About This Lesson
Use Asking What a Product Warranty Covers to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
この小さいスピーカーを買おうと思っています。
KOH-noh chee-SAI soo-PEE-kah oh kah-OH toh oh-MOHT-teh ee-MAHS. I'm thinking about buying this small speaker.
B
お決めになる前に、保証について説明できます。
oh-kee-MEH nee nah-ROO MAH-eh nee, hoh-SHOO nee tsoo-EE-teh seh-TSOO-meh dee-KEH-mahs. I can explain the warranty before you decide.
A
保証では何が対象ですか。
hoh-SHOO deh-WAH, NAH-nee gah TAI-shoh deh-SU-kah? What does the warranty cover?
B
通常の使用中の製品の故障が対象です。
tsoo-JOH-noh shee-YOH-CHOO-noh say-HIN-noh KOH-shoh-gah TAI-shoh deh-SU. It covers product faults during normal use.
A
誤って壊した場合はどうですか。
ah-yah-MAHT-teh koh-WAH-shee-tah bah-AI wah DOH deh-SU-kah? What about accidental damage?
B
それは保証の対象外です。
soh-REH-wah hoh-SHOO-noh TAI-shoh-GAI deh-SU. That would not be included.
A
動かなくなったら、どこへ行けばいいですか。
oo-goh-KAH-nah-koo nah-TAH-rah, doh-KOH-eh ee-KEH-bah EE deh-SU-kah? Where should I go if it stops working?
B
レシートと箱をサービスカウンターに持ってきてください。
reh-SHEE-toh toh HAH-koh oh SAH-bee-soo KAH-oon-tah nee MOHT-teh KEE-teh koo-DAH-sai. Bring the receipt and the box to customer service.
B
担当者が確認します。
tan-TOH-shah gah kah-koo-NIN shee-MAHS. They can check it.Word by Word
この
この means this and points to the small speaker near or relevant to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun スピーカー, as in このスピーカー. A customer can use この when identifying a nearby product in a shop.
小さい
小さい means small and describes the speaker’s size here. It comes before スピーカー in 小さいスピーカー. Use it when describing a small object or item.
スピーカー
スピーカー means speaker, the product being considered for purchase. In this dialogue it appears in この小さいスピーカー. You can use it when asking about or comparing audio products in a shop.
を
を marks この小さいスピーカー as the object of 買おう. The pattern is [object]を買う, meaning buy [object]. Use を after the thing that an action directly affects.
買おう
買おう means that the speaker intends to buy or is considering buying the speaker. It is the volitional form of 買う and appears in 買おうと思っています. A customer can use this form when expressing an intention or tentative decision.
と
と marks 買おう as the thought or intention held in 買おうと思っています. The pattern [volitional form]と思う expresses thinking or intending to do something. Use it to describe what you are considering doing.
思って
思って means thinking in the ongoing expression 買おうと思っています. The citation form is 思う, and 思って connects this thought to います in the dialogue. Use [volitional form]と思っています for an intention that is currently in your mind.
います
います completes 思っています and shows that the thought or intention is continuing. In this dialogue, 思っています presents buying the speaker as the customer’s current intention. This polite ending is useful when describing an ongoing state or thought.
お決めになる
お決めになる is a respectful way to refer to the other person’s deciding in お決めになる前に. お決め presents the action respectfully, に links that action to なる, and なる completes the honorific expression. The whole form is used politely when speaking to a customer or another person whose action is being respected.
前
前 means before in お決めになる前に, referring to the time before the customer decides. It follows an action or event when used in this time expression. Use it to say that something happens before another action.
に
に marks the time point in お決めになる前に, meaning before deciding. In this expression, 前に connects the earlier time to the action that follows. Use [action]前に when saying before doing something.
保証
保証 means warranty in this shop conversation. It refers to the store’s or product’s coverage, as in 保証について説明できます. Use it when asking what support or coverage a product has after purchase.
について
について means about or concerning in 保証について説明できます. に and ついて together identify 保証 as the topic of the explanation. The reusable pattern is [topic]について説明する, meaning explain about [topic].
説明
説明 means an explanation, and in 説明できます it refers to explaining the warranty. It names the information the staff member can provide. Use it with a topic in [topic]について説明する when giving information.
できます
できます means can or be able to in 説明できます. It shows that the staff member is able to explain the warranty. Use it after an action or service to say that someone can do it.
では
では means as for or under the conditions of in 保証では何が対象ですか. Here it sets the warranty as the area in which the customer is asking what is covered. The pattern [topic]では can introduce what applies in a particular context.
何
何 means what in 保証では何が対象ですか. It asks which item or situation is covered by the warranty. Use it when asking for an unspecified item or information.
が
が marks 何 as the item that is 対象 in 何が対象ですか. The question asks which thing qualifies as covered. Use が to identify the subject or item being asked about in this pattern.
対象
対象 means the item or situation covered or applicable under the warranty. In 何が対象ですか, it asks what qualifies for coverage. Use it when discussing what a rule, service, or warranty applies to.
です
です makes 対象です a polite statement meaning is covered or is applicable in this dialogue. It gives the question a polite sentence ending before か. Use it for polite statements and questions about what something is.
か
か marks 対象ですか as a question. Here it turns the polite statement into a request for information about warranty coverage. Place it at the end of a polite question.
通常
通常 means normal or ordinary in 通常の使用中. It limits the warranty coverage to ordinary use. It commonly comes before の when describing normal conditions or situations.
の
の links 通常 to 使用中 in 通常の使用中, meaning use under normal conditions. It connects one noun or noun-like expression to another. Use it to describe the relationship between two nouns.
