About This Lesson
Use Making a private call during a break to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
休憩中に私用の電話をかける必要があります。
kyoo-KAY-choo nee shee-YOH noh den-WAH oh kah-KEH-roo nee hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ree-MAHS. I need to make a private call during the break.
B
デリケートな話題なら、静かな廊下を使ってください。
deh-ree-KAY-toh nah HAH-dye nah-rah, shee-ZOO-kah-nah roh-KOH-dah oh tsuk-TEH koo-dah-SAI. Use the quiet hallway if the topic is sensitive.
A
まだ仕事をしている人たちの邪魔をしたくありません。
mah-DAH shee-GOH-toh oh she-TEH ee-roo hee-toh-TAH-chee noh jah-MAH oh she-TAH-koo ah-ree-MAH-sen. I don't want to interrupt people who are still working.
B
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。
KAI-gee wah soo-GOO nee SAI-kai soo-roo noh-deh, deh-kee-REH-bah teh-MEE-jah-kah nee she-TEH koo-dah-SAI. The meeting restarts soon, so keep it brief if you can.
A
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。
wah-tah-SHEE gah jee-KAHN doh-OO-ree nee moh-doh-reh-nah-KAHT-tah-rah, kee-kee-noh-gah-SHEE-tah koh-toh oh kee-ROH-koo she-TEH oh-ee-TEH moh-RAH-eh-mahs kah. If I'm not back exactly on time, could you keep track of anything I miss?
B
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。
soh-REH wah deh-KEE-mahs gah, den-WAH gah nah-gah-BEE-koo nah-rah meh-SAY-jee oh oh-KOOT-teh koo-dah-SAI. I can do that, but message me if the call takes longer.
A
はい、そうします。次の議題に入る前には戻れるはずです。
HAI, soh-SHEE-mahs. TSOO-GEE noh GHEE-dye nee ee-ROO MAI nee wah moh-DOH-reh-roo hah-ZOO deh-soo. I will. I should be back before the next agenda item.
B
休憩後の最初は、簡単な報告だけです。
kyoo-KAY-goh noh sai-SHOH wah, KAHN-tahn nah HOH-koh-koo dah-KEH deh-soo. The first part after the break is just a quick update.
A
それは助かります。今から外に出ます。
soh-REH wah tahs-kah-ree-MAHS. ee-MAH kah-rah SOH-tah nee deh-MAHS. That helps. I'll step outside now.
B
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。
hee-TSOO-yoh nah dah-KEH jee-KAHN oh tsuk-TEH koo-dah-SAI. tah-DAH, toh-KEH wah KEE nee she-TEH koo-dah-SAI. Take the time you need, but keep an eye on the clock.Word by Word
休憩中
「休憩中」 means during the break, identifying when the call is made. It commonly appears before 「に」 when stating the time of an action, as in 「休憩中に私用の電話をかける」.
に
「に」 marks the time at which the action occurs in 「休憩中に私用の電話をかける」. This time-marking use is useful for placing an event in a specific period.
私用
「私用」 means a private or personal matter here. In 「私用の電話」, it identifies the call as being for personal business, and it can modify a following noun in the same way.
の
「の」 links 「私用」 to 「電話」 in 「私用の電話」, showing that the call is connected with a private matter. This marker commonly links one noun to another modifying noun.
電話
「電話」 means a phone call in 「私用の電話をかける」. It is the thing being made or placed with the action 「かける」 in this dialogue.
を
「を」 marks 「電話」 as the object of 「かける」 in 「電話をかける」. This object-marking use shows what the action is performed on.
かける
「かける」 means to make or place a phone call in 「電話をかける」. It is used after 「電話を」 for this action, and the dialogue places it in 「電話をかける必要があります」.
必要
「必要」 expresses necessity in 「電話をかける必要があります」, so the speaker says that making the call is needed. It is useful after an action phrase when explaining that the action is necessary.
が
In 「必要があります」, 「が」 marks the necessity as what exists or is present. This use appears when stating that a need exists.
あります
「あります」 politely states in 「必要があります」 that the need exists. In this dialogue, it completes a polite expression of necessity.
デリケート
「デリケート」 means sensitive in 「デリケートな話題」. It describes a topic that should be handled with care, especially in a private conversation.
な
「な」 links 「デリケート」 to the noun 「話題」 in 「デリケートな話題」. This linking form is used after this kind of adjective before a noun.
話題
「話題」 means the topic being discussed in 「デリケートな話題」. It is useful when referring to the subject of a conversation or discussion.
