How to Indicate Objects with the Help of Gestures

Learn how to indicate objects with the help of gestures

Dialogue

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Japanese by JapanesePod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask for something at a grocery store in Japanese.

For example, "That, please." is

それをください. (Sore o kudasai.)

Haruto Sasaki is at a small grocery store.

After finding something he wants, he points at the item and asks for it.

Before you hear the conversation, let's learn some of its key components.

それ (kore)

"that"

それ (enunciated)

それ

どうぞ (dōzo)

"here you are"

どうぞ (enunciated)

どうぞ

Listen to the conversation. Focus on Haruto's request.

Ready?

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

Once more with the English translation.

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

"That, please."

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

"Yes, here you are."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Haruto says,

"That, please?"

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

This standard way of asking for something follows a simple pattern.

First is それ (sore), "that." それ. それ.

Next is を (o), the object-marking particle. を. を.

Think of を (o) as a marker for the thing receiving the action. In this sentence, it marks それ (sore), "that," as the object being requested.

Last is ください (kudasai), "please." ください. ください.

All together, it's それをください, (Sore o kudasai) meaning, "That, please." それをください。

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"Yes, here you are."

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

First is はい (hai), "Yes." はい (slow version - breakdown by syllable). はい.

After this is どうぞ (dōzo), meaning "Here you are" in this context, as the shop clerk is handing something to Haruto. どうぞ. どうぞ.

どうぞ literally translates as "Please" or "Kindly." The meaning, however, is derived from the context of the situation or conversation. When どうぞ (dōzo) is said accompanying the action of handing someone something, it translates as "Here you are." どうぞ.

All together, it's はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo) "Yes, here you are." はい、どうぞ。

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

The pattern is

ITEM をください。(o kudasai)

"ITEM please."

ITEM をください。

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you want to ask for.

Imagine you’d like some water. みず (mizu). み-ず. みず.

Say

"Water, please."

Ready?

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

"Water, please."

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

In Japanese, the following three words refer to a thing depending on the distance from the speaker and listener:

For things located nearby the speaker, これ (kore), "this." こ-れ. これ.

For things located farther away from the speaker and closer to the listener, それ (sore), "that." それ.

And finally, for things far from both the speaker and listener, あれ (are), "that (over there)." あ-れ. あれ.

Again, the key pattern is

ITEM をください。(o kudasai.)

"ITEM please."

ITEM をください。(o kudasai.)

Let’s look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

"That, please."

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

"Water, please."

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

バナナをください。(Banana o kudasai.)

"A Banana, please"

バナナをください。(Banana o kudasai.)

あれをください。(Are o kudasai.)

"That, over there, please."

あれをください。(Are o kudasai.)

みずとこれをください。(Mizu to kore o kudasai.)

"Water and this, please"

みずとこれをください。(Mizu to kore o kudasai.)

Did you notice how the last speaker used a different sentence pattern?

みずとこれをください。(Mizu to kore o kudasai.)

"Water and this, please."

When requesting multiple items, you can join them with と (to), meaning "and," in this context. と. と.

The pattern is

ITEMと(to) ITEM をください。(o kudasai.)

"ITEM and ITEM please."

ITEM と(to) ITEM をください。(o kudasai.)

Let's review the key words.

みず (mizu)

"water"

みず

バナナ (banana)

"banana"

バナナ

あれ (are)

"that, over there"

あれ

これ (kore)

"this"

これ

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speakers, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say "please?"

ください (kudasai)

And how to say "that?"

それ (sore)

Do you remember how Haruto says, "That, please?"

それをください。(Sore o kudasai.)

Do you remember how to say,

"Yes."

はい (hai)

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"Yes, here you are."

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

Do you remember how to say "water?"

みず (mizu)

And how to say "banana?"

バナナ (banana)

Do you remember how to say, "this?"

これ (kore)

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Haruto, and you’re at the grocery store to buy water, or みず (mizu).

Ready?

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

Listen again and repeat.

みずをください。(Mizu o kudasai.)

Let’s try another.

Imagine you’re Rin, and you’re at the grocery store to buy a banana, or バナナ (banana).

Ready?

バナナをください。(Banana o kudasai.)

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

Listen again and repeat.

バナナをください。(Banana o kudasai.)

Let's try one more.

Imagine you’re Megumi, and you see an item on the counter within arm’s reach.

Point to it, and say "This, please," or これ (kore).

Ready?

これをください。(Kore o kudasai.)

はい、どうぞ。(Hai, dōzo.)

Listen again and repeat.

これをください。(Kore o kudasai.)

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to request something by pointing, an essential skill for shopping at a grocery store.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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