Lesson 10: ホチキスをかしてください – Please Lend Me the Stapler
Making requests and borrowing items
Learn how to make polite requests, borrow and lend items, and use basic classroom/office vocabulary. This lesson focuses on practical communication in workplace or school settings.
Key topics:
- ・Making requests politely
- ・Borrowing and lending items
- ・Office and stationery vocabulary
- ・Using counters for items
- ・Telephone expressions
- ・Basic verbs for daily tasks
Vocabulary
1
しめる
shimeru
閉める
to shut
Example
まどを しめてください.
Mado o shimete kudasai.
Please close the window.
2
てつだう
tetsudau
手伝う
to help
Example
料理をてつだいます.
Ryōri o tetsudaimasu.
I help with the cooking.
3
とる
toru
取る
to get / to hand over
Example
でんわを とります.
Denwa o torimasu.
I will answer the phone.
4
おく
oku
置く
to put
Example
ここに おきます.
Koko ni okimasu.
I will put it here.
5
かたづける
katazukeru
片付ける
to clear away / to clean up
Example
へやを かたづけます.
Heya o katazukemasu.
I will clean up the room.
6
かす
kasu
貸す
to lend
Example
ぺんを かします.
Pen o kashimasu.
I will lend you a pen.
7
かりる
kariru
借りる
to borrow
Example
ほんを かります.
Hon o karimasu.
I will borrow a book.
8
すてる
suteru
捨てる
to throw
Example
ごみを すてます.
Gomi o sutemasu.
I will throw away the garbage.
9
でんわする
denwa suru
電話する
to telephone
Example
あとで でんわします.
Ato de denwa shimasu.
I will telephone later.
10
ならべる
naraberu
並べる
to arrange
Example
いすを ならべます.
Isu o narabemasu.
I will arrange the chairs.
11
もっていく
motte iku
持って行く
to bring with you
Example
かばんを もっていきます.
Kaban o motte ikimasu.
I will bring the bag with me.
12
もってくる
motte kuru
持って来る
to bring here
Example
はさみを もってきてください.
Hasami o motte kite kudasai.
Please bring the scissors here.
13
すぐに
sugu ni
-
immediately
Example
すぐに いきます.
Sugu ni ikimasu.
I will go immediately.
14
あとで
ato de
-
later
Example
あとで いきます.
Ato de ikimasu.
I will go later.
15
までに
made ni
-
by
Example
さんじまでに きてください.
San-ji made ni kite kudasai.
Please come by 3 o'clock.
16
カッター
kattaa
-
box cutter
Example
カッターを かしてください.
Kattaa o kashite kudasai.
Please lend me the box cutter.
17
こしょう
koshou
-
pepper
Example
こしょうが ありますか.
Koshou ga arimasu ka.
Do you have pepper?
18
すうりょう
suuryou
数量
quantity
Example
すうりょうを かいてください.
Suuryou o kaite kudasai.
Please write the quantity.
19
スプーン
supuun
-
spoon
Example
スプーンを下さい.
Supuun o kudasai.
A spoon, please.
20
だいいち
daiichi
第一
no. 1
Example
だいいちかいぎしつです.
Daiichi kaigishitsu desu.
It's conference room no. 1.
21
かみそり
kamisori
-
razor
Example
かみそりを かってください.
Kamisori o katte kudasai.
Please buy a razor.
22
コピー
kopii
-
copy
Example
コピーを とります.
Kopii o torimasu.
I will make a copy.
23
さとう
satou
砂糖
sugar
Example
さとうを ください.
Satou o kudasai.
Please give me sugar.
24
しお
shio
塩
salt
Example
しおを とってください.
Shio o totte kudasai.
Please pass me the salt.
25
スマホ
sumaho
-
smartphone
Example
スマホを わすれました.
Sumaho o wasuremashita.
I forgot my smartphone.
26
じゅうでんき
juudenki
充電器
charger
Example
じゅうでんきを わすれました.
Juudenki o wasuremashita.
I forgot the charger.
27
でんたく
dentaku
電卓
calculator
Example
でんたくを つかいます.
Dentaku o tsukaimasu.
I will use a calculator.
28
はさみ
hasami
-
scissors
Example
はさみをつかいます.
Hasami o tsukaimasu.
I use scissors.
29
ごみ
gomi
-
garbage
Example
ごみを すてます.
Gomi o sutemasu.
I will throw away the garbage.
30
せっけん
sekken
石けん
soap
Example
せっけんが ありますか.
Sekken ga arimasu ka.
Do you have soap?
31
だんぼーる
danbooru
段(だんぼーる)ボール
cardboard
Example
だんぼーるばこが いります.
Danbooru bako ga irimasu.
I need a cardboard box.
32
ドライバー
doraibaa
-
screwdriver
Example
ドライバーを かしてください.
Doraibaa o kashite kudasai.
Please lend me the screwdriver.
33
はし
hashi
-
chopsticks
Example
はしを ください.
Hashi o kudasai.
Please give me chopsticks.
34
バスタオル
basutaoru
-
bath towel
Example
バスタオルが ほしいです.
Basutaoru ga hoshii desu.
I want a bath towel.
35
フォーク
fooku
-
fork
Example
フォークと ないふが いります.
Fooku to naifu ga irimasu.
I need a fork and knife.
36
ペン
pen
-
pen
Example
ペンを かしてください.
Pen o kashite kudasai.
Please lend me a pen.
37
はぶらし
haburashi
歯ブラシ
toothbrush
Example
はぶらしを かいました.
Haburashi o kaimashita.
I bought a toothbrush.
38
ふせん
fusen
-
sticky note
Example
ふせんを かってください.
Fusen o katte kudasai.
Please buy sticky notes.
39
ホチキス
hochikisu
-
stapler
Example
ホチキスを かしてください.
Hochikisu o kashite kudasai.
Please lend me the stapler.
40
まど
mado
窓
window
Example
まどを あけてください.
Mado o akete kudasai.
Please open the window.
41
ぶ
bu
部
__ copies
Example
にぶ ください.
Ni-bu kudasai.
Please give me two copies.
42
プロジェクタ
purojekuta
-
projector
Example
プロジェクタを つかいます.
Purojekuta o tsukaimasu.
I will use the projector.
43
まい
mai
枚
__ sheets
Example
かみを さんまい ください.
Kami o san-mai kudasai.
Please give me three sheets of paper.
44
ミルク
miruku
-
milk
Example
ミルクを かってください.
Miruku o katte kudasai.
Please buy milk.
45
リモコン
rimokon
-
remote controller
Example
てれびの リモコンが ありません.
Terebi no rimokon ga arimasen.
There is no TV remote.
Conversation
1
ありますよ.
Arimasu yo.
I have it.
Example Usage
ぺんが ありますよ.
Pen ga arimasu yo.
I have a pen.
2
でんわして ください.
Denwa shite kudasai.
Please telephone.
Example Usage
あとで でんわして ください.
Ato de denwa shite kudasai.
Please telephone later.
3
いいよ.
Ii yo.
Okay.
Example Usage
かして いいよ.
Kashite ii yo.
Okay, I'll lend it to you.
4
もしもし.
Moshi moshi.
Hello. (on the phone)
Example Usage
もしもし、たなかです.
Moshi moshi, Tanaka desu.
Hello, this is Tanaka.
5
きて ください.
Kite kudasai.
Please come.
Example Usage
かいぎしつに きて ください.
Kaigishitsu ni kite kudasai.
Please come to the conference room.
Grammar Rules
Rule 1: Making requests and giving instructions
Structure: V-て下さい / V-て / V-てくれる？
These expressions are for giving instructions or requesting something from the other person. They are used here to ask someone to do a job at the workplace. Use the テ-form of the verb. The テ-form is one of the conjugated forms of verbs, and is called the テ-form because the suffix ends with て.
How to use: Use V-て下さい for polite and formal requests: add 下さい to the テ-form. Use V-て on friends or someone of lower rank; it is a casual form that omits 下さい. Use V-てくれる？ as a lightly given request to friends or someone of lower rank: add くれる？ to the テ-form and pronounce it with rising intonation. For example, そこのドライバー、しゅって. and まど、へいめてくれる？. For a negative request, use V-ないで下さい.