なら
「なら」 sets the condition in 「デリケートな話題なら」: if the topic is sensitive. It is useful when giving advice based on a particular situation.
静か
「静か」 means quiet in 「静かな廊下」. Here it describes a hallway where the speaker can make a private call without disturbing others.
廊下
「廊下」 means hallway in 「静かな廊下」. It identifies the suggested place for the call, and it can be used when directing someone to a corridor inside a building.
使って
「使って」 means use in the request 「静かな廊下を使ってください」. It presents the action that the listener is being asked to carry out.
ください
「ください」 makes 「使ってください」 a polite request to use the quiet hallway. It follows 「使って」 to ask someone respectfully to do an action.
まだ
「まだ」 means still in 「まだ仕事をしている」. It shows that the people’s work is continuing at the time of the call.
仕事
「仕事」 means work in 「仕事をしている」. It names the activity that the people are still doing, and it is used here with the verb 「している」.
して
In 「仕事をしている」, 「して」 connects the work action to 「いる」 and helps show that the activity is ongoing. This form is useful when describing an action in progress.
いる
In 「仕事をしている」, 「いる」 shows that the action is continuing. Together with 「して」, it describes people who are currently working.
人たち
「人たち」 means people as a group in 「まだ仕事をしている人たちの邪魔」. It refers to the group whose work the speaker does not want to disturb.
邪魔
「邪魔」 means disturbance or interference in 「まだ仕事をしている人たちの邪魔をしたくありません」. It names the unwanted interference caused to people who are working.
したく
「したく」 expresses the desire to do an action in the negative desire expression 「邪魔をしたくありません」. With 「ありません」, it says that the speaker does not want to cause a disturbance.
ありません
「ありません」 makes 「邪魔をしたくありません」 negative and polite. Here it completes the statement that the speaker does not want to disturb the workers.
会議
「会議」 means meeting in 「会議はすぐに再開する」. It identifies the scheduled event that will resume soon.
は
「は」 marks 「会議」 as the topic in 「会議はすぐに再開する」. It frames the rest of the sentence as information about the meeting.
すぐ
「すぐ」 means soon in 「会議はすぐに再開する」. It shows that the meeting will resume after only a short time.
再開
「再開」 means resumption or restarting in 「再開する」. It describes the meeting becoming active again after the break.
する
「する」 turns 「再開」 into the action of resuming in 「再開する」. This pattern is useful for expressing an action formed from an action-related noun.
ので
「ので」 gives the reason in 「会議はすぐに再開するので」: because the meeting will resume soon. It is useful for connecting a reason with advice or a request.
できれば
「できれば」 means if possible and softens the request 「できれば手短にしてください」. It is formed here from 「できれ」, which expresses possibility, and 「ば」, which marks the condition.
手短
「手短」 means brief or concise in 「手短にしてください」. Here it asks the listener to keep the call short because the meeting will resume soon.
私
「私」 means I or me in 「私が時間どおりに戻れなかったら」. It identifies the speaker as the person who may not return on time.
時間
「時間」 means time in 「時間どおりに戻れなかったら」. Together with 「どおり」, it refers to returning according to the planned time.
どおり
「どおり」 means as scheduled or exactly as in 「時間どおりに」. It shows that the return is expected to happen at the planned time.
戻れなかったら
「戻れなかったら」 means if I cannot get back in 「私が時間どおりに戻れなかったら」. It presents a possible late return as the condition for the following request.
聞き逃した
「聞き逃した」 means missed hearing something, especially information in the meeting. In 「聞き逃したこと」, it describes the information that the speaker may not hear.
こと
「こと」 means thing or matter in 「聞き逃したこと」. It turns the missed information into something that can be recorded or tracked.
記録
「記録」 means a record and supplies the action of recording in 「記録しておいて」. It is useful in work situations when information needs to be kept for later.
おいて
In 「記録しておいて」, 「おいて」 adds the idea of having the recording kept ready for later. The request is therefore to record the missed information before it is needed.
もらえます
「もらえます」 helps form the polite favor request 「記録しておいてもらえますか」. It asks whether the listener could carry out the action for the speaker.
か
「か」 turns 「記録しておいてもらえますか」 into a question. Here it makes the request sound like a polite question asking for agreement.
それ
「それ」 means that in 「それはできます」 and refers back to the requested task. It is useful for pointing to an action or matter just mentioned.
できます
「できます」 means can do in 「それはできます」. Here it politely accepts the request and says that the speaker is able to do it.
