Making a private call during a break | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 休憩中に私用の電話をかける必要があります。

   I need to make a private call during the break.

   休憩中

   during the break

   私用

   personal matter

   電話

   phone call

   かける

   make (a call)

   必要があります

   need to

   More detail

   休憩中 means “during a break.” 中 here means “in the middle of” or “during” a period, and に marks the time when the action occurs. The pattern [period]中に is reusable: 会議中に means “during the meeting.” 私用 means a personal matter or private use. In this sentence, 私用の modifies the following noun through の, so 私用の電話 is “a private/personal call.” This does not mean that 私用 itself means “phone.” Example: 私用で休みます。 — “I will be absent for a personal matter.” 電話 means “telephone” or “phone call,” depending on the construction. Here it is the object of the action and refers to the call being made. 電話をかける is the common pattern for “to make/place a phone call.” かける is the verb in its plain non-past form. With 電話を, it means “to make a call”; the same verb has other meanings in other combinations, so its meaning here comes from the 電話をかける pattern. Example: 友達に電話をかけます。 — “I call a friend.” 必要があります expresses that something is necessary or needed. 必要 is a noun meaning “necessity” or “need,” and あります is the polite non-past form of ある, “to exist” for non-living things. The pattern 〜必要があります means “there is a need to …” or, naturally in English, “need to ….” The action that is needed appears before it in the modifier form: 電話をかける必要があります means “I need to make a call.” Together, 休憩中に sets the time, 私用の電話 identifies the personal call, かける supplies the action, and 必要があります says that this action is necessary. The complete utterance means: “I need to make a private call during the break.”

2. デリケートな話題なら、静かな廊下を使ってください。

   Use the quiet hallway if the topic is sensitive.

   デリケートな

   sensitive; delicate

   話題

   topic

   なら

   if it is; if the condition is

   静かな

   quiet

   廊下

   hallway

   使ってください

   please use

   More detail

   デリケートな means “sensitive” or “delicate” here. It is the な-adjective form used before a noun: デリケートな話題 = “a sensitive topic.” After a predicate, the same adjective commonly appears as デリケートだ in plain style or デリケートです in polite style. Example: この問題はデリケートです。 — “This issue is sensitive.” 話題 means “topic” or “subject of discussion.” It is a noun and can combine with adjectives or demonstratives, as in 重要な話題 (“an important topic”) or この話題 (“this topic”). In the fixed sentence, it is the topic’s sensitivity that supplies the condition; the sentence does not identify a particular topic beyond that description. なら presents a condition based on the preceding noun phrase: Nなら = “if it is N” or “if the matter is N.” Here, デリケートな話題なら means “if the topic is sensitive.” It is different from もし, which can introduce “if” but does not itself replace the conditional form. Example: 雨なら、行きません。 — “If it is raining, I will not go.” 静かな means “quiet” here. It is the attributive form of the な-adjective 静か, used before the noun 廊下: 静かな廊下 = “a quiet hallway.” In a sentence-ending description, it can be 廊下は静かです (“The hallway is quiet”). The な in 静かな belongs to the adjective’s noun-modifying pattern; it is not a separate word meaning “and.” 廊下 means “hallway” or “corridor.” It is a noun. For example, 廊下を歩きます。 means “I walk along the hallway.” In the fixed sentence, を marks 廊下 as the thing being used with 使う. 使ってください is a polite request meaning “please use.” The lexical verb is 使う (“to use”); its て-form is 使って, followed by ください, which makes a polite request. The pattern Vてください is reusable: 読んでください。 — “Please read.” This request form does not itself say who should use the hallway; the addressee is understood from the situation. Together, デリケートな話題なら sets the condition “if the topic is sensitive,” and 静かな廊下を使ってください requests using the quiet hallway. The complete meaning is: “Use the quiet hallway if the topic is sensitive.”

3. まだ仕事をしている人たちの邪魔をしたくありません。

   I don't want to interrupt people who are still working.

   まだ

   still

   仕事

   work; job

   している

   be doing

   人たち

   people

   邪魔をしたくありません

   do not want to disturb

   More detail

   まだ means “still” here: an action or state continues at the reference time. It commonly appears with an ongoing expression such as まだ仕事をしている (“still working”). By itself, まだ can also mean “not yet” in a negative or unfinished context, but that is not its meaning in this sentence. 仕事 means “work” or “job.” In 仕事をする, it forms the ordinary expression “to work” or “to do one’s work”: 仕事 is the noun, and する supplies the action. The particle を marks 仕事 as what is done. している is the form of する used here for an action in progress: する → している (“be doing”). Thus 仕事をしている means “be working.” In Japanese, 〜ている can have other context-dependent uses, but here the fixed translation clearly gives the ongoing meaning. 人たち means “people.” 人 means “person,” and たち presents a group of people; it does not state an exact number. The whole relative clause まだ仕事をしている comes before 人たち, so まだ仕事をしている人たち means “the people who are still working.” 邪魔をしたくありません expresses “do not want to disturb” or “do not want to interrupt.” The relevant verb is 邪魔をする, literally the established expression for interfering with or disturbing someone; its verb is する, not the noun 邪魔. The desire form is する → したい (“want to do”), then したくない (“do not want to do”), and the polite negative is したくありません. Here 邪魔をしたくありません therefore means “do not want to disturb,” with the negative applying to the speaker’s desire. Putting the parts together, まだ仕事をしている人たち identifies the people as “people who are still working,” and 邪魔をしたくありません says that the speaker does not want to interrupt or disturb them. The complete utterance means: “I don’t want to interrupt people who are still working.”

4. 会議はすぐに再開するので、できれば手短にしてください。

   The meeting restarts soon, so keep it brief if you can.

   会議

   meeting

   すぐに

   soon

   再開する

   restart

   ので

   so; because

   できれば

   if possible

   手短に

   briefly

   してください

   please do so

   More detail

   会議 means “meeting.” It is a noun, and は marks it as the topic: “As for the meeting…” The sentence does not specify who is responsible for the meeting’s restarting. すぐに means “soon” here. It is an adverb describing when something happens. すぐ can also mean “immediately” in other contexts, but the fixed translation supports the time reading “soon.” 再開する means “restart” or “resume.” The base verb is 再開する; する verbs use the same pattern with different nouns, for example, 授業を再開する means “resume the class.” Here 再開する is in the nonpast form, which can describe a scheduled or expected near-future event: “will restart soon.” ので connects the reason to what follows: “because” or “so.” The clause before it gives the reason for the request. Compared with the more direct から, ので commonly presents a reason in a relatively explanatory or softened way. In this sentence, 再開するので means “since it will restart soon.” できれば means “if possible” or “if you can.” It is a conditional form based on できる, “be able to” or “be possible”: できる → できれば. It leaves the requested action understood from the rest of the sentence rather than naming a separate object. 手短に means “briefly” or “concisely.” It is the adverbial form of the na-adjective 手短だ, “brief/concise”: 手短だ → 手短に. In this sentence it describes how the understood action should be done. For example, 手短に話してください means “Please speak briefly.” してください is a polite request meaning “please do so.” It consists of the te-form して of する plus ください, a polite request form. With 手短に, the pattern 手短にしてください means “please keep it brief” or “please make it concise”; the exact action being kept brief is understood from context. Together, 会議はすぐに再開するので gives the reason, “since the meeting will restart soon.” できれば手短にしてください makes the polite request, “if possible, please keep it brief.” The complete utterance is: “The meeting restarts soon, so keep it brief if you can.”

5. 私が時間どおりに戻れなかったら、聞き逃したことを記録しておいてもらえますか。

   If I'm not back exactly on time, could you keep track of anything I miss?

   私が

   I

   時間どおりに

   on time

   戻れなかったら

   if I cannot get back

   聞き逃した

   missed hearing

   記録しておいて

   keep a record

   もらえますか

   could I receive the favor?

   More detail

   私が identifies the speaker as the subject of the conditional clause: “I.” 私 is a first-person pronoun; が marks the subject here. The form does not itself specify anything about the listener or about other participants. 時間どおりに means “on time” or “according to the schedule.” どおり expresses following a stated standard or schedule, and に marks the resulting manner or timing. For example, 予定どおりに始まる means “start as scheduled.” 戻れなかったら means “if I cannot get back.” Its base verb is 戻る (“return/get back”). The form develops as 戻れる (can get back) → 戻れない (cannot get back) → 戻れなかった (could not get back) + ら (“if/when”). Here 戻れ is the potential form, so the condition concerns inability to return, not merely the fact of returning late. The subject is 私, supplied by 私が. 聞き逃した means “missed hearing” in this sentence. Its base form is 聞き逃す, formed from 聞く (“hear/listen”) and 逃す (“let slip”); as a verb, it means fail to hear something or miss something that was said. 聞き逃した is its past form. In 聞き逃したこと, こと turns the preceding action into “the thing(s) that I missed hearing.” For example, 説明を聞き逃した means “I missed hearing the explanation.” 記録しておいて means “record it and leave that record ready/available.” The base verb is 記録する (“record”), and 〜ておく describes doing something in advance or leaving the result in place for a later need. Here the object is 聞き逃したこと, so the requested record concerns what the speaker missed hearing. The ておいて form is the connected form used before the following request expression. もらえますか literally asks whether receiving is possible. After a preceding て-form, as in 記録しておいてもらえますか, it asks whether the listener can perform that preceding action for the speaker. The base verb is もらう (“receive”); its potential form もらえる expresses being able to receive a favor. In this construction, it is not a question about receiving a physical object. Together, 私が時間どおりに戻れなかったら sets the condition “if I cannot get back on time.” 聞き逃したこと identifies the things the speaker missed hearing, and 記録しておいてもらえますか politely asks the listener to keep a record of them for the speaker. The whole utterance means: “If I’m not back exactly on time, could you keep track of anything I miss?” This is a polite request suitable for a conversation such as a meeting.

6. それはできますが、電話が長引くならメッセージを送ってください。

   I can do that, but message me if the call takes longer.

   それは

   that

   できます

   can do

   が

   but

   電話

   call

   長引く

   takes longer

   なら

   if

   メッセージ

   message

   送ってください

   please send

   More detail

   それは uses それ as a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that,” with は marking it as the topic. Here, the fixed translation identifies the topic as “that,” but does not specify a more concrete referent. それ is not itself a marker of a particular person or object. できます is the polite nonpast form of できる, meaning “can” or “be able to.” In this sentence it means “can do that.” The nonpast form can describe present ability or a future action that is possible; politeness comes from ます. が connects the two parts with a contrast: “but” or “although.” It does not mean the noun “が”; here it is a clause-linking particle. 電話 means “telephone” or “call.” In 電話が長引く, it is the subject of the following description, so the call is what may continue longer than expected. 長引く is an intransitive verb meaning “to continue longer than expected” or “to run long.” Its base form is also 長引く; the form here is nonpast and follows the subject 電話. It describes the call itself extending, not someone actively extending it. For example, 会議が長引く means “the meeting runs long.” なら follows the plain form 長引く and introduces a condition: “if” or “when that is the case.” Thus 電話が長引くなら means “if the call runs long.” The condition is presented as a possible situation, rather than as a confirmed fact. メッセージ is a noun meaning “message.” It is a loanword used for a message in a general sense; the sentence does not specify a particular messaging service. 送ってください is a polite request meaning “please send [it].” It consists of the て-form of 送る, “to send,” plus ください, which makes a polite request. In this sentence, メッセージを supplies what should be sent, and the intended recipient is understood from the situation and the fixed translation as the speaker: “message me.” Together, それはできますが means “I can do that, but.” Then 電話が長引くなら sets the condition “if the call runs long,” and メッセージを送ってください gives the request “please send me a message.” The complete meaning is: “I can do that, but message me if the call takes longer.”

