Taking responsibility for a damaged borrowed saw | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a shared space, one adult explains damage to a borrowed saw and agrees to replace the blade before returning it..

EN → JA / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Taking responsibility for a damaged borrowed saw to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

借りたのこぎりについて、正直に話す必要があります。

kah-REE-tah noh-koh-GEE-ree nee TSOO-ee-teh, shoh-JEE-kee nee hah-NAH-soo hee-tsoo-YOH gah ah-ree-MAHSS. I need to be honest about the saw I borrowed.
B

何が起きたのか説明してもらえますか。

nah-nee gah oh-KEE-tah noh-kah seh-tsu-MAY shee-teh moh-rah-eh-MAHSS kah? Can you explain what happened?
A

厚い木を切っているときに、刃が傷みました。

ah-TSOO-ee kee oh KIT-teh EE-roo toh-KEE nee, hah gah ee-tah-MEE-mah-SHEE-tah. The blade got damaged while I was cutting thick wood.
B

そののこぎりには、木が厚すぎたのですか。

soh-noh noh-koh-GEE-ree nee-wah, kee gah ah-TSOO-soo-GEE-tah noh dess-kah? Was the wood too thick for that saw?
A

たぶんそうです。試す前に聞くべきでした。

tah-BOON soh dess. tah-MEH-soo MAH-eh nee HEE-koo beh-kee deh-SHEE-tah. Probably, and I should have asked before trying.
B

隠さずに正直に話してくれて、ありがたいです。

kah-koo-SAH-zoo nee shoh-JEE-kee nee hah-NAH-shee-teh koo-REH-teh, ah-ree-gah-TAH-ee dess. I appreciate you being upfront instead of hiding it.
A

修理を手配するか、刃を交換できます。

shoo-REE oh teh-HAI soo-roo kah, hah oh koh-KAHN deh-kee-MAHSS. I can arrange a repair or replace the blade.
B

刃を交換すれば十分なはずです。

hah oh koh-KAHN soo-reh-bah joo-BOON nah hah-zoo dess. Replacing the blade should be enough.
A

今日、その対応をします。

KYOH soh-noh tie-OH oh shee-MAHSS. I will take care of that today.
B

のこぎりを返す前に、刃を交換したら教えてください。

noh-koh-GEE-ree oh kah-EH-soo MAH-eh nee, hah oh koh-KAHN shee-tah-rah oh-SHEH-teh koo-dah-SAI. Tell me when it is replaced before you bring the saw back.

