New here? This is lesson 77 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
What we're doing in class in Japanese
Leo is late to Saturday class at the community centre.
He bows too deep in the doorway, then needs lines for a missing partner, a board he cannot see, and classwork he has not finished.
Haruka is in Ueno, so the chair beside him stays empty.
You will say you are not done yet, flag a problem in class, and ask what to write and when work is due.
Keep it polite. You answer the teacher in the polite form.
By the end of this lesson
Say what you need and ask what to do in class.
- まだ終わっていません。I'm not finished yet.
- ペアがいません。I don't have a partner.
- 黒板が見えません。I can't see the board.
- 遅れてすみません。Sorry I'm late.
- これ、書きますか。Do we need to write this down?
- 宿題はいつまでですか。When is the homework due?
Scene — saturday class
Saturday class at the community centre is already underway. Leo stands in the doorway with his bag, still a little out of breath from the lane.
The teacher looks up from a blank board. The chair beside Leo's usual seat is empty, because Haruka is in Ueno today.
Learn — speak up in class
These six lines help you speak up in class: not finished yet, no partner, a board you cannot see, and a late apology.
You also ask whether to write something, and when homework is due.
まだ終わっていません。
I'm not finished yet.
When to use it: Say this when class moves on and you still need time.
まだ with a negative verb means not yet, unlike もう for already.
Say it: Keep the small っ in 終わっていません as its own beat.
ペアがいません。
I don't have a partner.
When to use it: Use this in class when pair work starts and your seat is empty.
が marks the partner you lack; いません is the polite negative.
Say it: Give ペア two clear beats; do not swallow the ア.
黒板が見えません。
I can't see the board.
When to use it: Tell the teacher when a seat or glare hides the board.
が marks what you cannot see; 見えません is the polite cannot-see form.
遅れてすみません。
Sorry I'm late.
When to use it: Say this as you enter after the lesson has started.
遅れて is the て-form; it links being late to the apology.
これ、書きますか。
Do we need to write this down?
When to use it: Ask this when the teacher writes or says something new.
か at the end makes this a polite question in class.
宿題はいつまでですか。
When is the homework due?
When to use it: Ask this before you leave so the deadline is clear.
まで marks the deadline for the homework.
Story — the empty chair
Leo slips in late. The empty chair stays empty, and class does not wait.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Class has started. Leo bows too deep in the doorway.
Leo入ってもいいですか。May I come in?- Teacherはい、どうぞ。Sure, go ahead.
- He sits at the back. The chair beside him is empty.
- Leo遅れてすみません。Sorry I'm late.
- Teacherいいえ、大丈夫です。No, it's fine.
- Pair work starts. Haruka is in Ueno, so nobody sits next to him.
- Teacherペアでお願いします。Pair work, please.
- Leoペアがいません。I don't have a partner.
- Teacher一人で大丈夫ですよ。It's fine on your own.
- From the last row, the board is hard to see.
- Leo黒板が見えません。I can't see the board.
- Teacher前に座ってください。Please sit at the front.
- Leo copies slowly. The teacher pauses by his notebook.
- Leoまだ終わっていません。I'm not finished yet.
- Teacherゆっくりでいいですよ。Slow is fine.
- Leoこれ、書きますか。Do we need to write this down?
- Teacherはい、書いてください。Yes, please write it down.
- Leo宿題はいつまでですか。When is the homework due?
- Teacher来週の金曜日です。It's next Friday.
Practice — pick the class line
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, fill a gap, build a line, and catch a mistake.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
Class has started. You stand in the doorway and want to go in.
Pick the reply
Stranger says:
Pick the reply
入ってもいいですか。
May I come in?
And you reply with:
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
I don't have a partner.
ペアが____。
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
黒板が見えません。
What do you say?
What do you say?
You have already sat down. Apologize for arriving after class began.
Build the line
Build the line
When is the homework due?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
You still need time on the worksheet. Fix the verb.
まだ____。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
Match the pairs
Japanese
ペアがいません。Drop the English here黒板が見えません。Drop the English hereまだ終わっていません。Drop the English hereEnglish
Pick the reply
Stranger says:
Pick the reply
遅れてすみません。
Sorry I'm late.
And you reply with:
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo, late to Saturday class today. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Leo (you)Ask if you may come in.
Ask if you may come in.
入ってもいいですか。
May I come in?
0 of 7 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| まだ終わっていません。 | I'm not finished yet. | |
| ペアがいません。 | I don't have a partner. | |
| 黒板が見えません。 | I can't see the board. | |
| 遅れてすみません。 | Sorry I'm late. | |
| これ、書きますか。 | Do we need to write this down? | |
| 宿題はいつまでですか。 | When is the homework due? |
Save your progress — it’s free
Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these class lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round before Saturday class keeps these lines ready.
Open Yak Cards