Lesson 26 of 50 · 〜んです・〜ていただけませんか · みんなの日本語 第26課 · N4

Story voice: 〜 N3–N2 Japanese — above this lesson’s level, on purpose. Your target is the Key Sentences.

Episode 26: The Locked Room

Mini Story

The Locked Room.

Deep inside the enemy facility, Mike moves through the dark. In the corridor ahead, a silhouette freezes.敌方设施的深处，麦克在黑暗中前进。前方的通道里，一个人影僵住了。敵方設施的深處，麥克在黑暗中前進。前方的通道裡，一個人影僵住了。Sâu trong cơ sở của địch, Mike tiến bước trong bóng tối. Ở lối đi phía trước, một bóng người sững lại.
敵てきtekiの 施設しせつshisetsuの 奥深おくふかokufukaく、マイクは 暗闇くらやみkurayamiを 進すすsusuむ。前方ぜんぽうzenpouの 通路つうろtsuuroで、人影ひとかげhitokageが 凍こおkooりつく。

The intruder says nothing. Mike raises an old brass key.闯入者一言不发。麦克举起一把老旧的黄铜钥匙。闖入者一言不發。麥克舉起一把老舊的黃銅鑰匙。Kẻ đột nhập không nói gì. Mike giơ lên một chiếc chìa khóa đồng cũ kỹ.
侵入者しんにゅうしゃshinnyuushaは 何なにnaniも 言いiわない。マイクは 古ふるfuruびた 真鍮しんちゅうshinchuuの 鍵かぎkagiを 掲かかkakaげる。

His hand goes to the radio. Low, and courteous, he asks for the files.他的手伸向无线电。声音压低，客客气气地，请对方送资料。他的手伸向無線電。聲音壓低，客客氣氣地，請對方送資料。Tay anh đưa lên máy bộ đàm. Giọng trầm xuống, thật lễ độ, anh xin tài liệu.
無線むせんmusenに 手てteをやり、低ひくhikuく 丁寧ていねいteineiに、資料しりょうshiryouを 頼たのtanoむ。

Then the steel door slams. Locked in. Mike presses a hand to his earpiece.就在这时，铁门关上了。被困住了。麦克按住耳机。就在這時，鐵門關上了。被困住了。麥克按住耳機。Đúng lúc đó, cánh cửa sắt sập lại. Bị nhốt rồi. Mike ấn tay lên tai nghe.
その 時ときtoki、鉄てつtetsuの 扉とびらtobiraが 閉しshiまる。閉とtoじこめられた。マイクは イヤホンを 押おoさえる。

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Key Sentences

1. 〜んですか (asking the reason / situation)

2. 〜んです (explaining your situation)

3. V-て いただけませんか (polite request)

4. どうやって 〜たら いいですか (asking how)

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Practice out loud

Say the answer before you look. The same sentences you just read — now from your own mouth.

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Vocabulary

日本語	English	简体	繁體	Tiếng Việt
どうして どうして ここに いるんですか。	why Why are you here?	为什么 你为什么在这里？	為什麼 你為什麼在這裡？	tại sao Sao bạn lại ở đây?
どうやって ここから どうやって 出でdeたら いいですか。	how, by what means How do I get out of here?	怎么 从这里怎么出去？	怎麼 從這裡怎麼出去？	bằng cách nào Từ đây ra ngoài bằng cách nào?
いる（要いiる） この 鍵かぎkagiが いるんです。	to need It's this key that I need.	需要 我需要的是这把钥匙。	需要 我需要的是這把鑰匙。	cần Cái tôi cần là chiếc chìa khóa này.
鍵かぎkagi 鍵かぎkagiを なくしたんです。	key The thing is, I lost my key.	钥匙 其实我把钥匙弄丢了。	鑰匙 其實我把鑰匙弄丟了。	chìa khóa Chuyện là tôi đã làm mất chìa khóa.
資料しりょうshiryou 資料しりょうshiryouを 送おくokuって いただけませんか。	documents, materials Could you send me the materials?	资料 能把资料发给我吗？	資料 能把資料寄給我嗎？	tài liệu Anh gửi tài liệu tham khảo cho tôi được không?
送おくokuります あとで 資料しりょうshiryouを 送おくokuります。	to send I'll send the materials later.	发送 我稍后把资料发过去。	發送 我稍後把資料寄過去。	gửi Lát nữa tôi sẽ gửi tài liệu.
出でdeます あの ドアから 出でdeたら いいです。	to exit, go out You can go out through that door.	出去 从那扇门出去就行。	出去 從那扇門出去就行。	ra ngoài Bạn đi ra bằng cửa kia là được.
〜んです 今日きょうkyouは 休やすyasuみじゃないんです。仕事しごとshigotoなんです。	(explanatory) it's that ～ Actually, today isn't a day off. It's a workday.	（表示解释说明） 其实今天不是休息日，是工作日。	（表示解釋說明） 其實今天不是休息日，是工作日。	(diễn đạt lý do) Thật ra hôm nay không phải ngày nghỉ, là ngày làm việc.
〜ていただけませんか 地図ちずchizuを 見みmiせて いただけませんか。	could you ～ (humble request) Could you show me the map?	能请您～吗 能给我看一下地图吗？	能請您～嗎 能給我看一下地圖嗎？	có thể ～ được không ạ (lịch sự) Anh cho tôi xem bản đồ được không?

Practice these words →

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Grammar Patterns

focus on the explanatory 〜んです.

Grammar Picture

• 目標文型this lesson’s pattern这一课的句型這一課的句型mẫu câu của bài này
• 名詞noun名词danh từ
• 述語sentence ending句尾句尾phần cuối câu

When to use 〜んです (and when not)

Use 〜んです to explain a reason or situation, or to ask for one — not for plain reporting.

• Asking: どうして おくれたんですか。(Why were you late? — I want the reason.)
• Explaining: バスが なかったんです。(It's that there was no bus.)
• Plain fact (no んです): わたしは がくせいです。(I am a student.)

The request ladder — 〜て → 〜てください → 〜ていただけませんか

• 〜て — casual, between friends.
• 〜てください — polite, neutral.
• 〜てくださいませんか / 〜ていただけませんか — most polite, humble. Use with superiors or strangers.

〜たらいいですか vs 〜ばいいですか

Both ask "what should I do?". 「〜たらいいですか」 is the most common and natural for N4. 「どうやって 出でdeたらいいですか」 = How should I get out?

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Roleplay Practice

the checkpoint scene, then swap roles.

Scene: A checkpoint. A guard stops Mike. Pair up — A = guard, B = Mike. Swap roles and try again.

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How do you say this in Japanese?

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How to Use This Lesson

Read the sections in the order they appear. About 40 minutes.
Tomorrow, come back and say the Key Sentences again — that is where it sticks.

For Teachers

For Teachers (45-60 minutes in class)

• Warm-up (5 min): ask students "どうして 日本語にほんごnihongoを べんきょうして いるんですか?" — practice 〜んです answers.
• んです vs です (10 min): contrast plain facts with explanatory mood through situations.
• Request ladder (10 min): 〜て → 〜てください → 〜ていただけませんか, with politeness contexts.
• たらいいですか (10 min): students ask each other "how should I ～?" questions.
• Roleplay (15 min): the checkpoint scene; learners improvise the ending.

Note: Lesson 26 opens the N4 half of Midnight Encounter. 〜んです is easily confused with plain 〜です — anchor it in reason-seeking situations.

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← Lesson 25 | Midnight Encounter | Lesson 27 →

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