Renegotiating a Deadline with Clear Priorities | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 締め切りは明日ですが、今朝プロジェクトの範囲が広がりました。

   The deadline is tomorrow, but the project scope expanded this morning.

   締め切り

   deadline

   明日

   tomorrow

   ですが

   but

   今朝

   this morning

   プロジェクト

   project

   範囲

   scope

   広がりました

   expanded

   More detail

   締め切り means “deadline” here. It is a noun used for a time limit. A reusable pattern is N は 締め切りです (“N is the deadline”). 明日 means “tomorrow,” the day after the day of speaking. In 締め切りは明日, it is the time identified as the deadline; は marks 締め切り as the topic. ですが connects this clause to a contrasting statement. In this sentence, です gives the preceding identification a polite form, and が has the connective meaning “but,” rather than the subject-marking meaning it can have elsewhere. The pattern A ですが、B means “A, but B.” 今朝 means “this morning,” the morning of the current day. It functions as a time expression in 今朝 ... 広がりました. プロジェクト means “project.” It is a noun written in katakana and can be followed by particles such as の to form a relationship with another noun. 範囲 means “scope” or “range.” In プロジェクトの範囲, の links the nouns: the scope of the project. The phrase identifies what expanded, without stating who or what caused the expansion. 広がりました means “expanded” here. Its base form is the intransitive verb 広がる (“to expand,” “to become wider”). ました marks a polite past, affirmative form. The related transitive verb 広げる means “to expand something” and would require an indicated object; 広がりました instead presents the scope as becoming broader, with no agent specified. Together, 締め切りは明日ですが says “the deadline is tomorrow, but,” and 今朝プロジェクトの範囲が広がりました says “the project scope expanded this morning.” The whole utterance is therefore: “The deadline is tomorrow, but the project scope expanded this morning.”

2. クライアントはどの部分を最初に必要としていますか。

   Which part does the client need first?

   クライアント

   client

   どの

   which

   部分

   part

   最初に

   first

   必要としています

   needs

   More detail

   クライアント means “client.” It is a loanword used for a customer or organization receiving a service. Example: クライアントに連絡します。 — “I will contact the client.” どの means “which” and is used directly before a noun when selecting one item from an understood set. Here it modifies 部分, so どの部分 means “which part.” Unlike どれ, which can stand alone, どの normally needs a noun after it. Example: どの資料ですか。 — “Which document is it?” 部分 means “part” or “section.” In this sentence, it refers to a portion of the work or project, without specifying which portion. Example: この部分を確認してください。 — “Please check this part.” 最初に means “first” or “at the beginning.” It is the adverbial form of 最初 (“beginning” or “first”), and it indicates the order in which something is needed. Example: 最初に名前を書きます。 — “I write my name first.” 必要としています expresses “needs” in this sentence. The underlying pattern is 必要とする, literally treating something as necessary; 必要としています presents that need as the current situation. The polite ending is ます, and the ている form here describes an ongoing or current state rather than a single completed event. Example: 彼女は説明を必要としています。 — “She needs an explanation.” The topic marker は presents クライアント as the topic, and どの部分を marks the part that is needed. 最初に specifies that this part is needed first. The question marker か turns the sentence into a question. Together, クライアントはどの部分を最初に必要としていますか。 means “Which part does the client need first?”

3. クライアントはまず概要を必要としていますが、詳しい図表は後でも大丈夫です。

   They need the summary first, but the detailed charts can wait.

