Reporting a Hotel Room Air Conditioner Problem | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At a hotel reception desk, a guest reports that the room air conditioner is not working and asks about a repair..

EN → JA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Reporting a Hotel Room Air Conditioner Problem to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

部屋のエアコンが動きません。

heh-YAH noh eh-ah-KOHN gah oo-goh-kee-mah-SEN The air conditioner in my room is not working.
B

申し訳ありません。

moh-shee-WAH-keh ah-ree-mah-SEN I am sorry about that.
B

リモコンを使ってみましたか。

ree-moh-KOHN oh tsoo-KAHT-teh mee-mah-SHIH-tah kah Have you tried the remote?
A

試しました。

tah-meh-shee-MAH-shee-tah I tried it.
A

温度が変わりません。

OHN-doh gah kah-wah-ree-mah-SEN The temperature does not change.
B

誰かに見に行ってもらいます。

dah-reh-KAH nee mee-nee EET-teh moh-rah-ee-MAHS I will send someone to check it.
A

修理にはどのくらいかかりそうですか。

shoo-REE nee-wah doh-noh koo-RAI kah-kah-ree-SOH dess kah How long might the repair take?
B

よく分かりません。

yoh-koo wah-kah-ree-mah-SEN I am not sure.
B

すぐに誰かが来られます。

soo-goo-nee dah-reh-KAH gah koh-rah-reh-MAHS Someone can come shortly.
A

部屋で待ちます。

heh-YAH deh mah-chee-MAHS I will wait in the room.
B

問題が続く場合はお知らせください。

MOHN-dai gah tsoo-ZOO-koo bah-AH-ee wah oh-shee-RAH-seh koo-dah-SAI Please let us know if the problem continues.

