Japanese from zero · N3 Lesson 34
May I ask
〜のでしょうか ・ 〜て からでないと ・ 〜て済む ・ 〜ては いけないから
In this lesson, you will learn to ask polite, gentle questions with 〜のでしょうか, to say something can't happen until another thing is done with 〜て からでないと, to say one small thing is enough with 〜て済む, and to give the reason for a precaution with 〜ては いけないから. Lisa interviews Mr. Sato at the station for the club paper's final issue.
By the end you will be able to say
ホームで しゃしんを 撮っても いいのでしょうか。Might I take photos on the platform?
許可を もらって からでないと、撮れません。You can't take photos until you get permission.
残りの 質問は 電話で 済みます。A phone call is enough for the rest of the questions.
乗客が 落ちては いけないから、走らないで ください。So that no passenger falls, please don't run.
駅の 仕事で 一番 大事な ことは 何なのでしょうか。What would you say is the most important thing in station work?
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜のでしょうか — a soft, polite question — Plain form + のでしょうか asks a question politely and gently, as in an interview.
- 〜て からでないと — not until (you have) first — て-form + からでないと says something can't happen until another thing has been done first.
- 〜て済む / 〜で済む — be enough; get by with — 済む after で, だけで or a negative て-form says one small thing was enough, so something bigger wasn't needed.
- 〜ては いけないから — so that (something bad) won't happen — て-form + は いけないから gives the reason for a precaution: because X must not happen.