長引く
「長引く」 means to take longer than expected or drag on in 「電話が長引くなら」. It describes the call continuing beyond the time that was planned.
メッセージ
「メッセージ」 means message in 「メッセージを送ってください」. It identifies the communication the speaker should send if the call takes longer.
送って
「送って」 means send in 「メッセージを送ってください」. With 「ください」, it forms a polite request to send a message.
はい
「はい」 means yes or okay in 「はい、そうします」. Here it acknowledges the request and signals agreement to follow it.
そう
「そう」 means so or that way in 「そうします」. It refers back to the action just agreed on, so the speaker says they will do that.
します
「します」 means do or will do in the polite statement 「そうします」. It expresses the speaker’s commitment to carry out the agreed action.
次
「次」 means next in 「次の議題」. It identifies the agenda item that comes after the current one.
議題
「議題」 means an agenda item in 「次の議題」. It refers to a specific subject scheduled for discussion in the meeting.
入る
「入る」 means move into or begin discussing in 「議題に入る前」. Here it describes the meeting moving on to the next agenda item.
前
「前」 means before in 「議題に入る前」. It places the speaker’s return earlier than the point when the next agenda item begins.
戻れる
「戻れる」 means can get back in 「戻れるはずです」. It expresses the speaker’s expected ability to return before the next agenda item.
はず
「はず」 expresses an expectation based on the plan in 「戻れるはずです」. It is useful when saying that something is expected to happen.
です
「です」 gives 「戻れるはずです」 a polite sentence ending. It presents the expectation in a respectful, matter-of-fact way.
休憩後
「休憩後」 means after the break in 「休憩後の最初」. It identifies the time when the meeting’s next section begins.
最初
「最初」 means the first part in 「休憩後の最初」. Here it refers to the first section after the break, not to a person.
簡単
「簡単」 means simple or brief in 「簡単な報告」. It describes an update that is limited in scope and should not take long.
報告
「報告」 means a report or update in 「簡単な報告」. It refers to the information presented at the start of the meeting after the break.
だけ
「だけ」 means only or just in 「報告だけです」. It limits what comes first after the break to a simple report.
助かります
「助かります」 means that helps in 「それは助かります」. The speaker uses it to express relief or gratitude after hearing useful information.
今
「今」 means now in 「今から外に出ます」. It identifies the present moment as the time when the speaker will leave.
から
「から」 marks the starting point in 「今から外に出ます」. Together with 「今」, it means starting now.
外
「外」 means outside in 「外に出ます」. It identifies the place the speaker is going when stepping away from the meeting.
出ます
「出ます」 means go out or leave in 「外に出ます」. It is the polite form used to state that the speaker is going outside now.
ただ
「ただ」 means however in 「ただ、時計は気にしてください」. It introduces a caution after allowing the speaker to take the needed time.
時計
「時計」 means clock in 「時計は気にしてください」. It identifies what the speaker should monitor so that the break does not run too long.
気にして
「気にしてください」 means please pay attention to it or keep an eye on it. In this expression, 「気」 contributes attention, 「に」 links the focus of that attention, and 「して」 carries the request into 「ください」.
Grammar Points
動詞の辞書形＋必要があります
私用で電話をかける必要があります。
shee-YOH deh den-WAH oh kah-KEH-roo nee hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ree-MAHS.I need to make a personal call.
This pattern expresses that something is necessary or that the speaker has to do it.
動詞のて形＋おく
議題を記録しておきます。
GHEE-dye oh kee-ROH-koo she-TEH oh-kee-MAHS.I'll note down the agenda item in advance.
〜ておく means doing something in preparation for a later situation.
Japanese Vocabulary
デリケート
adj
deh-ree-KAY-toh
sensitive; delicate
会議
noun
KAI-gee
meeting
休憩中
noun
kyoo-KAY-choo
during a break
再開する
verb
SAI-kai soo-roo
to restart; to resume
私用
noun
shee-YOH
personal use; private matter
邪魔をする
phrase
jah-MAH oh soo-roo
to interrupt; to disturb
手短に
adv
teh-MEE-jah-kah nee
briefly; concisely
静かな
adj
shee-ZOO-kah-nah
quiet
電話をかける
phrase
den-WAH oh kah-KEH-roo
to make a phone call
必要があります
phrase
hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ree-MAHS
need to; have to
廊下
noun
roh-KOH-dah
hallway
話題
noun
HAH-dye
topic
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
sensitive; delicate
Show Answer
デリケートneed to; have to
Show Answer
必要がありますto interrupt; to disturb
Show Answer
邪魔をするto make a phone call