使用中
使用中 means during use or while being used in 通常の使用中. It identifies the period when the product is being used. Use it after a noun such as 通常の to describe a state or period of use.
製品
製品 means product, referring here to the speaker as a manufactured item. It appears in 製品の故障, meaning a product fault or breakdown. Use it when discussing a product in a formal or shop-related context.
故障
故障 means a fault or breakdown in 製品の故障. It describes a problem that occurs during normal use and is covered by the warranty here. Use it when a device or product stops working because of a fault.
誤って
誤って means accidentally or by mistake in 誤って壊した場合. It shows that the damage was not intentional. Use it before an action when explaining that something happened by mistake.
壊した
壊した means broke or damaged in 誤って壊した場合. It describes the customer causing damage accidentally. The citation form is 壊す, and 壊した is the form used for the completed damage in this conditional expression.
場合
場合 means case or situation in 誤って壊した場合はどうですか. It turns the preceding event into the situation being asked about: the case where it was accidentally damaged. Use [condition or event]場合 when discussing what applies in a particular case.
は
は marks 誤って壊した場合 as the topic in 誤って壊した場合はどうですか. The question asks what applies in that particular situation. Use は to highlight the case or topic you want to ask about.
どう
どう means how or what about in 誤って壊した場合はどうですか. Here it asks what the warranty position is regarding accidental damage. Use どうですか when asking how a situation is treated or what applies.
それ
それ means that or it and points back to the accidental damage just mentioned. In それは保証の対象外です, it refers to that situation as the topic. Use it to refer to something already mentioned or understood.
対象外
対象外 means not covered or excluded in 保証の対象外です. It says that the accidental damage falls outside the warranty coverage. Use it when a rule, service, or warranty does not apply to an item or situation.
動かなく
動かなく contributes not working in 動かなくなったら. It describes the speaker reaching a state in which it no longer operates. Use it before なったら when describing something becoming unable to operate.
なったら
なったら means if or when it becomes in 動かなくなったら. Together with 動かなく, it means if the speaker stops working. Use [state]なったら to describe what to do after something enters that state.
どこ
どこ means where in どこへ行けばいいですか. It asks for the location the customer should go to for help. Use it when asking about a destination or place.
へ
へ marks the destination in どこへ行けばいいですか. It shows the direction of going toward the place that will be identified as the answer. Use it after a place when describing movement toward that destination.
行けば
行けば means if I go or should go in どこへ行けばいいですか. The expression 行けばいいですか asks what destination or action is appropriate. Use it when asking where you should go or what you should do.
いい
いい means appropriate or suitable in 行けばいいですか, rather than simply good. With 行けば, it forms a question about the recommended action or destination. Use [action]ばいいですか to ask what you should do.
レシート
レシート means receipt, which the customer should bring for the staff to check the product. It appears alongside 箱 in レシートと箱. Use it when discussing proof of purchase in a shop.
箱
箱 means box, referring to the product’s box that should be brought to customer service. It is joined with レシート by と in レシートと箱. Use it for a container made for holding or storing an item.
サービスカウンター
サービスカウンター means customer service counter, the destination for bringing the receipt and box. It appears in サービスカウンターに持ってきてください. Use it when directing a customer to the place where staff handle questions or product support.
持ってきて
持ってきて means bring in 持ってきてください. 持って expresses carrying the item, and きて expresses coming toward the relevant place; together they mean bring it here or to that counter. Use it before ください when politely asking someone to bring something.
ください
ください makes 持ってきてください a polite request meaning please bring them. It follows the て-form 持ってきて. Use [て-form]ください to ask someone politely to do an action.
担当者
担当者 means the person in charge in 担当者が確認します. Here it refers to the staff member who handles the product check. Use it when identifying the staff member responsible for a matter.
確認
確認 means checking or confirming in 担当者が確認します. It refers to the staff examining the product or situation. Use it with する in [担当者]が確認する when saying that someone will check something.
します
します means will do or does in 担当者が確認します. Together with 確認, it politely says that the person in charge will check it. The citation form is する, and します is the polite form used here.
Grammar Points
動詞辞書形＋前に
お決めになる前に、説明できます。
oh-kee-MEH nee nah-ROO MAH-eh nee, seh-TSOO-meh dee-KEH-mahs.Before you decide, I can explain it.
前に means “before.” The action before 前に happens first; お決めになる is a polite honorific form.
～たら（条件）
動かなくなったら、サービスカウンターへ持ってきてください。
oo-goh-KAH-nah-koo nah-TAH-rah, SAH-bee-soo KAH-oon-tah eh MOHT-teh KEE-teh koo-DAH-sai.If it stops working, please bring it to the service counter.
たら expresses a condition: “if” or “when.” The action in the second part follows that condition.
Japanese Vocabulary
お決めになる前に
phrase
oh-kee-MEH nee nah-ROO MAH-eh nee
before you decide
この
det
KOH-noh
this
この小さいスピーカー
スピーカー
noun
soo-PEE-kah
speaker
と思っています
phrase
toh oh-MOHT-teh ee-MAHS
am thinking; intend
買おうと思っています
何
pron
NAH-nee
what
使用
noun
shee-YOH
use
小さい
adj
chee-SAI
small
この小さいスピーカー
説明できます
verb
seh-TSOO-meh dee-KEH-mahs
can explain
対象
noun
TAI-shoh
covered item; eligible item
通常
noun
tsoo-JOH
normal; usual
通常の使用中
買おう
verb
kah-OH
will buy; intend to buy
買おうと思っています
保証
noun
hoh-SHOO
warranty
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
before you decide
Show Answer
お決めになる前にam thinking; intend
Show Answer
と思っていますcan explain
Show Answer
説明できますspeaker