Breakdown of isu no iti wo kakuninsite kudasai.
Questions & Answers about isu no iti wo kakuninsite kudasai.
How is this sentence read?
It is read:
いす の いち を かくにんして ください。
More specifically:
- 椅子 = いす
- 位置 = いち
- 確認 = かくにん
In normal Japanese writing, you would usually write it without spaces:
椅子の位置を確認してください。
The spaces are often added only in learning materials to make the parts easier to see.
What is the basic grammatical structure of this sentence?
The structure is:
[noun phrase] + を + [verb in て-form] + ください
So here:
- 椅子の位置 = the chair’s position / the position of the chair
- を = marks that noun phrase as the object
- 確認して = check / confirm
- ください = please do
So grammatically, it is:
椅子の位置 + を + 確認して + ください
This is a very common way to make polite instructions in Japanese.
What does の mean in 椅子の位置?
の connects two nouns.
Here, it links:
- 椅子 = chair
- 位置 = position
So 椅子の位置 means something like:
- the chair’s position
- the position of the chair
In Japanese, A の B often means B related to A, and the exact relationship depends on context.
Examples:
- 日本の文化 = Japanese culture / the culture of Japan
- 学校の先生 = the school’s teacher / teacher at the school
- 椅子の位置 = the chair’s position
Why is を used after 位置?
を marks the direct object of the verb.
The thing being checked is 椅子の位置, so that whole phrase takes を:
- 椅子の位置を確認する = to check the chair’s position
A useful point: を attaches to the whole noun phrase, not just to the last word in an English-style way. So 椅子の位置 acts as one unit, and を marks that unit as the object.
Why is it 確認して instead of just 確認?
Because ください normally follows the て-form of a verb.
The verb here is 確認する, which is a suru-verb. Its forms are:
- dictionary form: 確認する
- て-form: 確認して
Then:
- 確認してください = please check / please confirm
So this pattern is:
- verb in て-form + ください
Examples:
- 見てください = please look
- 待ってください = please wait
- 確認してください = please confirm
Is 確認 a noun or a verb?
It is originally a noun, but it can also function as a verb when combined with する.
So:
- 確認 = confirmation / checking
- 確認する = to confirm / to check
This is a very common pattern in Japanese. Many words of Chinese origin work this way.
Examples:
- 勉強 = study
勉強する = to study
- 説明 = explanation
説明する = to explain
- 確認 = confirmation
- 確認する = to confirm
In your sentence, 確認して is the て-form of 確認する.
Why doesn’t the sentence use は or が?
Because this sentence is giving a polite instruction, and the main thing that needs to be marked is the object of the action.
The sentence is essentially:
Please check the chair’s position.
In Japanese, commands and requests often omit the subject because it is understood from context. So there is no need to explicitly say:
- who should do it
- what the topic is
The listener is understood to be the person who should perform the action.
If you added は, it would usually change the focus or contrast, not just make the sentence more complete.
Is 椅子 singular or plural here?
By itself, 椅子 does not explicitly tell you singular or plural.
So 椅子の位置 could mean:
- the position of the chair
- the position of the chairs
In Japanese, number is often left unstated unless it matters.
If the speaker wants to make plurality clear, they might say something more specific, such as:
- 椅子たち — possible in some contexts, but not very natural here
- 複数の椅子 = multiple chairs
- 椅子の配置 = the arrangement of the chairs
So in your sentence, the exact number depends on context.
How polite is 〜てください?
〜てください is a standard polite request form. It is common and neutral.
So 確認してください is polite enough for many everyday and workplace situations. It sounds like:
- Please check
- Please confirm
It is not extremely formal, but it is not casual either.
Compare:
確認して。 = Check it.
Casual, plain, and can sound direct.確認してください。 = Please check.
Polite and standard.ご確認ください。 = Please confirm.
More formal and common in business writing.
So your sentence is polite and natural, especially in instructions.
Could this sentence be said in a more formal way?
Yes. A very common more formal version is:
椅子の位置をご確認ください。
Here, ご is an honorific prefix added to 確認 to make the request more polite.
So:
- 確認してください = please check
- ご確認ください = please confirm / please check
More formal and often used in notices, emails, announcements, and business settings
Both are correct, but ご確認ください sounds more polished.
Why is the word order this way? Could it be changed?
Japanese word order is more flexible than English, but the neutral and most natural order here is:
椅子の位置を確認してください。
That follows the common pattern:
object + verb
Since Japanese uses particles like の and を, the roles of words are marked clearly. That gives some flexibility, but not every rearrangement sounds natural.
For learners, the safest choice is to keep this standard order:
- noun phrase
- object marker
- verb
- polite ending
So for this sentence, 椅子の位置を確認してください is the best form to use.
What is the difference between 確認する and something simpler like 見る here?
見る just means to look or to see.
確認する means to check, to confirm, or to verify. It suggests making sure something is correct.
So there is a difference in nuance:
椅子の位置を見てください。
Please look at the chair’s position.椅子の位置を確認してください。
Please check the chair’s position.
This implies verifying whether it is correct or as expected.
So 確認する is the better choice when the speaker wants someone to inspect something carefully or make sure it matches a requirement.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning JapaneseMaster Japanese — from isu no iti wo kakuninsite kudasai to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions