Sending a Finished Report File | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. レポートはできましたか。

   Is the report ready?

   レポート

   report

   は

   as for …

   できましたか

   is it ready?

   More detail

   レポート is a noun meaning “report.” It is a loanword written in katakana. Example: レポートを書きます。 — “I will write a report.” は marks the topic of the sentence and is pronounced wa here. The sentence presents the report as the thing being checked. A useful reusable pattern is N は …ですか。 — “Is/are N …?” できましたか comes from できる, whose meaning depends on context. With a task or product, it can mean “be completed” or “be ready”; with a person or ability, it can mean “be able to.” Here, together with レポート, the intended meaning is “is it ready?” The form できました is the polite past form, and か turns it into a question. Compare できました。 — “It is ready/It has been completed.” Example: 準備はできましたか。 — “Are you ready?” Together, レポートは sets “the report” as the topic, and できましたか asks whether it has reached a completed or ready state. Thus the whole utterance means, “Is the report ready?” It is a polite, straightforward way to check the report’s status.

2. もうすぐできます。

   It is almost ready.

   もうすぐ

   soon; almost

   できます

   be ready

   More detail

   もうすぐ means that the stated situation will happen shortly or is close to happening. Here it sets the time perspective for the following predicate: the state of being ready is expected soon. It can also be used with other events, for example: もうすぐ始まります。 — “It will start soon.” できます is the polite non-past form of できる. This verb has several context-dependent uses, including “can do,” “be completed,” and “be ready.” In this sentence, the fixed translation and the surrounding context support the state meaning “be ready,” not a claim about someone’s ability. The polite form is appropriate in the workplace-style exchange. The related form できました in レポートはできましたか。 is the polite past form, asking whether the report is ready; できたら in the next sentence is a conditional form, meaning “when it is ready” in that context. Together, もうすぐ + できます gives “It is almost ready” or, more literally, “It will be ready soon.” Japanese does not require an overt subject here; the thing that will be ready is understood from the context, while the sentence itself does not specify it.

3. ファイルの準備ができたら、私に送ってください。

   Please send me the file when it is ready.

   ファイル

   file

   準備

   preparation; readiness

   できたら

   when it is ready

   私に

   to me

   送ってください

   please send

   More detail

   ファイル means “file,” and here it is the item being sent. It appears in the pattern ファイルの準備, where の links the file with its preparation or readiness. The broader reusable pattern Nを送る means “send N,” although を is not used after ファイル in this sentence. 準備 means “preparation” or “readiness.” Here it appears in 準備ができる, a common expression meaning that preparation is complete or that something is ready. The noun 準備 is distinct from the verb できる; it is not the base form of that verb. できたら is the past form できた of できる, followed by ら. In this context, できる means “be ready” or “be completed,” not “be able to.” The pattern -たら presents a condition or time: “when/if ….” Thus 準備ができたら means “when it is ready” in the fixed translation. Example: 仕事が終わったら、帰ります。 — “When the work is finished, I will go home.” 私に consists of 私 (“I/me”) plus に, which marks the recipient or destination of sending. With the fixed translation, it means “to me.” Example: 私に知らせてください。 — “Please let me know.” 送ってください uses the verb 送る (“send”) in its て-form, 送って, followed by ください. This is a polite request meaning “please send.” The て-form request pattern is reusable: 見てください means “please look,” and 待ってください means “please wait.” Together, ファイルの準備ができたら gives the time condition “when the file is ready,” 私に identifies the recipient, and 送ってください makes the request. The whole utterance therefore means: “Please send me the file when it is ready.”

4. 最後のページを終えたところです。

   I just finished the last page.

   最後の

   last; final

   ページ

   page

   終えた

   finished

   ところです

   be at the point/state

   More detail

   最後の means “last” or “final” here. 最後 is a noun meaning “the end” or “last,” and の links it to a following noun: 最後のページ = “the last page.” This does not by itself state a numeric count; it identifies the page as final in the relevant sequence. ページ is the loanword “page.” In 最後のページ, it is the noun modified by 最後の. 終えた is the past form of the transitive verb 終える, “to finish” or “to complete.” Its subject is the person who completed the page, understood here as “I” from the fixed translation. The past form 終えた presents the finishing as completed. A reusable pattern is Nを終える = “finish N.” For example, 仕事を終えました。 means “I finished the work.” ところです literally uses ところ (“point” or “stage”) with polite です. After a plain past verb form, V-たところです presents an action as having just been completed. Thus 終えたところです means “have just finished,” rather than merely stating a past event. The polite ending makes the statement suitable for a polite conversation. Together, 最後のページを終えたところです。 means “I just finished the last page.” 最後のページ is the object marked by を, 終えた says that it was completed, and ところです adds the sense that the completion has just occurred.

5. 会議が始まる前に必要です。

   I need it before the meeting starts.

