At work most instructions arrive in a few patterns. If you recognise them, you can follow even when you do not know every word. You also need to repeat back what you understood.
The patterns you will hear
| Pattern | Meaning | Example | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜て ください | please do ... (polite order) | これを はこんで ください。 | ▶ |
| 〜て おいて ください | please do ... in advance / and leave it | ざいりょうを じゅんびして おいて ください。 | ▶ |
| 〜て くれませんか | could you ...? (friendly request) | ちょっと てつだって くれませんか。 | ▶ |
| 〜て いただけませんか | could you possibly ...? (very polite) | もう いちど おしえて いただけませんか。 | ▶ |
| 〜ないで ください | please do not ... | ここに ものを おかないで ください。 | ▶ |
| 〜なさい | do ... (firm order, from a teacher or a parent) | はやく しなさい。 | ▶ |
In emergencies or on a noisy machine floor, people shout short commands without ください: とまれ! (stop), やめろ! (stop it), にげろ! (run!), あぶない! (watch out!). Learn to recognise these; do not use them yourself.
Words for steps
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| まず | mazu | पहिले | first | ▶ |
| つぎに | tsugi ni | त्यसपछि | next | ▶ |
| それから | sorekara | त्यसपछि | after that | ▶ |
| さいごに | saigo ni | अन्त्यमा | finally | ▶ |
| すぐ | sugu | तुरुन्तै | right away | ▶ |
| あとで | ato de | पछि | later | ▶ |
| さきに | saki ni | पहिले (अरूभन्दा अघि) | first, ahead | ▶ |
| いっしょに | issho ni | सँगै | together | ▶ |
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| まず、てを あらって ください。 | mazu, te o aratte kudasai. | पहिले हात धुनुहोस्। | First, please wash your hands. | ▶ |
| つぎに、ふくを きかえて ください。 | tsugi ni, fuku o kikaete kudasai. | त्यसपछि लुगा फेर्नुहोस्। | Next, please change your clothes. | ▶ |
| それから、ヘルメットを かぶって ください。 | sorekara, herumetto o kabutte kudasai. | त्यसपछि हेल्मेट लगाउनुहोस्। | After that, please put on your helmet. | ▶ |
| さいごに、スイッチを いれて ください。 | saigo ni, suitchi o irete kudasai. | अन्त्यमा स्विच अन गर्नुहोस्। | Finally, please switch it on. | ▶ |
Common work instructions
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| はこんで ください | hakonde kudasai | बोकेर लैजानुहोस् | please carry | ▶ |
| おいて ください | oite kudasai | राख्नुहोस् | please put / leave | ▶ |
| もって きて ください | motte kite kudasai | लिएर आउनुहोस् | please bring | ▶ |
| かくにんして ください | kakunin shite kudasai | जाँच गर्नुहोस् | please check / confirm | ▶ |
| かたづけて ください | katazukete kudasai | सफा/मिलाएर राख्नुहोस् | please tidy up | ▶ |
| そうじして ください | souji shite kudasai | सफा गर्नुहोस् | please clean | ▶ |
| おして ください / ひいて ください | oshite kudasai / hiite kudasai | थिच्नुहोस् / तान्नुहोस् | please push / pull | ▶ |
| とめて ください | tomete kudasai | रोक्नुहोस् | please stop (it) | ▶ |
| スイッチを いれて ください | suitchi o irete kudasai | स्विच अन गर्नुहोस् | please switch on | ▶ |
| スイッチを きって ください | suitchi o kitte kudasai | स्विच अफ गर्नुहोस् | please switch off | ▶ |
| かぎを かけて ください | kagi o kakete kudasai | ताला लगाउनुहोस् | please lock | ▶ |
| れんらくして ください | renraku shite kudasai | सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस् | please contact me | ▶ |
Repeat back and confirm
Always repeat the key points of an instruction (the Japanese call this ふくしょう). It shows you understood and gives the leader a chance to correct you.
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| はい、この はこを ２かいに はこびます。 | hai, kono hako o nikai ni hakobimasu. | हजुर, यो बाकस दोस्रो तलामा लैजान्छु। | Yes, I'll carry this box to the 2nd floor. | ▶ |
| さんじまでに おわらせれば いいですね。 | sanji made ni owarasereba ii desu ne. | ३ बजेसम्म सक्नुपर्ने हो है? | I should finish by 3, right? | ▶ |
| 〜で いいですか。 | ~ de ii desu ka. | ... ठीक हो? | Is ... all right? / Is it OK like this? | ▶ |
| これで いいですか。 | kore de ii desu ka. | यसरी ठीक छ? | Is this OK? | ▶ |
| 〜ですね。 | ~ desu ne. | ... हो है? | ..., right? (confirming) | ▶ |
| もう すこし ゆっくり おねがいします。 | mou sukoshi yukkuri onegai shimasu. | अलि बिस्तारै भनिदिनुहोस्। | A little slower, please. | ▶ |
までに (by a deadline) is different from まで (until): ５じまでに おわります = finish by 5; ５じまで はたらきます = work until 5.
Dialogue: a task from your leader
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ラムさん、この にもつを ２かいの そうこに はこんで ください。 | ramu-san, kono nimotsu o nikai no souko ni hakonde kudasai. | राम जी, यो सामान दोस्रो तलाको गोदाममा लैजानुहोस्। Ram, please carry this luggage to the warehouse on the 2nd floor. | ▶ |
| B | はい、２かいの そうこですね。 いつまでに ですか。 | hai, nikai no souko desu ne. itsu made ni desu ka. | हजुर, दोस्रो तलाको गोदाम हो है। कहिलेसम्ममा? Yes, the 2nd-floor warehouse. By when? | ▶ |
| A | さんじまでに おねがいします。 おもいですから、ふたりで はこんで ください。 | sanji made ni onegai shimasu. omoi desu kara, futari de hakonde kudasai. | ३ बजेसम्ममा। भारी भएकाले दुई जनाले लैजानुहोस्। By 3 o'clock. It's heavy, so please carry it with two people. | ▶ |
| B | わかりました。 サンジさんと はこびます。 | wakarimashita. sanji-san to hakobimasu. | बुझेँ। सञ्जी जीसँग लैजान्छु। Understood. I'll carry it with Sanji. | ▶ |
Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.
Check yourself
Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.
- Say "Please carry this."
- What does 〜ないで ください mean?
- What does とまれ! mean and who says it?
- Put these in order: つぎに / まず / さいごに
- What does 〜ておいて ください mean?
- Say "Please switch it off."
- What is the difference between まで and までに?
- Ask "Is this OK?"
- Say "Please speak a little slower."
- Why do you repeat an instruction back?
Answers
Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.
- これを はこんで ください。
- Please do not ...
- Stop! A short command used in emergencies or on a noisy floor.
- まず → つぎに → さいごに.
- Please do it in advance and leave it.
- スイッチを きって ください。
- まで = until; までに = by (a deadline).
- これで いいですか。
- もう すこし ゆっくり おねがいします。
- To show you understood, and to let the leader correct you.
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