Apologizing for a Damaged Borrowed Tool | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared space, one adult apologizes for damaging a borrowed tool and discusses whether to repair or replace it..

EN → JA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Apologizing for a Damaged Borrowed Tool to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

借りた道具のことで、謝らないといけません。

kah-REE-tah doh-GOO noh koh-TOH deh, ah-yah-mah-NAI toh ee-keh-mah-SEN. I need to apologize for what happened to the tool I borrowed.
B

それに何があったんですか。

soh-REH nee NAHN-gah AH-tahn dehs-kah? What happened to it?
A

使っている間に、取っ手にひびが入りました。

tsoo-KAHT-teh ee-ROO eye-DAH nee, TOHT-teh nee hee-BEE gah hah-ee-ree-mah-SHEE-tah. The handle cracked while I was using it.
B

どのくらい壊れているか、見てみます。

doh-noh koo-RAI koh-WAH-reh-teh ee-ROO kah, mee-teh mee-MAHS. Let me see how bad the damage is.
A

それを交換するか、修理を手伝えます。

soh-REH oh koh-KAHN soo-ROO kah, SHOO-REE oh teh-tsuh-dah-eh-MAHS. I can replace it or help repair it.
B

修理が長くもつか、確認したほうがいいです。

SHOO-REE gah NAH-gah-koo MOHT-soo kah, kah-koo-NEEN shee-tah HOH gah EE dehs. We should check whether a repair will hold.
A

余計な仕事を増やして、すみません。

yoh-KAY nah shee-GOH-toh oh foo-YAH-shee-teh, soo-mee-mah-SEN. I am sorry for causing extra work.
B

次はすぐに教えてください。

TSOO-ghee wah soo-GOO nee oh-SHEH-teh koo-dah-SAI. Tell me right away next time.
B

私たちで何とかできます。

wah-tah-shee-TAH-chee deh nahn-TOH-kah deh-kee-MAHS. We can sort it out.