   クライアント

   client

   まず

   first

   概要

   summary; overview

   必要としています

   need

   詳しい

   detailed

   図表

   charts; figures

   後でも大丈夫です

   can wait until later

   More detail

   クライアント Here, クライアント means “client.” It is a loanword written in katakana. Japanese commonly marks the topic with は, so クライアントは introduces the client as the topic. The Japanese form itself does not specify whether there is one client or more than one. まず まず means “first” or “to begin with.” It sets the order in which something is needed or done. For example, まず名前を書いてください。 means “First, please write your name.” 概要 概要 means “summary” or “overview.” It is a noun, and 概要を marks it as the object of 必要としています. A useful contrast is 詳細 (“details”), though the fixed sentence does not say that the overview and the details are opposites in every context. 必要としています This is the polite form of 必要とする in the progressive form: 必要とする → 必要としています. In this sentence it means “need,” with 概要 as the thing needed. 必要です is another common way to express that something is necessary, but it has a different structure: 概要が必要です uses 概要 as the subject of “be necessary,” whereas 概要を必要としています presents the client as needing it. The ている part here presents the need as the current situation; it is not necessarily describing a temporary physical action. For example, 追加の情報を必要としています。 means “They need additional information.” 詳しい 詳しい is an い-adjective meaning “detailed” here. Its base form is already 詳しい; before the noun 図表, it appears unchanged: 詳しい図表 means “detailed charts.” The related adjective 細かい can also mean “detailed” in some contexts, but it is not interchangeable in every use. 図表 図表 means “charts,” “figures,” or “diagrams and tables,” depending on context. It is a noun, and 図表は makes it the topic of the second part. The fixed translation identifies these as the detailed materials that can wait; it does not establish a particular number of charts. 後でも大丈夫です This chunk means “even later is okay”: 後で means “later,” も adds the sense “even,” and 大丈夫です means “is okay” or “is fine.” In this context, 後でも大丈夫です naturally means “it can wait until later.” It does not express inability; it says that postponing the item is acceptable. The pattern 〜ても大丈夫です means that doing something, or having something be a certain way, is okay. For example, ここで待っても大丈夫です。 means “It is okay to wait here.” A related but different pattern, Nでも大丈夫です, makes a noun or time an acceptable option; for example, 明日でも大丈夫です。 means “Tomorrow is fine.” In the fixed sentence, 後でも uses this latter type with the time expression 後で, and the polite ending is です. Putting the utterance together クライアントはまず概要を必要としています means “The client needs the summary first.” が connects this with a contrast: 詳しい図表は後でも大丈夫です means “but the detailed charts can wait until later.” Together, the sentence says: “They need the summary first, but the detailed charts can wait.”

4. それなら、優先度の低い部分について短い延長を頼みましょう。

   Then ask for a short extension on the lower-priority sections.

   それなら

   then; in that case

   優先度

   priority

   低い

   low

   部分

   part; section

   について

   about; concerning

   短い

   short

   延長

   extension

   頼みましょう

   let’s ask for

   More detail

   それなら means “then” or “in that case.” それ points to something already established, and なら presents it as the condition or basis for what follows. A reusable pattern is それなら、… = “If that is the situation, …” 優先度 means “priority.” It is a noun used to rank how important or urgent something is. For example, 優先度を上げる means “raise the priority.” 低い means “low.” Here it modifies 優先度 in 優先度の低い部分, meaning “sections whose priority is low.” The adjective’s basic form is 低い; its opposite is 高い (“high”), as in 優先度の高い部分 (“high-priority sections”). 部分 means “part” or “section.” Here it refers to sections of the work, without specifying exactly how many or which ones. について marks the matter being addressed. Aについて話す means “talk about A,” so 部分について means “about the sections.” Together with the preceding modifier, 優先度の低い部分について means “about the lower-priority sections.” 短い means “short.” It modifies 延長, giving 短い延長 = “a short extension.” Its basic form is 短い; its opposite is 長い (“long”), as in 短い休憩 (“a short break”) and 長い休憩 (“a long break”). 延長 means “extension,” especially extra time added to an existing period or deadline. 延長を頼む is a reusable pattern meaning “ask for an extension.” 頼みましょう comes from 頼む, “to ask” or “request.” ましょう is the polite volitional form: it normally proposes that the speaker and listener carry out the action together, so here it means “let’s ask for.” It is not an ordinary command form addressed only to the listener. The requested item is marked by 延長を; that object is not contained inside 頼みましょう itself. Together, それなら links the proposal to the established situation, 優先度の低い部分について identifies the sections concerned, 短い延長を specifies what to request, and 頼みましょう makes a polite proposal to ask for it. The whole utterance means: “Then ask for a short extension on the lower-priority sections.”