💡 Pro Tip: The テ-form is not the same as the マス-form; memorize the sound changes such as 書きます→書いて and たいちます→たいって. V-て下さい is safe at work; V-て and V-てくれる？ can sound rude to superiors. Rising intonation on くれる？ is essential to make it a request rather than a plain question.
| Masu | Te |
|---|---|
| てつだいます | てつだって |
| とります | とって |
| しめます | しめて |
| 書(か)きます | 書(か)いて |
| まちます | まって |
| おきます | おいて |
| もって行(い)きます | もって行(い)って |
| かたづけます | かたづけて |
| すてます | すてて |
| ならべます | なべて |
| もって来(き)ます | もって来(き)て |
Examples
ちょっと、てつだって下さい.
Chotto, tetsudatte kudasai.
Please help me for a bit.
まどをしめて下さい.
Mado o shimete kudasai.
Please close the window.
Rule 2: Confirming information with a tag
Structure: N + ですね
This expression is for confirming information. It is used here to confirm the details of instructions given. Add ですね after what you want to confirm, such as the quantity or time. The ね at the end of the sentence indicates that you are confirming with the other person.
How to use: Attach ですね after a noun or quantity: N + ですね. The question form for asking is N + ですか. The negative confirmation is N + じゃないですね. If unsure of the details of the instructions, use interrogative expressions such as いくつ or 何時 to ask them to repeat what they said.
💡 Pro Tip: ね seeks agreement or confirmation, while よ presents new information. 30ですね is not exactly a question, but it checks that 30 is correct. In casual speech, だね can replace ですね.
Examples
はい、30ですね.
Hai, sanjū desu ne.
Okay, that's 30, right?
会議は3時ですね.
Kaigi wa san-ji desu ne.
The meeting is at 3, right?
Rule 3: Borrowing things from someone
Structure: N + たいして下さい / N + しゃくりてもいいですか？ / N + いいですか？ / N + ありますか？
These expressions are for borrowing things from someone, such as stationery at work. Use たいして下さい to ask someone to lend you something. Use しゃくりてもいいですか？ to ask permission. Use いいですか？ as a shorter way to ask permission while pointing at an item. Use ありますか？ to ask whether the person has the item.
How to use: たいして下さい: add 下さい to the テ-form たいして of たいす (lend). しゃくりてもいいですか？: add もいいですか？ to the テ-form しゃくりて of しゃくりる (borrow). いいですか？: a shortened form of しゃくりてもいいですか？; point to the item when asking. ありますか？: asks if the item exists or is available, and is often used together with しゃくりてもいいですか？. The negative is N + はありません.
💡 Pro Tip: Do not mix up たいす (lend) and しゃくりる (borrow). たいして下さい is a direct request; しゃくりてもいいですか？ is polite permission. いいですか？ can be vague, so point to the item. ありますか？ asks about existence, not permission, so pair it with しゃくりてもいいですか？ if needed.
Examples
ホチキス、かして下さい.
Hochikisu, kashite kudasai.
Please lend me a stapler.
ペン、かりてもいいですか？
Pen, karite mo ii desu ka?
Can I borrow a pen?
Exercises
Question 1
'Please lend me the stapler.'
ホチキスを ______ 下さい.
Question 2
How do you say 'Please close the window.'?
Question 3
How do you say 'Please don't lend it.'?
Question 4
'I borrow a pen.'
ペンを ______.
Question 5
How do you ask someone to lend you a pen?
Question 6
'Can I borrow a pen?'
ペンを ______ いいですか.
Question 7
How do you ask 'Is this okay?' while pointing at an item?
Question 8
'Do you have a stapler?'
ホチキスが ______ か.
Question 9
How do you confirm 'The meeting is at 3, right?'
Question 10
Complete: 'It's 30, right?'
30 ______.
Question 11
How do you say 'It's not 30, right?'
Question 12
Complete the casual request: 'Can you close the window?'
まどを ______ くれる？
Question 13
Which is a casual way to say 'Hand me that.'?
Question 14
'Please lend me the scissors.'
はさみを ______ 下さい.
Question 15
How do you ask 'Can I borrow a book?'
Question 16
'Do you have soap?'
せっけんが ______ か.
Question 17
How do you confirm 'You are Tanaka-san, right?'
Question 18
'Please help me.'
______ 下さい.
Question 19
Which is correct: 'Please lend me the stapler. It's 30 copies, right?'
Question 20
Which is correct: 'Do you have a pen? Can I borrow it?'