Word by Word

借りた 借りた means borrowed in 借りたのこぎり, referring to the saw that was borrowed. It is the past form of 借りる used to describe the noun that follows. This pattern can describe any item that someone borrowed.
のこぎり のこぎり means saw, the tool being discussed in this lesson. In 借りたのこぎり, it is the noun modified by 借りた. Use it when referring to a saw as a tool.
について について means about or concerning in 借りたのこぎりについて. The に connects the topic to ついて, and ついて makes the meaning concerning that topic. This construction is used before 話す or other verbs to identify what is being discussed.
正直 正直 means honest or honestly in 正直に話す, describing the manner of speaking. With に, it functions as an adverb meaning honestly. This pattern is useful when saying that someone speaks honestly about a matter.
に に marks the manner in 正直に話す, making 正直 describe how the speaking is done. Here it changes 正直 into the adverbial form honestly. A common pattern is an adjective or descriptive word followed by に before an action.
話す 話す means to speak or tell in 正直に話す. Here it refers to telling the other person honestly about the damaged tool. It can be used with a topic marked by について.
必要 必要 means need or necessity in 話す必要があります. Together with あります, it says that speaking honestly is necessary. A reusable pattern is verb phrase plus 必要があります for saying that an action is necessary.
が が marks 必要 as the subject of あります in 話す必要があります. The phrase 必要があります states that a need exists. This particle commonly marks what exists or what is necessary.
あります あります states that something exists in 話す必要があります, so the phrase means that there is a need to speak. It is the polite form used with the nonliving noun 必要. The pattern nounがあります can express existence or necessity depending on the noun.
何 何 means what in 何が起きたのか. It asks about the event or thing that happened. It is used before が when asking what performed or underwent an action.
起きた 起きた means happened in 何が起きたのか. It is the past form of 起きる and refers to an event that has already occurred. The pattern 何が起きた asks what happened.
の の turns the preceding clause 何が起きた into a noun-like expression in 何が起きたのか. It helps form the embedded question about what happened. This use is different from の showing possession.
か か marks 何が起きたのか as a question inside the request. The whole expression asks the listener to explain what happened. It is commonly placed at the end of an embedded question.
説明 説明 means an explanation in 説明してもらえますか, and with する it expresses explaining or giving an account. Here it refers to explaining the cause of the damage. It is commonly used with an object marked by を when specifying what is explained.
して して is the te-form of する in 説明してもらえますか. It connects 説明する to もらえます, forming a request for the listener to explain. The pattern verb-te-form plus もらえますか politely asks someone to do something.
もらえます もらえます in 説明してもらえますか asks whether the speaker can receive the favor of the listener explaining. In this construction, it is a polite way to ask someone to do an action. The reusable pattern is verb-te-form plus もらえますか.
厚い 厚い means thick in 厚い木. It describes the wood being cut. It is used before a noun when describing the thickness of a physical object.
木 木 means wood in 厚い木を切っている. Here it is the material being cut, rather than a living tree. It is marked by を because it is the object of cutting.
を を marks 木 as the object of 切っている in 厚い木を切っている. It shows what is being cut. A common pattern is nounを verb when the noun receives the action.
切って 切って is the te-form of 切る in 木を切っている, meaning cutting. It connects the action of cutting to いる, which shows that the action was in progress. The pattern verb-te-form plus いる describes an ongoing action.
いる いる in 木を切っている shows that the cutting action was ongoing at that time. It follows the te-form 切って to create the ongoing-action expression. This pattern is used for an action that is in progress.
とき とき means when or at the time in 切っているときに. It identifies the time during which the blade was damaged. A useful pattern is verb phrase plus とき when describing what happens during an action.
刃 刃 means blade in 刃が傷みました and 刃を交換できます. It refers to the cutting part of the saw. It can be marked by が when describing its condition or by を when describing an action done to it.
傷みました 傷みました means became damaged or deteriorated in 刃が傷みました. It is the polite past form of 傷む and reports the blade’s changed condition. The pattern nounが傷みました describes something that has become damaged or worn.
その その means that or the mentioned in そののこぎりには. It points back to the saw already under discussion. It is placed directly before a noun to identify a particular previously mentioned item.
は は marks そののこぎり as the topic or reference point in そののこぎりには. Together with に, the phrase focuses on what is suitable for that saw. This particle is used to set a topic for comparison or discussion.
厚すぎた 厚すぎた means was too thick in 木が厚すぎたのですか. The すぎる part shows that the thickness exceeded what was suitable, and た places it in the past. This form is used to describe something as having been excessively thick.
です です supplies the polite copula in 厚すぎたのですか. It makes the question polite while connecting the preceding statement to the question ending か. It is commonly used in polite questions and statements.
たぶん たぶん means probably in たぶんそうです. It shows that the speaker agrees with the suggestion but is not completely certain. It is commonly placed before a statement expressing a likely conclusion.
そう そう means so or that is the case in たぶんそうです. It refers back to the possibility that the wood was too thick for the saw. The pattern そうです can agree with or confirm a preceding statement.
試す 試す means to try in 試す前に. It refers to trying to cut the wood with the saw. The dictionary-form verb is used before 前に to say before doing something.
前 前 means before in 試す前に. It places the action of asking before the action of trying. The reusable pattern is verb dictionary form plus 前に for before doing something.
聞く 聞く means to ask in 聞くべきでした, not to hear. Here it refers to asking for guidance before trying the saw. It is used with べき to express an action that should have been done.
べき べき expresses should or ought to in 聞くべきでした. With the past polite ending でした, 聞くべきでした means that asking should have been done earlier. The pattern verb dictionary form plus べきです expresses what someone should do.
でした でした is the polite past form in 聞くべきでした. It places the expected action in the past and conveys that the speaker should have asked. It commonly follows べき when discussing an action that ought to have happened.
隠さず 隠さず means without hiding in 隠さずに話してくれて. It says that the person spoke without concealing the damage. The form 隠さずに is used before another action to show that the action was done without hiding something.
話して 話して is the te-form of 話す in 話してくれて. It connects the act of speaking to くれて, so the listener’s speaking is treated as something done for the speaker. This form is useful when linking an action to a following expression of benefit or appreciation.
くれて くれて in 話してくれて marks the other person’s speaking as an action done for the speaker’s benefit. It leads into ありがたい, which expresses appreciation for that action. The pattern verb-te-form plus くれて is used when appreciating what someone did for you.
ありがたい ありがたい means appreciated or grateful in 話してくれて、ありがたいです. Here the speaker expresses gratitude because the other person was honest about the damage. It is useful for directly expressing appreciation for someone’s action.
修理 修理 means repair in 修理を手配する. It refers to fixing the damaged blade or tool. It is commonly used as a noun before する or as the object of 手配する.
手配 手配 means arrangement or arranging in 修理を手配する. Here it means arranging for a repair to be carried out. The pattern nounを手配する is used when arranging a service or necessary action.
する する means to do in 手配する, where it combines with 手配 to mean arrange. It turns the noun 手配 into an action. This noun plus する pattern is common for describing an organized action.
交換 交換 means replacement or replacing in 刃を交換できます. Here it refers to replacing the damaged blade. It is commonly used with を when identifying the item that will be replaced.
できます できます means can do or be able to in 刃を交換できます. It expresses the speaker’s ability or willingness to replace the blade. The pattern nounをできます is used here to say that an action involving the noun is possible.
すれば すれば means if or when doing in 交換すれば十分なはずです. It makes replacing the blade the condition for the result that follows. The conditional pattern verbれば is used to express what will be true if an action is performed.
十分 十分 means enough or sufficient in 十分なはずです. It says that replacing the blade is expected to be sufficient for resolving the problem. It can describe whether an amount or action meets what is needed.
な な links 十分 to the noun-like expression はず in 十分なはずです. It allows 十分 to describe the expected result as being sufficient. This linking form is used after descriptive words before a noun or noun-like expression.
はず はず expresses an expectation in 十分なはずです. The phrase means that replacing the blade should be enough according to the speaker’s understanding. It is commonly used after a description when stating what is expected.
今日 今日 means today in 今日、その対応をします. It specifies when the speaker will handle the repair or replacement. It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the time.
対応 対応 means handling or the response taken in その対応をします. Here it refers to dealing with the damaged blade by arranging the necessary action. It is commonly used with をする when saying that someone will handle a matter.
します します is the polite form of する in その対応をします. With 今日, it says that the speaker will handle the matter today. It commonly follows a noun such as 対応 to express carrying out that action.
返す 返す means to return in のこぎりを返す前に. Here it refers to returning the saw to its owner or shared space. The pattern nounを返す identifies the item being returned.
したら したら means when or if the action is completed in 交換したら教えてください. Here it refers to the time after the blade has been replaced. The pattern verbたら is commonly used for a condition or for an action that should happen after another action.
教えて 教えて means tell or let me know in 教えてください. Here it asks the listener to inform the speaker once the replacement is finished. The te-form connects the verb to ください to make a polite request.
ください ください makes 教えてください a polite request meaning please let me know. It asks the listener to perform the action expressed by 教えて. The reusable pattern is verb-te-form plus ください for a polite request.