5. 自分の時間管理に失敗したように聞こえるのは避けたいです。

   I don't want it to sound like I failed to manage my time.

   自分

   oneself; one’s own self

   時間管理

   time management

   失敗した

   failed

   ように聞こえる

   sound as if

   避けたいです

   want to avoid

   More detail

   自分 means “oneself” or “one’s own,” and here it refers to the speaker’s own time management, as confirmed by the translation. Japanese often omits a pronoun when the context makes the participant clear; 自分 itself does not specify a gender. 時間管理 is “time management.” It is a compound noun: 時間 means “time,” and 管理 means “management” or “control.” The の after it in 自分の時間管理 links this noun phrase to 自分, giving “one’s own time management.” 失敗した means “failed” here. Its base form is 失敗する (“to fail”), and した is its past form. With に, 失敗する can describe failing at or in a task or area: 計画に失敗する means “fail at a plan.” In this sentence, 時間管理に失敗した means “failed at managing time.” ように聞こえる is a reusable pattern meaning “sound as if” or “sound like.” ように presents the content as an appearance or impression, while 聞こえる means “be heard” or “sound.” Example: 彼は怒っているように聞こえる。 — “He sounds angry.” The Japanese subject of the apparent failure is omitted here, but the fixed translation identifies it as “I.” 避けたいです means “want to avoid.” The base verb is 避ける (“avoid”); 避けたい adds たい to express the speaker’s desire to avoid something, and です makes the statement polite. The avoided content is the preceding idea, 自分の時間管理に失敗したように聞こえる. Together, 自分の時間管理に失敗した describes the speaker’s apparent failure at managing their own time. Adding ように聞こえる makes this “sound as if I failed to manage my time,” and 避けたいです expresses the speaker’s wish to avoid that impression. The whole utterance therefore means: “I don’t want it to sound like I failed to manage my time.”

6. 品質と、受け取った新しい情報を中心に伝えてください。

   Frame it around quality and the new information you received.

   品質

   quality

   と

   and

   受け取った

   received

   新しい

   new

   情報

   information

   を中心に

   centered on

   伝えてください

   please communicate

   More detail

   品質 is the noun “quality.” It can be used as a topic or focus: 品質について話す means “talk about quality.” In this sentence, it is one of the two things around which the communication should be organized. と links 品質 with the following noun phrase. Here it has the additive meaning “and,” creating the pair “quality and the new information you received.” 受け取った comes from the transitive verb 受け取る, “to receive” or “to accept.” The ending -った marks a completed past action, and this form is placed before a noun to describe it: 受け取った情報 = “information that [someone] received.” The receiver is understood from the sentence and translation; the form itself does not identify the receiver by a separate pronoun. 新しい is the i-adjective “new.” Its attributive form is the same as its basic form, so it directly modifies 情報: 新しい情報 = “new information.” The adjective describes the information, not 受け取った. 情報 is the noun “information.” The sequence 受け取った新しい情報 means “the new information [that was] received”: 受け取った modifies the noun phrase 新しい情報, while 新しい directly modifies 情報. を中心に marks something as the center or main focus. The pattern Xを中心に can be reused as “with X at the center” or “centered around X.” Here, 品質と、受け取った新しい情報を中心に makes the paired noun phrase the focus of the communication. 伝えてください is a polite request built from the verb 伝える, “to convey” or “communicate.” 伝えて is its te-form, and ください after a te-form makes a request: 伝えてください = “please communicate/convey [it].” The object is understood from the fixed translation and context rather than stated as a separate noun in this sentence. Together, 品質と、受け取った新しい情報を中心に sets quality and the new information received as the central content, and 伝えてください requests that the intended message be communicated in that way. The whole utterance means: “Frame it around quality and the new information you received.”

7. 概要は明日、図表はその翌日に提出すると言えます。

   I can say I'll deliver the summary tomorrow and the charts the following day.

