Every workplace has rules, and the staff expect you to keep them without being reminded. This lesson gives you the four grammar patterns for rules, and the words for hours, leave and pay so that you can read your contract and your schedule.
Four patterns for rules
| Pattern | Meaning | Example | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ない-form (drop い) + なければ なりません | must do | ヘルメットを かぶらなければ なりません。 | ▶ |
| て-form + は いけません | must not do | ここで スマホを つかっては いけません。 | ▶ |
| ない-form (drop い) + なくても いいです | do not have to | あした こなくても いいです。 | ▶ |
| て-form + も いいです | may / it's OK to | ここで ひるごはんを たべても いいです。 | ▶ |
How to build なければなりません: take the ない-form (たべない), drop the final い, add ければ なりません: たべなければ なりません (I must eat), いかなければ なりません, しなければ なりません, こなければ なりません. The casual form is 〜なきゃ: いかなきゃ.
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| まいあさ ８じまでに こなければ なりません。 | maiasa hachiji made ni konakereba narimasen. | हरेक बिहान ८ बजेसम्ममा आउनैपर्छ। | You must come by 8 every morning. | ▶ |
| やすむ ときは、れんらくしなければ なりません。 | yasumu toki wa, renraku shinakereba narimasen. | बिदा लिँदा खबर गर्नैपर्छ। | When you take a day off, you must contact (them). | ▶ |
| くつを はきかえなければ なりません。 | kutsu o hakikaenakereba narimasen. | जुत्ता फेर्नैपर्छ। | You must change your shoes. | ▶ |
| しごとの ときに スマホを みては いけません。 | shigoto no toki ni sumaho o mite wa ikemasen. | कामको बेला फोन हेर्न हुँदैन। | You must not look at your phone while working. | ▶ |
| むだんで やすんでは いけません。 | mudan de yasunde wa ikemasen. | सूचना नदिई बिदा लिन हुँदैन। | You must not take a day off without notice. | ▶ |
| あした は やすみですから、こなくても いいです。 | ashita wa yasumi desu kara, konakute mo ii desu. | भोलि बिदा भएकाले नआए पनि हुन्छ। | Tomorrow is a day off, so you don't have to come. | ▶ |
Rules you will meet
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ルール / きまり | ruuru / kimari | नियम | rule | ▶ |
| まもります | mamorimasu | पालना गर्छु | to obey, protect | ▶ |
| むだんで | mudan de | सूचना बिना | without notice | ▶ |
| みだしなみ | midashinami | पहिरन र सफाइ | grooming, appearance | ▶ |
| せいふく | seifuku | वर्दी | uniform | ▶ |
| くつを はきかえます | kutsu o hakikaemasu | जुत्ता फेर्छु | to change shoes | ▶ |
| てを あらいます | te o araimasu | हात धुन्छु | to wash hands | ▶ |
| マスクを つけます | masuku o tsukemasu | मास्क लगाउँछु | to put on a mask | ▶ |
| きつえんじょ | kitsuenjo | धूम्रपान क्षेत्र | smoking area | ▶ |
| きゅうけいじかん | kyuukei jikan | विश्राम समय | break time | ▶ |
| ごみを わけます | gomi o wakemasu | फोहोर छुट्याउँछु | to sort the waste | ▶ |
| かたづけ | katazuke | व्यवस्थित राख्ने | tidying up | ▶ |
Hours, leave and pay: words in your contract
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ろうどうけいやくしょ | roudou keiyakusho | श्रम सम्झौता | employment contract | ▶ |
| きゅうりょう / きゅうよ | kyuuryou / kyuuyo | तलब | salary | ▶ |
| じきゅう | jikyuu | घण्टाको ज्याला | hourly wage | ▶ |
| げっきゅう | gekkyuu | मासिक तलब | monthly salary | ▶ |
| しゅうきゅう ふつか | shuukyuu futsuka | हप्तामा दुई दिन बिदा | two days off a week | ▶ |
| ゆうきゅうきゅうか | yuukyuu kyuuka | तलबसहितको बिदा | paid leave | ▶ |
| ざんぎょうだい | zangyoudai | ओभरटाइम भुक्तानी | overtime pay | ▶ |
| こうたいせい | koutaisei | पालो प्रणाली | shift system | ▶ |
| しゅうぎょうじかん | shuugyou jikan | कार्य समय | working hours | ▶ |
| ひるきん / やきん | hirukin / yakin | दिनको / रातको काम | day shift / night shift | ▶ |
| けんこうほけん | kenkou hoken | स्वास्थ्य बीमा | health insurance | ▶ |
| ねんきん | nenkin | पेन्सन | pension | ▶ |
| ぜいきん | zeikin | कर | tax | ▶ |
| きゅうりょうめいさい | kyuuryou meisai | तलब विवरण | payslip | ▶ |
Know your rights. The Labour Standards Act applies to foreign workers too. Your employer must pay the agreed wage, pay for overtime and let you take paid leave. An employer is not allowed to keep your passport or residence card. If something is wrong, ask your support organisation or your embassy, or call the Labour Standards Inspection Office (ろうどうきじゅんかんとくしょ) or a foreign-resident consultation counter. Keep a copy of your contract and payslips.
Dialogue: a new rule
| Japanese | Romaji | नेपाली / English | Listen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ラムさん、ここでは くつを はきかえなければ なりません。 | ramu-san, koko de wa kutsu o hakikaenakereba narimasen. | राम जी, यहाँ जुत्ता फेर्नैपर्छ। Ram, here you must change your shoes. | ▶ |
| B | はい、わかりました。 ひるごはんは ここで たべても いいですか。 | hai, wakarimashita. hirugohan wa koko de tabete mo ii desu ka. | हजुर, बुझेँ। यहाँ खाजा खाँदा हुन्छ? Yes, understood. May I eat lunch here? | ▶ |
| A | いいえ、しょくどうで たべて ください。 ここで たべては いけません。 | iie, shokudou de tabete kudasai. koko de tabete wa ikemasen. | होइन, भोजनालयमा खानुहोस्। यहाँ खान हुँदैन। No, please eat in the canteen. You must not eat here. | ▶ |
| B | わかりました。 ありがとうございます。 | wakarimashita. arigatou gozaimasu. | बुझेँ। धन्यवाद। Understood. Thank you. | ▶ |
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 "I must wear a helmet."
- Say "You must not use your phone here."
- Say "You don't have to come tomorrow."
- Say "You may eat here."
- How do you make なければなりません from たべる?
- What does むだんで mean?
- What is ゆうきゅうきゅうか?
- What does ざんぎょうだい mean?
- Can an employer keep your passport?
- Whom can you ask if you think your rights are not respected?
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.
- ヘルメットを かぶらなければ なりません。
- ここで スマホを つかっては いけません。
- あした こなくても いいです。
- ここで たべても いいです。
- たべない → たべなければ なりません.
- Without notice.
- Paid leave.
- Overtime pay.
- No. An employer is not allowed to keep your passport or residence card.
- Your support organisation, your embassy, the Labour Standards Inspection Office or a foreign-resident consultation counter.
Comments
Loading comments…