Grammar Points

～てもらえますか

説明してもらえますか。

seh-tsu-MAY shee-teh moh-rah-eh-MAHSS kah

Can you explain it to me?

A polite way to ask someone to do something for you. The person performing the action is marked by に when stated.

～ずに

隠さずに教えてください。

kah-koo-SAH-zoo nee oh-SHEH-teh koo-dah-SAI

Please tell me without hiding anything.

Means “without doing.” Attach ずに to the verb stem; it expresses that an action is not performed.

Japanese Vocabulary

のこぎり noun
noh-koh-GEE-ree saw

借りたのこぎり

起きた verb
oh-KEE-tah happened

何が起きたのか

厚い adj
ah-TSOO-ee thick

厚い木

借りた verb
kah-REE-tah borrowed

借りたのこぎり

傷みました verb
ee-tah-MEE-mah-SHEE-tah was damaged; became worn

刃が傷みました

刃 noun
hah blade

刃が傷みました

正直に adv
shoh-JEE-kee nee honestly

正直に話す

切っている verb
KIT-teh EE-roo cutting

木を切っているとき

説明してもらえますか phrase
seh-tsu-MAY shee-teh moh-rah-eh-MAHSS kah can you explain

何が起きたのか説明してもらえますか

必要 noun
hee-tsoo-YOH necessity; need

話す必要があります

木 noun
kee wood; tree

厚い木を切る

話す verb
hah-NAH-soo to talk; to tell

正直に話す必要があります

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

was damaged; became worn

Show Answer傷みました

can you explain

Show Answer説明してもらえますか

saw

Show Answerのこぎり

cutting

Show Answer切っている