Rescheduling a Meeting Because of Icy Roads | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 今朝は道路が凍っていて、視界が悪いです。

   The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.

   今朝

   this morning

   道路

   road; roadway

   凍っていて

   is frozen and

   視界

   visibility

   悪いです

   is poor

   More detail

   今朝 means “this morning.” It is a time expression; 今 means “now” and 朝 means “morning,” but together they refer to the morning of the relevant day. は marks 今朝 as the topic, giving the frame “as for this morning” or, naturally here, “this morning.” 道路 means “road(s)” or “roadway(s).” Japanese nouns generally do not mark singular versus plural, so this form can match the plural meaning in the fixed translation. In this sentence, it is the thing described as frozen. 凍っていて comes from the verb 凍る, “to freeze.” The form 凍っている describes a resulting state—“is frozen”—and its て form, 凍っていて, connects that state to the next clause. Thus, 道路が凍っていて means “the roads are frozen/icy, and …” The が marks 道路 as the subject of this description. 視界 means “visibility” or “field of view.” It refers here to how well one can see, rather than to a particular object being viewed. が marks it as the subject of the following description. 悪いです means “is poor” in this context. 悪い is the base form of the i-adjective 悪い, “bad,” and here it describes the condition of 視界; です adds polite sentence-final style. The adjective itself carries the meaning and the present description, while です makes the statement polite. For example, 天気が悪いです。 means “The weather is bad.” Putting the parts together: 今朝は sets the time, 道路が凍っていて says that the roads are in a frozen or icy state and links that condition onward, and 視界が悪いです says that visibility is poor. The complete meaning is: “The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.”

2. 会議に車で行くのは危険そうです。

   Driving to the meeting sounds risky.

   会議

   meeting

   車

   car

   行く

   go

   のは

   as for ...ing

   危険

   risky; dangerous

   そうです

   seems so

   More detail

   会議 means “meeting.” It is a noun. In 会議に, に marks the destination or goal: 会議に行く means “go to the meeting.” 車 means “car.” In 車で, で marks the means or vehicle used for an action, so 車で行く means “go by car” or “drive.” This does not by itself identify who is driving. 行く is the plain, non-past form of “go.” Its past form is 行った, and its negative form is 行かない. Here it appears inside 行くのは, where the action “going” is treated as the topic of the sentence. のは turns the preceding clause into a topic. The pattern XのはY can be understood as “As for doing X, Y” or more naturally “Doing X is Y.” In this sentence, 会議に車で行くのは means “as for driving to the meeting.” The は marks that nominalized action as the topic and sets up the evaluation that follows. 危険 means “dangerous” or “risky.” It is a na-adjective-like descriptive word: before a noun, it can appear as 危険な; at the end of a sentence, 危険です means “is dangerous.” Here 危険 describes the topic action, not the car itself. そうです after a descriptive form expresses an appearance or impression: “seems” or “looks.” With a na-adjective such as 危険, the pattern is 危険そうです, “seems dangerous” or “sounds risky.” This is different from simply asserting 危険です, “is dangerous,” and here it presents the risk as an assessment or impression rather than a definite fact. Together, 会議に identifies the destination, 車で gives the means of travel, and 行くのは makes the whole action “going by car to the meeting” the topic. 危険そうです evaluates that action as apparently risky. The complete meaning is “Driving to the meeting sounds risky.”

3. 予定を変更したくはありませんが、安全を最優先にすべきです。

   I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.

   予定

   schedule; plans

   変更したくはありません

   do not want to change

   安全

   safety

   最優先

   top priority

   すべきです

   should

   More detail

   予定 means a schedule or plan. In this sentence, it is the thing being changed. The related verb is 変更する, “to change” or “to modify”; its noun form 変更 can combine with する to make a verb. 変更したくはありません says “do not want to change.” It is built from 変更したい, “want to change,” with the negative form 変更したくない; polite ありません makes the negative expression polite. The は adds contrast or emphasis, so the sentence acknowledges that changing the plans is not desired before presenting a stronger consideration. For example, 行きたくはありません means “I do not want to go,” with a similar contrastive emphasis. 安全 means safety. It is a noun, and 安全を marks safety as the object of the following expression: safety is what is to be treated as the highest priority. 安全な is the related adjective meaning “safe,” as in 安全な道, “a safe road.” 最優先 means the highest or top priority. It combines 最-, “most,” with 優先, “priority” or “precedence.” In 安全を最優先に, に presents safety as the priority status: “with safety as the top priority” or “putting safety first.” すべきです expresses that something should be done or is the appropriate thing to do. The underlying verb is する, “to do”; すべき is the form used in this pattern, followed here by polite です. The complete pattern XをYにすべきです can mean “should make X Y” when Y is a status or priority. Here, the unstated agent is not specified: the sentence recommends putting safety first without identifying who must do it. Together, 予定を変更したくはありませんが means “I do not want to change the plans, but,” and 安全を最優先にすべきです means “safety should come first.” The conjunction が links the reluctant preference to the stronger recommendation, giving the whole utterance: “I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.”