   会議

   meeting

   始まる

   start; begin

   前に

   before

   必要です

   is needed; is necessary

   More detail

   会議 means “meeting.” It is a noun and can be used in compounds or with particles, for example: 会議があります。 — “There is a meeting.” 始まる means “to start” or “to begin.” This is the dictionary form of the intransitive verb; it describes the meeting beginning, rather than someone starting it. A useful contrast is 始める, “to start something,” which is transitive. Example: 会議が始まります。 — “The meeting will begin.” 前に means “before.” Here, 前 is followed by the particle に to mark the earlier time relative to the event in the following clause. The reusable pattern is V-る前に, meaning “before doing V” or “before V happens.” Example: 寝る前に本を読みます。 — “I read a book before going to bed.” 必要です means “is needed” or “is necessary.” 必要 is a noun and also functions as a na-adjective; です makes the expression polite. The form 必要です does not itself mark the person who needs something or the specific thing needed. Those details can be supplied by context. Example: 予約が必要です。 — “A reservation is necessary.” Together, 会議が始まる前に means “before the meeting starts”: 会議 is the subject of 始まる, and the whole clause is marked as the time before which something is necessary. 必要です then states that the intended item is needed. In the fixed translation, the omitted experiencer is understood as “I,” and the omitted needed item as “it,” giving “I need it before the meeting starts.”

6. 今、新しいファイルを添付しています。

   I am attaching the new file now.

   今

   now

   新しい

   new

   ファイル

   file

   添付しています

   am attaching

   More detail

   今 means “now” here and places the action at the present time. It can also be placed elsewhere in a Japanese sentence when the intended time reference remains clear. 新しい means “new” and directly modifies the following noun: 新しいファイル = “the new file.” It is an i-adjective; its attributive form is 新しい, while a past form is 新しかった (“was new”). Example: 新しい文書を作ります。 — “I will create a new document.” ファイル is the noun “file,” written in katakana as a loanword. The particle を, which follows it in the sentence, marks it as the object of the action. Example: 画像ファイルを開きます。 — “I open the image file.” 添付しています expresses that the speaker is attaching the file now. Its dictionary form is 添付する (“to attach”); 添付して is its て-form, and います after that form presents the action as ongoing in this context. The subject is not stated overtly, but the fixed translation identifies the actor as “I.” Example: 写真を添付しています。 — “I am attaching a photo.” Together, 今 sets the time, 新しいファイルを identifies the object as “the new file,” and 添付しています says that the speaker is currently attaching it. The complete utterance means: “I am attaching the new file now.”

7. すぐに確認します。

   I will check it right away.

   すぐに

   right away

   確認します

   will check

   More detail

   すぐに means “right away” here. It is an adverbial expression: すぐ means “immediately” or “soon,” and に marks how or when the action is carried out. For example, すぐに行きます。 means “I will go right away.” 確認します means “will check” in this sentence. Its dictionary form is 確認する, “to check” or “to confirm.” します is the polite nonpast form of する; with a context about a forthcoming action, Japanese nonpast describes a future action, so 確認します is naturally translated “I will check.” The subject is not stated in Japanese, but the fixed translation identifies it as “I.” The object is also understood from the surrounding context as the item being checked. For example, 内容を確認します。 means “I will check the contents.” Together, すぐに says that the action will happen without delay, and 確認します says that the speaker will check the relevant item. The complete utterance therefore means “I will check it right away.”

8. 今、あなたの受信トレイにあるはずです。

   It should be in your inbox now.

   今

   now

   あなたの

   your

   受信トレイ

   inbox

   あるはずです

   should be

   More detail

   今 means “now” here and sets the time of the situation. It commonly works as a time adverb without changing form. Example: 今、忙しいです。 — “I’m busy now.” あなたの combines あなた (“you”) with の, which links a possessor or other relationship to the following noun. Thus, あなたの受信トレイ means “your inbox.” The form あなたの does not itself indicate whether the relationship is ownership, responsibility, or association; the noun and context determine the natural English wording. 受信トレイ is the noun “inbox,” a place for received messages. It is a loanword written in katakana. In this sentence, the location is marked by に: 受信トレイに means “in the inbox” or “at the inbox.” あるはずです is a polite expectation pattern. ある is the non-past form of ある, used here for the existence or location of a non-living thing. For people and animals, Japanese generally uses いる instead; for example, 彼は部屋にいるはずです。 means “He should be in the room.” はず expresses that something is expected from the available information, while です gives the expression a polite ending. Therefore, あるはずです means “should be there” or “is expected to be there,” rather than asserting absolute certainty. The chunks combine as 今 (“now”) + あなたの受信トレイに (“in your inbox”) + あるはずです (“should be there”). The subject is omitted in Japanese; with the fixed translation and the preceding context, it is the item being checked. The whole utterance means: “It should be in your inbox now.”