Japanese Workplace Instructions and Requests: Chapter 1 Study Notes

Key Vocabulary and Terminology

  • ちょっと (Chotto): A little, a short moment, or a bit. Used at the beginning of a request to soften the tone and politely capture someone's attention.
  • 手伝う (Tetsudau) / 手伝ってください (Tetsudatte kudasai): To help or assist. Formed by conjugating the verb tetsudau into its te-form (tetsudatte) and adding kudasai to form a polite request.
  • ダンボール (Danbōru): Cardboard box or corrugated cardboard.
  • そこ (Soko): There; a place near the listener.
  • 置く (Oku) / 置いてください (Oite kudasai): To place, set down, or put. Conjugated into te-form (oite) with kudasai for polite requests.
  • これ (Kore): This; an object near the speaker.
  • 鈴木さん (Suzuki-san): Mr./Ms. Suzuki (proper name attached to the polite title suffix -san).
  • 持って行く (Motte iku) / 持って行ってください (Motte itte kudasai): To take (something) away to a person or destination.
  • テーブル (Tēburu): Table.
  • 上 (Ue): Top, above, or surface of an object.
  • 片付ける (Katadukeru) / 片付けてください (Katadukete kudasai): To tidy up, clean up, organize, or put away.
  • ドライバー (Doraibā): Screwdriver (hand tool).
  • 取る (Toru) / とって (Totte): To pass, hand over, take, or grab.
  • ごみ (Gomi): Trash, waste, or garbage.
  • 捨てる (Suteru) / 捨てて (Sutete): To throw away, discard, or dispose of.
  • 椅子 (Isu): Chair or seating.
  • 並べる (Naraberu) / 並べて (Narabete): To arrange in order, line up, or set up in rows.
  • 窓 (Mado): Window.
  • 閉める (Shimeru) / 閉めてくれる (Shimete kureru): To close or shut.
  • プロジェクター (Purojekutā): Projector.
  • と (To): Particle meaning "and" (used to connect nouns listed exhaustively).
  • リモコン (Rimokon): Remote control (abbreviated loanword from "remote controller").
  • 持ってくる (Motte kuru) / 持ってきてくれる (Motte kite kureru): To bring (something) to the speaker's location.

Grammatical Structures and Request Levels

  • Polite Request Form (〜てください / -te kudasai):

    • Structure: Verb (te-form) + ください (kudasai)
    • Function: Standard formal request suitable for workplace settings, interactions with superiors, or general public requests.
    • Applied Examples:
    • 手伝ってください (Tetsudatte kudasai): Please help.
    • そこに置いてください (Soko ni oite kudasai): Please put [it] over there.
    • 持っていってください (Motte itte kudasai): Please take [it].
    • 片付けてください (Katadukete kudasai): Please tidy up.

  • Informal/Casual Imperative Form (〜て / -te form alone):

    • Structure: Verb (te-form) spoken with slightly decisive or direct tone.
    • Function: Direct request or simple instruction used among close colleagues, peers, or superiors speaking to subordinates.
    • Applied Examples:
    • とって (Totte): Hand [it] to me / pass [it].
    • 捨てて (Sutete): Throw [it] away.
    • 並べて (Narabete): Line [them] up.

  • Casual Favor/Request Form (〜てくれる / -te kureru):

    • Structure: Verb (te-form) + くれる (kureru) spoken with rising question intonation.
    • Function: Conversational and friendly request asking if the listener is willing to perform a helpful action for the speaker.
    • Applied Examples:
    • 窓閉めてくれる (Mado shimete kureru?): Will you close the window?
    • 持ってきてくれる (Motte kite kureru?): Will you bring [them]?

Detailed Breakdown of Expressions

  • ちょっと、手伝ってください (Chotto, tetsudatte kudasai):

    • Meaning: "Please help me for a moment."
    • Usage Context: Used to signal a need for quick assistance before assigning or explaining a task.

  • ダンボール、そこに置いてください (Danbōru, soko ni oite kudasai):

    • Meaning: "Please put the cardboard box over there."
    • Structural Components: ダンボール (cardboard box) + そこに (there [location particle ni]) + 置いてください (please place).

  • これ、鈴木さんに持って行ってください (Kore, Suzuki-san ni motte itte kudasai):

    • Meaning: "Please take this to Mr./Ms. Suzuki."
    • Structural Components: これ (this) + 鈴木さんに (to Mr./Ms. Suzuki [target particle ni]) + 持って行ってください (please take).

  • テーブルの上片付けてください (Tēburu no ue katadukete kudasai):

    • Meaning: "Please clean up / tidy up the top of the table."
    • Structural Components: テーブルの上 (top of the table [possessive particle no]) + 片付けてください (please clean/organize).

  • そこのドライバー、とって (Soko no doraibā, totte):

    • Meaning: "Hand me the screwdriver over there."
    • Structural Components: そこの (that over there [possessive particle no]) + ドライバー (screwdriver) + とって (pass/hand over).

  • ごみ、捨てて (Gomi, sutete):

    • Meaning: "Throw away the trash."
    • Structural Components: ごみ (trash/garbage) + 捨てて (discard/throw away).

  • 椅子並べて (Isu narabete):

    • Meaning: "Line up the chairs."
    • Structural Components: 椅子 (chairs) + 並べて (arrange/line up).

  • 窓閉めてくれる (Mado shimete kureru):

    • Meaning: "Could you close the window? / Will you close the window?"
    • Structural Components: 窓 (window) + 閉めて (close) + くれる (do for me?).

  • プロジェクターとリモコン持ってきてくれる (Purojekutā to rimokon motte kite kureru):

    • Meaning: "Could you bring the projector and the remote control?"
    • Structural Components: プロジェクター (projector) + と (and) + リモコン (remote control) + 持ってきてくれる (bring over for me?).