4. 今すぐ相手にメッセージを送って、道路状況をはっきり説明してください。

   Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.

   今すぐ

   right now

   相手に

   to them

   メッセージ

   message

   送って

   send

   道路状況

   road conditions

   はっきり

   clearly

   説明して

   explain

   ください

   please

   More detail

   今すぐ means “right now”: 今 is “now,” and すぐ adds immediacy. It is a reusable time expression placed with the action that should happen immediately. 相手に identifies the recipient as 相手, “the other party” or “the person concerned,” followed by に, which marks the recipient of sending. Here the fixed translation supports “them”; Japanese does not mark this form for the recipient’s gender or number. メッセージ is the noun “message,” a useful loanword. In the sentence, the following を marks it as what is sent: メッセージを送る means “send a message.” 送って is the te-form of 送る, “to send.” The te-form connects this action to what follows: 送って、説明してください presents sending first and then explaining. The polite request meaning comes from the later ください, not from 送って alone. 道路状況 combines 道路, “road,” with 状況, “conditions” or “situation,” giving “road conditions.” In 道路状況を説明する, it is the information being explained. はっきり is an adverb meaning “clearly” or “plainly.” It describes how the explanation should be given. For example, はっきり話してください means “Please speak clearly.” 説明して is the te-form of 説明する, “to explain.” With ください, 説明してください is a polite request: “please explain.” The form 説明して by itself mainly connects the verb to what follows here; it is not the complete polite request. ください literally relates to receiving, but after a verb’s te-form it functions as a polite request marker. The pattern verb-te + ください is reusable: 待ってください means “Please wait.” It does not itself specify a number or gender for the addressee. Together, 今すぐ相手にメッセージを送って says “send a message to them right now,” and 道路状況をはっきり説明してください asks the addressee to explain the road conditions clearly. The whole utterance is therefore a polite instruction: “Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.”

5. 完全に中止する代わりに、オンラインで会うことを提案したほうがいいですか。

   Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?

   完全に

   completely

   中止する

   cancel

   代わりに

   instead

   オンラインで

   online

   会う

   meet

   提案したほうがいいですか

   should I suggest ...?

   More detail

   完全に modifies the following action and means “completely” or “entirely.” It is the adverbial form used to show the extent of an action. Example: 完全に忘れました。 — “I completely forgot.” 中止する is the dictionary-form verb “to cancel” or “to discontinue.” 中止 means stopping or canceling a planned activity, and する makes it a verb. Here, 完全に中止する means “cancel completely.” The dictionary form can appear before 代わりに because this action is being presented as the alternative to another action. 代わりに means “instead” or “in place of.” In this sentence it introduces the replacement action: rather than completely canceling, the speaker considers meeting online. A reusable pattern is A 代わりに B — “B instead of A.” オンラインで means “online” here. The particle で marks the means or setting through which the meeting takes place: オンラインで会う means “meet online.” Example: オンラインで授業を受けます。 — “I take the class online.” 会う is the dictionary-form verb “to meet.” In this sentence it is followed by こと, which turns the verb phrase into a noun-like expression: オンラインで会うこと means “meeting online” or “the act of meeting online.” The particle を then marks that expression as what is suggested. Example: 友達に会うことを決めました。 — “I decided to meet a friend.” 提案したほうがいいですか asks whether it would be better for the speaker to suggest something. 提案する is “to suggest” or “to propose”; its form here is 提案した, the plain past form, followed by ほうがいい, a pattern meaning “it is better to ...” or “should ...”. In 〜たほうがいい, the past-shaped form does not by itself place the advice in past time. With ですか, the whole expression becomes a question: “Should I suggest ...?” Example: 早く出発したほうがいいですか。 — “Should I leave early?” Putting the parts together, 完全に中止する代わりに sets up completely canceling as the action to replace. オンラインで会うことを提案したほうがいいですか asks whether suggesting the noun-like action “meeting online” would be better. The complete meaning is: “Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?”