Word by Word

部屋 部屋 means “room” here, referring to the guest’s hotel room in 部屋のエアコン. It commonly identifies a place or room before の or another location expression.
の の links 部屋 and エアコン, showing that the air conditioner is associated with or located in the room. The pattern XのY connects Y with X, such as ownership, belonging, or location.
エアコン エアコン means “air conditioner,” the appliance that is not operating in this dialogue. It can be used as the subject or object when discussing an air conditioner.
が が marks エアコン as the thing whose condition is being described in 部屋のエアコンが動きません. It commonly marks the subject of a state, change, or ability.
動きません 動きません means that the air conditioner does not operate or work here. It is the polite negative form of 動く and is useful for reporting that a machine or device is not functioning.
申し訳ありません 申し訳ありません is a polite apology meaning “I am sorry about that.” The full expression conveys an apology; 申し訳 relates to having an excuse or justification, while ありません expresses that there is none. Use this expression when apologizing politely for trouble or inconvenience.
リモコン リモコン means “remote control,” the device the guest is asked to try in リモコンを使ってみましたか. It can be used with を when describing using the remote.
を を marks リモコン as the direct object of 使って in リモコンを使ってみましたか. It commonly follows the thing that someone uses, checks, or performs an action on.
使って 使って means “using” in リモコンを使ってみましたか. It is the て-form of 使う and connects the action of using the remote to みました. The pattern Vてみる expresses trying an action.
みました みました means “tried doing” in リモコンを使ってみましたか, rather than simply meaning “saw.” It follows 使って to ask whether the guest tried using the remote. Vてみる is a reusable pattern for trying an action.
か か turns リモコンを使ってみましたか into a question. It is placed at the end of a polite question to ask whether something happened or is true.
試しました 試しました means “tried” here, referring to trying the remote. It is the polite form of 試す and can be used with を to name what was tried.
温度 温度 means “temperature,” which is the thing that does not change in 温度が変わりません. It is useful when discussing the temperature of a room, device, or other setting.
変わりません 変わりません means “does not change” here, describing the unchanged temperature. It is the polite negative form of 変わる and can describe a setting or condition that remains unchanged.
誰か 誰か means “someone,” referring to an unspecified person who will go to check the air conditioner or come shortly. It is used when the exact person is not identified.
に に marks the person involved in 誰かに見に行ってもらいます. Here it identifies the person who will carry out the action for the speaker. In the pattern XにVてもらう, X is the person whose action the speaker arranges or receives.
見 見 means “look” or “check” in 見に行ってもらいます, expressing the purpose of going. It is the form of 見る used before に in the purpose pattern Vます-stemに行く.
行って 行って means “go” in 見に行ってもらいます. It is the て-form of 行く and connects going with the following もらいます. The て-form commonly links consecutive actions or an action with a related construction.
もらいます もらいます expresses that the speaker will have someone perform an action for them in 誰かに見に行ってもらいます. Together with に and a て-form, it describes arranging for another person to do something. The pattern XにVてもらう is useful when someone does an action at the speaker’s request or for the speaker’s benefit.
修理 修理 means “repair,” referring to fixing the air conditioner in 修理にはどのくらいかかりそうですか. It can be used to discuss the work needed to fix a device or problem.
は は marks 修理 as the topic in 修理にはどのくらいかかりそうですか. It sets the repair as the subject being asked about, especially its expected duration.
どの どの contributes to the question どのくらい, which asks how much or how long. Here it helps ask for the expected amount of time needed for the repair.
くらい くらい in どのくらい asks about the degree or amount, here meaning how long the repair may take. The pattern どのくらい can be used to ask about duration, quantity, or extent.
かかりそう かかりそう expresses that the repair seems likely to take a certain amount of time in 修理にはどのくらいかかりそうですか. It presents an estimate or expected duration rather than a confirmed length. It is useful when asking how much time or money something is likely to require.
です です makes the estimate in かかりそうですか polite. In this question, it gives the preceding expression a polite sentence ending before か.
よく よく means “well” or “clearly” in よく分かりません. With the negative expression, it conveys that the speaker does not know or understand clearly, which is a polite way to say they are not sure.
分かりません 分かりません means “do not know” or “do not understand” here. It is the polite negative form of 分かる and, in よく分かりません, indicates that the speaker cannot give a definite answer. It is useful when information or an explanation is unclear.
すぐ すぐ means “soon” or “right away” in すぐに誰かが来られます. It indicates that the person can come after only a short time. It is commonly used with に when describing an action that will happen shortly.
来られます 来られます means “can come” here, referring to someone being available to come shortly. In this dialogue it expresses ability or availability to come, not merely the action of coming. It can be used after a person or group to say that they are able to come.
で で marks 部屋 as the place where the waiting action happens in 部屋で待ちます. It commonly identifies the location in which an action takes place.
待ちます 待ちます means “will wait” here, describing the guest’s plan to remain in the room. It is the polite form of 待つ and can be used with a place marked by で.
問題 問題 means “problem,” referring to the air conditioner problem in 問題が続く場合はお知らせください. It is a general word for an issue that needs attention or may continue.
続く 続く means “continue” in 問題が続く場合はお知らせください. It is the plain form used before 場合 to describe the condition that the problem continues. The pattern Xが続く describes an issue, activity, or condition continuing.
場合 場合 means “case” or “situation” in 問題が続く場合は, giving the condition “if the problem continues.” The pattern X場合は frames what to do when a particular situation occurs.
お知らせ お知らせ refers to letting someone know or giving notice in お知らせください. In this dialogue, it supplies the action the guest should take if the problem continues. Together with ください, it forms a polite request to notify the hotel.
ください ください makes お知らせください a polite request meaning “please let us know.” It follows お知らせ here to ask the listener to provide information or notice. It is useful at the end of a courteous request.

Grammar Points

お〜ください

お知らせください

oh-shee-RAH-seh koo-dah-SAI

Please let me know.

This is a polite request pattern. お〜ください is used when asking someone respectfully to do something.

〜そうですか

かかりそうですか

kah-kah-ree-SOH dess kah

Does it look like it will take time?

〜そうですか asks whether something appears likely to happen or be true.

Japanese Vocabulary

エアコン noun
eh-ah-KOHN air conditioner
リモコン noun
ree-moh-KOHN remote control
温度 noun
OHN-doh temperature
見に行く phrase
mee-nee EE-koo to go and check 見に行って
使う verb
tsoo-KAH-oo to use 使って
試す verb
tah-MEH-soo to try 試しました
修理 noun
shoo-REE repair
申し訳ありません phrase
moh-shee-WAH-keh ah-ree-mah-SEN I am sorry
誰か pron
dah-reh-KAH someone
動く verb
oo-GOH-koo to work; to operate 動きません
部屋 noun
heh-YAH room
変わる verb
kah-WAH-roo to change 変わりません

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to work; to operate

Show Answer動きません

remote control

Show Answerリモコン

to change

Show Answer変わりません

to try

Show Answer試しました