   概要

   summary

   明日

   tomorrow

   図表

   charts

   その

   that; the ... just mentioned

   翌日

   following day

   提出する

   submit; deliver

   言えます

   can say

   More detail

   概要 means “summary.” It is a noun, so 概要は makes the summary the topic: “as for the summary …” The particle は marks the topic and can also create a contrast with the later 図表は. 明日 means “tomorrow.” Here it is a time expression identifying when the submission is planned. Japanese can use some time expressions without the time particle に, as in this sentence. 図表 means “charts” or “figures.” It is another noun and is made a contrasting topic by 図表は: “as for the charts …” The sentence therefore presents separate timing for the summary and the charts. その means “that” in a noun-modifying position. Here it points back to the already mentioned time 明日; it is not a standalone noun. In the pattern その + noun, it can refer to something just mentioned: for example, その問題 means “that problem.” 翌日 means “the following day” or “the next day.” In その翌日に, 翌日 is the noun and に marks it as the time of submission. Together with その, it means the day following the previously mentioned tomorrow, matching “the following day” in the fixed translation. 提出する is the dictionary form of the verb meaning “to submit” or, for documents and similar materials, “to hand in/deliver.” The form is not marked for past or present here. In the quoted content before と, the dictionary form can describe the intended future action: 明日提出する means “submit tomorrow.” 言えます means “can say.” It is the polite nonpast form of the potential form of 言う (“to say”): 言う → 言える (“can say”) → 言えます (polite). The particle と before it marks the preceding clause as what can be said. Thus 提出すると言えます means “can say that [I/we] will submit [them].” The subject is not expressed in Japanese; the fixed translation supplies the intended first-person reading. The structure is 概要は明日、図表はその翌日に提出する + と + 言えます. The first topic is assigned tomorrow, while the second topic is assigned the following day. The whole utterance therefore means: “I can say I’ll deliver the summary tomorrow and the charts the following day.”

8. それなら、相手に現実的な予定と明確な選択肢を示せます。

   That gives them a realistic timeline and a clear choice.

   それなら

   in that case

   相手

   the other party

   現実的な

   realistic

   予定

   schedule or timeline

   明確な

   clear

   選択肢

   choice or option

   示せます

   can show or provide

   More detail

   それなら means “in that case” or “if that is so.” それ refers to an already established situation or proposal, and なら makes it the condition for what follows. In this utterance, it links the preceding plan to the ability described next. 相手 means “the other party” or “the person on the other side.” With に, as in 相手に, it marks the person to whom something is shown or presented. 相手 is a noun; its exact referent is supplied by the situation rather than by the word itself. 現実的な means “realistic” or “practical.” 現実的 is the base descriptive form, and な connects this type of adjective to a noun: 現実的な予定 = “a realistic schedule/timeline.” This な is part of the attributive connection, not an inflection of 予定. 予定 means a plan, schedule, or expected timeline. Here, together with the fixed translation and the surrounding delivery discussion, it has the sense of a realistic timeline. It is a noun, so the phrase 現実的な予定 literally combines “realistic” with “schedule/timeline.” 明確な means “clear” or “well-defined.” Like 現実的な, 明確 is a descriptive form that takes な before a noun: 明確な選択肢 = “a clear option.” 選択肢 means “option” or “choice,” a noun for one possible course among alternatives. The plural meaning “choices/options” can be understood from context; Japanese does not require this noun itself to show English-style singular or plural marking. 示せます means “can show,” “can present,” or “can provide.” Its base verb is 示す “to show/present,” and 示せます is its polite potential form, expressing ability or feasibility. The potential form is built from the verb stem with -せる and polite ます: 示す → 示せる → 示せます. The sentence does not state the subject overtly; the fixed translation presents the result as giving the other party these materials. The structure is それなら、相手に [現実的な予定] と [明確な選択肢] を 示せます: “In that case, [one] can show/present [a realistic timeline] and [a clear option] to the other party.” と joins the two coordinated objects, and を marks the combined thing being shown. Altogether, the utterance means: “That gives them a realistic timeline and a clear choice.”

9. 相手が返事をする時間を持てるように、すぐにメッセージを送ります。

   I'll send the message soon so they have time to respond.

