Viewing an Apartment with a Real-Estate Agent — JLPT N4 Japanese Conversation
The situation
Yattan (ヤッタン) is being shown an empty apartment by the real-estate agent (不動産屋の人) and walks through the room asking about it.
こちらのお部屋です。どうぞ、中を見てください。
こちらの おへやです。どうぞ、なかを みてください。
This is the room. Please, go ahead and look inside.
わあ、思ったより明るそうですね。日当たりはいいですか。
わあ、おもったより あかるそうですね。ひあたりは いいですか。
Wow, it looks brighter than I expected. Does it get good sunlight?
ええ、南向きなので、午後まで日が入りますよ。
ええ、みなみむきなので、ごごまで ひが はいりますよ。
Yes, it faces south, so the sun comes in until the afternoon.
いいですね。あの、窓を開けてもいいですか。
いいですね。あの、まどを あけても いいですか。
Nice. Um, is it okay if I open the window?
はい、どうぞ。開けておきますね。
はい、どうぞ。あけて おきますね。
Sure, go ahead. I'll leave it open for you.
静かですね。ここに住んだら、ゆっくり眠れそうです。
しずかですね。ここに すんだら、ゆっくり ねむれそうです。
It's quiet. If I lived here, it looks like I could sleep well.
収納は少なそうですが、押し入れはありますか。
しゅうのうは すくなそうですが、おしいれは ありますか。
Storage looks a bit limited, but is there a closet?
ええ、こちらに。あと、水回りも新しいので、住みやすそうでしょう？
ええ、こちらに。あと、みずまわりも あたらしいので、すみやすそうでしょう？
Yes, over here. Also, the kitchen and bath are new, so it looks easy to live in, doesn't it?
そうですね。家に帰ったら、家族と相談してみます。
そうですね。いえに かえったら、かぞくと そうだんして みます。
It does. When I get home, I'll talk it over with my family.
Key expressions
- 明るそう / 住みやすそう — the 〜そう of appearance: "looks bright," "looks easy to live in." Drop the final い of an い-adjective and add そう (明るい → 明るそう); with 少ない → 少なそう. Use it to react to what a room looks like on the spot. See 〜そうだ・〜ようだ (looks like / seems) for how appearance-そう differs from hearsay-そう.
- 窓を開けてもいいですか — "Is it okay if I open the window?" The て-form + もいいですか is the standard way to ask permission — essential at a 内見, where you should ask before opening windows, closets, or the fridge. See 〜てもいいです (permission).
- ここに住んだら — "If/when I live here…" The 〜たら conditional lets you talk through hypotheticals: 住んだら、帰ったら. It pairs naturally with そう ("if I lived here, it looks like I could sleep well"). See 〜たら (conditional).
- 開けておきます — "I'll leave it open (for now)." 〜ておく = do something in advance / leave it in a prepared state. The agent uses it to say the window will stay open while you look around.
About a 内見 (apartment viewing)
A 内見 (naiken) is the in-person viewing an agent arranges once you have shortlisted a place, and it is the moment to be thorough because photos hide a lot. Check the 日当たり (sunlight — ask which way the room faces), the 水回り (kitchen, bath, and toilet plumbing), phone reception inside the room (Japanese buildings can block signal), and 収納 (storage: 押し入れ closets and cupboards). Bring a tape measure — a メジャー — to check whether your furniture and fridge will fit, since agents rarely provide one. The most useful survival phrase is 「写真を撮ってもいいですか」 ("Is it okay if I take photos?"), so you can compare rooms afterward.
Frequently asked questions
How is appearance-そう different from hearsay-そう?
Appearance-そう attaches to the adjective/verb stem and means 'looks like' based on what you see: 明るそう ('looks bright'). Hearsay-そう attaches to the plain form and means 'I heard that…': 明るいそうだ ('I heard it's bright'). At a 内見 you're describing what you see, so you want the stem form: 明るそう, 住みやすそう.
How do I politely ask to open or touch things during a viewing?
Use the て-form + もいいですか: 窓を開けてもいいですか ('May I open the window?'), 写真を撮ってもいいですか ('May I take photos?'). It's polite and expected — agents want you to check the space.
What should I check that photos don't show?
Sunlight direction (日当たり), noise, phone reception inside the room, water pressure and the condition of the 水回り, and real storage size. Bring a メジャー (tape measure) to confirm your furniture fits before you sign anything.