Word by Word

借りた 借りた means “borrowed” in 借りた道具, describing the tool that was borrowed. It is a form of 借りる used before a noun. A reusable pattern is 借りたN, meaning “a borrowed N.”
道具 道具 means “tool” in 借りた道具. It refers to an object used for a practical task, and here it is the item that was damaged. It can be used in patterns such as 道具を使う, “use a tool.”
の の connects 道具 to こと in 道具のこと, making the meaning “the matter concerning the tool.” It links one noun to another when explaining what something is about. A reusable pattern is Nのこと, “the matter concerning N.”
こと こと means “matter” or “thing” in 道具のこと, referring to the issue concerning the borrowed tool. Together with の and で, it identifies what the apology is about. A reusable pattern is Nのことで話す, “talk about the matter of N.”
で で marks the matter connected with the apology in 道具のことで. It helps express that the apology concerns the tool-related issue. A reusable pattern is Nのことで謝る, “apologize about N.”
謝らないといけません 謝らないといけません means “must apologize” in this dialogue. In this pattern, 謝らない contributes “not apologize,” と links that condition, and いけません says that leaving it undone is not acceptable. A reusable pattern is Vないといけません, “must do V.”
それ それ means “it” or “that” in それに何があったんですか, referring to the borrowed tool. It points to something already understood from the conversation. A reusable pattern is それはNです, “that is N.”
に に identifies the item involved in what happened in それに何があったんですか. Here, it points to the tool as the thing affected by the event. A reusable pattern is Nに何があったんですか, “what happened to N?”
何 何 means “what” in 何があったんですか. It asks what event or thing occurred. It commonly appears before が when asking what happened or what exists.
が が marks 何 as the subject in 何があったんですか. It shows that “what” is the thing being asked about as the event that occurred. A reusable pattern is 何がNですか, asking what the relevant subject or item is.
あった あった is the form of ある used in 何があったんですか, where it means “happened” or “occurred.” Together with 何が, it asks about an event that took place. A reusable pattern is 何があった, “what happened.”
んですか んですか turns 何があった into an explanatory question asking for an account of what happened. In this expression, ん represents the explanatory の, です makes the wording polite, and か marks the question. A reusable pattern is Vんですか, “is it that V?” or “did V happen?”
使って 使って is the form of 使う used in 使っている間に, meaning “using.” It links the action of using the tool to いる to describe the ongoing activity. A reusable pattern is Vている, “be doing V.”
いる いる in 使っている indicates that the action of using the tool was ongoing. It follows 使って and helps form the expression “while using it.” A reusable pattern is Vている for an ongoing action or state.
間 間 means “while” or “during” in 使っている間に. It refers to the period during which the use continued, and the event happened within that period. A reusable pattern is Vている間に, “while V-ing.”
取っ手 取っ手 means “handle” in 取っ手にひびが入りました. It names the part of the tool where the crack formed. It can be used in a pattern such as 取っ手を持つ, “hold the handle.”
ひび ひび means “crack” in ひびが入りました. It refers to the damage that formed in the handle. A reusable pattern is Nにひびが入る, “a crack forms in N.”
入りました 入りました means “formed” in ひびが入りました. With ひびが, the expression describes a crack appearing in the handle rather than simply something entering. A reusable pattern is Nにひびが入りました, “a crack formed in N.”
どの どの helps ask about the degree or extent in どのくらい壊れているか. It works with くらい to ask “how much” or “to what extent.” A reusable pattern is どのくらいN, asking how much or how great N is.
くらい くらい indicates an amount or degree in どのくらい壊れているか. Here, it asks how badly the item is damaged. A reusable pattern is どのくらい + description, “how much” or “how badly.”
壊れて 壊れて is the form of 壊れる used in 壊れている, meaning “being broken” or “damaged.” It links with いる to describe the condition of the tool. A reusable pattern is 壊れている, “be broken.”
か か turns 壊れている into the embedded question in どのくらい壊れているか. It marks the information that the speaker wants to find out. A reusable pattern is Vか確認する, “check whether V” or “check what V is like.”
見て 見て is the form of 見る used in 見てみます, meaning “look” or “see.” It links to みます and presents looking as something the speaker will try. A reusable pattern is Vてみます, “try doing V.”
みます みます in 見てみます adds the meaning “try doing” to 見て. The whole expression means “I will try looking” or “let me see.” A reusable pattern is Vてみます, used when attempting an action.
を を marks それ as the object of 交換する in それを交換するか. It shows which item the action is directed toward. A reusable pattern is NをV, with N as the object of V.
交換する 交換する means “replace” or “exchange” in それを交換するか. Here, it refers to replacing the damaged item. A reusable pattern is Nを交換する, “replace or exchange N.”
修理 修理 means “repair” as a task in 修理を手伝えます. It identifies the work that the speaker can help with. A reusable pattern is 修理をする, “do a repair.”
手伝えます 手伝えます means “can help” in 修理を手伝えます. The repair is the task that the speaker is able to assist with. A reusable pattern is Nを手伝えます, “can help with N.”
長く 長く means “for a long time” in 長くもつ. It describes how long the repair may continue to hold. A reusable pattern is 長くV, “V for a long time.”
もつ もつ means “last” or “hold up” in 長くもつ. With 長く, it asks whether the repair will continue to be effective for a long time. A reusable pattern is Nが長くもつ, “N lasts a long time.”
確認したほうがいいです 確認したほうがいいです means “should check.” In this recommendation pattern, 確認した is the action being recommended, ほうがいい expresses that it is the better choice, が marks the recommended option within the pattern, and です makes the statement polite. A reusable pattern is Vたほうがいいです, “should do V.”
余計な 余計な means “extra” or “unnecessary” in 余計な仕事. It describes work added beyond what was already needed. A reusable pattern is 余計なN, “extra or unnecessary N.”
仕事 仕事 means “work” or “task” in 余計な仕事. Here, it refers to the additional work caused by the damaged tool. A reusable pattern is 仕事をする, “do work.”
増やして 増やして is the form of 増やす meaning “increasing” or “causing more.” In 仕事を増やして、すみません, it connects causing extra work with the apology. A reusable pattern is Nを増やす, “increase or add more N.”
すみません すみません means “I’m sorry” here, apologizing for causing extra work. In 仕事を増やして、すみません, the action before it gives the reason for the apology. A reusable pattern is Vて、すみません, “I’m sorry for V-ing.”
次 次 means “next” in 次は, referring to the next time or occasion. It sets up advice about what should happen on a future occasion. A reusable pattern is 次はV, “next time, V.”
は は marks 次 as the topic in 次はすぐに教えてください. It means “as for next time” and frames the request that follows. A reusable pattern is NはV, “as for N, V.”
すぐに すぐに means “right away” in すぐに教えてください. It tells the listener to report the problem without delay. A reusable pattern is すぐにV, “do V immediately.”
教えて 教えて is the form of 教える used in 教えてください, meaning “tell” or “inform.” Together with ください, it makes a polite request to provide information. A reusable pattern is Vてください, “please do V.”
ください ください means “please” in 教えてください. After 教えて, it turns the expression into a polite request to tell or inform the speaker. A reusable pattern is Vてください, “please do V.”
私たち 私たち means “we” or “us” in 私たちで何とかできます. It refers to the people involved in dealing with the damaged tool. A reusable pattern is 私たちはV, “we V.”
何とか 何とか means “somehow” or “in some way” in 何とかできます. It shows that the speakers expect to manage the problem despite the damage. A reusable pattern is 何とかできます, “can somehow manage it.”
できます できます means “can do” or “can manage” in 私たちで何とかできます. With 何とか, it says that handling the problem is possible. A reusable pattern is 何とかできます, “can somehow manage it.”

Grammar Points

〜ないといけません

謝らないといけません

ah-yah-mah-NAI toh ee-keh-mah-SEN

I have to apologize.

This pattern expresses an obligation or something that must be done.

〜たほうがいいです

確認したほうがいいです

kah-koo-NEEN shee-tah HOH gah EE dehs

You should check.

This pattern gives advice: it is better to do something.

Japanese Vocabulary

ひびが入る phrase
hee-BEE gah hah-ee-ROO crack; develop a crack ひびが入りました
何があったんですか phrase
NAHN-gah AH-tahn dehs-kah What happened?
壊れる verb
koh-WAH-reh-roo break; be damaged 壊れている
確認する verb
kah-koo-NEEN soo-ROO check; confirm 確認したほうがいいです
間に phrase
EYE-dah nee while; during
交換する verb
koh-KAHN soo-ROO replace; exchange
使う verb
tsoo-KOO use 使っている
謝る verb
ah-YAH-mah-roo apologize 謝らないといけません
借りる verb
kah-REE-roo borrow 借りた
取っ手 noun
TOHT-teh handle
修理する verb
SHOO-REE soo-ROO repair 修理を
道具 noun
doh-GOO tool

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

crack; develop a crack

Show Answerひびが入りました

use

Show Answer使っている

break; be damaged

Show Answer壊れている

What happened?

Show Answer何があったんですか