7. はい、そうします。次の議題に入る前には戻れるはずです。

   I will. I should be back before the next agenda item.

   はい

   yes

   そうします

   will do so

   次の

   next

   議題

   agenda item

   入る

   enter

   前には

   before

   戻れる

   can return

   はずです

   should; is expected to

   More detail

   はい means “yes” here and confirms the intended action. It is a common affirmative response; it does not itself specify what the action is. そうします means “I will do so.” そう points back to an already understood action, while します is the polite non-past form of する (“do”). In this exchange, the fixed translation identifies the response as “I will,” and the earlier context supplies the action being accepted. Example: そうします。 — “I’ll do that.” 次の means “next” and modifies the noun that follows it. 次 is the base noun meaning “next” or “the following one”; 次の議題 is “the next agenda item.” 議題 means “agenda item” or “topic for discussion.” It is a noun used for a subject scheduled for discussion, not for the whole meeting agenda in every context. Example: 次の議題を確認します。 — “I’ll check the next agenda item.” 入る means “enter” or, with a topic such as 議題, “move into” or “begin discussing.” It is the dictionary form of the verb. In 議題に入る, に marks the topic or stage being entered: “move on to the agenda item.” Example: 本題に入ります。 — “I’ll get to the main topic.” 前には means “before.” 前 is a noun meaning “before” or “in front,” and には combines the time-related marker に with the topic/contrast marker は. Here it sets a deadline: the return is expected to happen before the next agenda item is entered. Example: 出発する前には連絡します。 — “I’ll contact you before I leave.” 戻れる means “can return” or “can be back.” It is the potential form of 戻る (“return”): 戻る → 戻れる. The form expresses ability or feasibility, not simply a completed return. In this sentence, the speaker presents being back by the stated time as feasible. Example: 六時までに戻れます。 — “I can be back by six.” はずです means “should” or “is expected to.” はず is a noun for an expected or logically supported outcome, and です makes the statement polite. It presents the return as an expectation rather than an absolute promise. Combined with 戻れる, 戻れるはずです means “should be able to return” or naturally “should be back.” Together, 次の議題に入る前には establishes the time limit: before moving on to the next agenda item. 戻れるはずです says that the speaker expects to be back by then. The complete utterance is therefore: “Yes, I will. I should be back before the next agenda item.”

8. 休憩後の最初は、簡単な報告だけです。

   The first part after the break is just a quick update.

   休憩後の

   after the break

   最初

   first part

   簡単な

   quick; simple

   報告

   update; report

   だけです

   is just

   More detail

   休憩後の combines 休憩後 (“after the break”) with の, which links that time expression to the noun phrase that follows. The pattern NのN can mean “N’s N” or “the N associated with/after N”; here it identifies what comes first after the break. 後 is the noun meaning “after” or “later,” and 休憩後 is a compact time expression. 最初 means “the first part” here, matching the translation’s “the first part.” It is a noun, so 休憩後の最初 means “the first [part/event] after the break,” with the exact omitted category supplied by context. 最初 contrasts with 最後 (“the last part”) when talking about order. Example: 最初に説明します。 — “I’ll explain it first.” 簡単な is the noun-modifying form of the な-adjective 簡単だ, meaning “simple” or, in this context, “brief/quick.” Before a noun, a な-adjective uses な: 簡単な報告 (“a brief report”). The form 簡単に is used when modifying a verb, as in 簡単に説明します。 — “I’ll explain it briefly.” 報告 is a noun meaning “report” or “update.” In this sentence it refers to the brief update that constitutes the first part after the break. It can also be used as a noun-plus-する verb: 報告します。 — “I’ll report / give an update.” だけです limits the statement to what precedes it: “it is just ...” or “it is only ...”. だけ is the limiter, and です is the polite copula. The polite ending applies to the whole nominal statement; it does not mean that だけ itself is a verb. Compare 報告だけです (“it is just a report”) with 報告です (“it is a report”). Together, 休憩後の最初は sets “the first part after the break” as the topic, and 簡単な報告だけです says that this part consists only of a brief update. Thus the whole utterance means: “The first part after the break is just a quick update.”