   相手

   the other person; other party

   返事をする

   respond

   時間

   time

   持てる

   can have

   ように

   so that

   すぐに

   soon

   メッセージ

   message

   送ります

   will send

   More detail

   相手 means the other person or party involved. Here, the fixed translation supports “they” as the person who will respond, without identifying that person more specifically. Example: 相手を待ちます。—“I’ll wait for the other person.” 返事をする means “to reply” or “to respond.” 返事 is a noun meaning “reply,” and する makes the expression verbal. In 返事をする時間, this expression is a relative clause before 時間, giving “time for [someone] to reply.” Example: 早く返事をします。—“I’ll reply soon.” 時間 means “time.” Here it is time available for replying, rather than a stated clock time. Example: 時間があります。—“There is time.” 持てる is the potential form of 持つ, “to have” or “to hold,” and means “can have” here. The sentence presents having enough time as the condition the speaker wants to make possible. Example: 荷物を持てます。—“I can carry the luggage.” ように follows the condition 時間を持てる and connects it to an action intended to make that condition possible: “so that” or “in such a way that.” The reusable pattern [desired condition] ように、[action] can express this purpose. Example: 忘れないように、メモします。—“I’ll make a note so that I don’t forget.” すぐに means “soon” here. It can also mean “immediately” in other contexts, but the fixed translation supports the near-future reading here. Example: すぐに確認します。—“I’ll check soon.” メッセージ means “message.” It is the noun marked as the object of sending. Example: メッセージを読みます。—“I’ll read the message.” 送ります is the polite nonpast form of 送る, “to send.” In this context, the nonpast form refers to the speaker’s future action: “I’ll send.” Example: 明日、写真を送ります。—“I’ll send the photo tomorrow.” Together, 相手が返事をする時間を持てるように means “so that the other person can have time to respond.” Within 相手が返事をする時間, 相手が marks 相手 as the subject of 返事をする, so the other person is the one who responds; it does not mark the subject of 持てる. 時間を marks 時間 as what can be had. The purpose clause is followed by すぐにメッセージを送ります, meaning “I’ll send the message soon.” The complete utterance therefore means: “I’ll send the message soon so they have time to respond.”

10. そうすれば、明日になる前にスケジュールの変更が明確になります。

    That way, the schedule change is clear before tomorrow.

    そうすれば

    that way

    明日

    tomorrow

    になる

    become

    前に

    before

    スケジュール

    schedule

    変更

    change

    明確

    clear

    なります

    becomes

    More detail

    そうすれば means “that way” or “if that is done.” In this context, it points back to sending the message soon. そう means “that way,” and すれば is the conditional form of する (“do”). The pattern そうすれば、... introduces a result of an action. 明日 means “tomorrow.” With なる, it expresses the point reached when tomorrow arrives: 明日になる means “it becomes tomorrow” or, more naturally in this time expression, “tomorrow comes.” になる is the non-past form of なる, “become.” The に marks the resulting state or point. Here, 明日になる前に means “before it becomes tomorrow,” naturally “before tomorrow.” The non-past form can refer to a future time. 前に means “before.” After a verb, V-る前に means “before doing V” or “before V happens.” Here it follows 明日になる, producing 明日になる前に, “before tomorrow comes.” スケジュール means “schedule.” It is a noun for a plan or timetable. In スケジュールの変更, the particle の links “schedule” to the following noun, giving “the schedule change” or “the change to the schedule.” 変更 is a noun meaning “change” or “alteration.” In スケジュールの変更, it names the alteration to the schedule. Japanese also has the verb 変更する, “to change” or “to modify,” but the form in this sentence is the noun 変更. 明確 means “clear” or “explicit.” It can directly modify a noun with 明確な, as in the example 明確な説明 (“a clear explanation”). Here it denotes the resulting state in 明確になります, “becomes clear.” なります is the polite non-past form of なる. Its base form is なる; なります expresses the same change politely. In 明確になります, 明確 supplies the resulting state (“clear”), while なります expresses the transition (“becomes”). Together, そうすれば introduces the consequence, 明日になる前に places it before tomorrow, スケジュールの変更 names what is being discussed, and 明確になります says that it becomes clear. The whole utterance means “That way, the schedule change becomes clear before tomorrow,” naturally rendered by the fixed translation as “That way, the schedule change is clear before tomorrow.”