ぐ, “to hurry,” with the negative connective form 急がずに. This form links to the following action and means “without doing the preceding action.” For example, 急がずに歩いてください means “Please walk without hurrying.” 受診 is a noun meaning a medical consultation or medical visit. In 受診できる, it functions as the action that can be carried out. The related verb expression 診察を受ける also means “to receive a medical examination,” but 受診 is a compact term commonly used for going to receive medical care or an examination. できる means “can do” or “be able to do.” With an action noun such as 受診, 受診できる means “can receive medical care” or “can attend the medical appointment/visit.” The form is the non-past potential form of する used with 受診; it can express present or future possibility depending on context. はずです expresses an expectation based on the available circumstances: “should” or “is expected to.” はず is a noun meaning an expected or logically supported outcome, and です gives the expression a polite ending. It is different from a direct command: the sentence predicts that the visit can be done without rushing rather than telling someone to hurry or not hurry. Together, 時間に余裕があれば sets the condition “if there is enough time to spare.” 急がずに受診できる says that the medical visit can then be completed without rushing, and はずです presents this as the expected result. The whole utterance means: “If there is enough extra time, you should be able to attend the medical visit without rushing.” This matches the fixed translation’s idea that extra time should make the appointment feel less rushed. The polite style is suitable for a calm explanation or prediction.