9. それは助かります。今から外に出ます。

   That helps. I'll step outside now.

   それは

   that; as for that

   助かります

   is helpful; helps

   今から

   from now

   外に

   outside; to the outside

   出ます

   go out; leave

   More detail

   それは contains それ, a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that,” plus the topic particle は. Here it presents the relevant matter as the topic, matching “That” in the fixed translation. The sentence does not identify more specifically what それ refers to, so its referent should be learned from context rather than inferred from the form alone. Compare これは “this” and あれは “that over there / that one” when the demonstrative contrast is relevant. 助かります is the polite nonpast form of 助かる. In this sentence, 助かる means “to be helped” or “to be useful,” so それは助かります naturally means “That helps.” The polite nonpast form can describe a present assessment, not only a future event. The related transitive verb 助ける means “to help someone,” whereas 助かる describes the person or situation receiving help or benefit. Example: 手伝ってくれると助かります。 — “It would help if you could help me.” 今から combines 今 “now” with から “from.” It marks the point starting now: “from now” or, before an action, “now / starting now.” Example: 今から始めます。 — “I’ll start now.” 外に consists of 外 “outside” and the particle に. With a movement verb, に marks the destination, giving “to the outside” or simply “outside” in natural English. It is different from 外で, where で marks the place where an activity occurs rather than the destination of movement. 出ます is the polite nonpast form of the intransitive verb 出る, “to go out,” “leave,” or “come out,” depending on context. Here, with 外に, it means “step outside” or “go outside.” The form is polite and can describe an imminent or planned action. 出る is intransitive; the related transitive verb 出す means “to take something out,” “put something out,” or “make something come out.” Example: 部屋を出ます。 — “I’ll leave the room.” Together, それは助かります means “That helps,” and 今から外に出ます means “I’ll step outside now”: 今から sets the starting time, 外に gives the destination, and 出ます expresses the speaker’s polite act of going out.

10. 必要なだけ時間を使ってください。ただ、時計は気にしてください。

    Take the time you need, but keep an eye on the clock.

    必要なだけ

    as much as necessary

    時間

    time

    使ってください

    please use

    ただ

    but

    時計

    clock

    気にしてください

    please keep an eye on

    More detail

    必要なだけ means “as much/as long as necessary.” 必要な is the attributive form of the な-adjective 必要 (“necessary”), and だけ marks the limit or extent: “only/as much as.” Here it sets the amount of 時間 that may be used. Example: 必要なだけ休んでください。 — “Please rest as much as you need.” 時間 means “time.” In 必要なだけ時間を, it is the thing being used, marked by を. The pattern 必要なだけ + noun is reusable for an amount or extent determined by necessity. 使ってください is a polite request meaning “please use.” Its base verb is 使う (“use”); 使って is its て-form, followed by ください to make a polite request. In this sentence, the object is time, so the expression means “please use the time.” ただ connects the next statement as a qualification or contrast: “but” or “however.” It does not itself specify what the contrast is; the following clause supplies it. 時計 means “clock.” In the second clause, 時計は makes “the clock” the topic, with は also highlighting it as the item to pay attention to. 気にしてください is a polite request meaning “please pay attention to it” or “please keep it in mind.” Its base expression is 気にする, commonly used for paying attention to, worrying about, or minding something. Here, with 時計は, the intended meaning is to keep an eye on the clock. The て-form request pattern appears again: 気にして + ください. Together, 必要なだけ時間を使ってください says “Use as much time as you need,” while ただ、時計は気にしてください adds the qualification “but keep an eye on the clock.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Take the time you need, but keep an eye on the clock.”