6. それなら、誰も移動せずに仕事を進められます。

   That would keep the work moving without anyone traveling.

   それなら

   if so; then

   誰も

   anyone; no one in a negative context

   移動せずに

   without traveling

   仕事

   work; task

   進められます

   can move forward; can proceed

   More detail

   それなら means “if that is the case” or “then, under those conditions.” それ points back to an already mentioned situation, and なら presents that situation as the condition for what follows. Example: それなら、問題ありません。 — “In that case, there is no problem.” 誰も is the question-word-based form meaning “anyone” in a negative environment; with the negative meaning in 移動せずに, it gives “no one” or “without anyone.” The form itself does not identify a particular person. Example: 誰も来ませんでした。 — “No one came.” 移動せずに means “without traveling/moving.” Its base verb is 移動する (“to move” or “to travel”). せずに is a more formal written-style negative pattern corresponding to しないで, “without doing.” Here it says that nobody travels while the main action takes place. Example: 急がずに歩きます。 — “I walk without hurrying.” 仕事 means “work” or “a task.” With the object marker を, 仕事を is the work being acted on. The word can refer to work in general or to a particular task, depending on context; this sentence does not require a more specific interpretation. 進められます means “can move forward” or “can proceed with.” Its base verb is the transitive 進める, “to advance something” or “to proceed with something.” 進められる is its potential form, expressing ability or feasibility, and ます makes it polite. Thus 仕事を進められます says that the work can be moved forward, not simply that it moves by itself. Example: この方法なら、作業を進められます。 — “With this method, we can proceed with the work.” Putting the parts together, それなら sets the condition, 誰も移動せずに describes the absence of travel by anyone, and 仕事を進められます states the feasible result: “If that is the case, the work can keep moving forward without anyone traveling.” In the supplied exchange, the condition refers to the preceding alternative involving meeting online.

7. 相手がビデオで参加できるか、聞いてみます。

   I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.

   相手

   the other party; them

   ビデオ

   video

   参加できるか

   whether [someone] can join

   聞いてみます

   I’ll try asking

   More detail

   相手 means the other party or person one is dealing with. Here, with the particle が, it is the participant understood as being able to join; the fixed translation identifies that participant as “them.” 相手 is useful when the person’s name or role is less important than their relation to the interaction. ビデオ is the loanword “video.” In this sentence it names the means of joining; ビデオで means “by video” or “via video,” with で marking the means or method. Example: 電話で話します。 — “I talk by phone.” 参加できるか expresses “whether [someone] can join.” 参加する means “to participate/join,” and 参加できる uses できる to say that participation is possible: “can join.” The か at the end turns this clause into an embedded yes-or-no question. The understood subject of this clause is 相手, so the relevant meaning is whether the other party can join by video, not whether the speaker can. 聞いてみます means “I’ll try asking.” The base verb 聞く can mean “ask” in this use; 聞いてみる combines the verb’s て form with みる to describe trying an action. ます is the polite nonpast ending, and here the fixed translation supports a first-person intention: “I’ll try asking.” Example: 店員に聞いてみます。 — “I’ll try asking the shop assistant.” Together, 相手がビデオで参加できるか is the question content, “whether the other party can join by video,” and 聞いてみます says that the speaker will try asking about it. The whole utterance therefore means: “I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.”

8. 道路がもっと安全になったら、直接会うことも提案してください。

   Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.

   道路

   road

   もっと

   more

   安全

   safe; safety

   なったら

   become; once it becomes

   直接

   directly; in person

   会う

   meet

   提案してください

   please suggest; please offer

   More detail

   道路 means “road” here. It is a noun. The particle が marks it as the subject of the change described next; the sentence does not state how many roads are involved. もっと is an adverb meaning “more” or “to a greater degree.” It sets up a comparison with the roads’ current safety: もっと安全 means “safer” or “more safe,” without specifying the exact standard of comparison. 安全 means “safe” here. It can function as a noun and as a na-adjective; in this pattern it combines with になる to express becoming safe. 安全な道路 means “safe roads,” while 道路が安全になる means “the roads become safe.” なったら comes from なる, “become,” and has the form なった plus ら. The change is expressed by なる, not by 安全: 安全になったら means “if/when it becomes safe” or, with the comparative here, “once it becomes safer.” The たら conditional presents that change as the condition for what follows. 直接 is an adverb meaning “directly” or, in this context, “in person.” It describes the manner of meeting, rather than changing who meets whom. 会う is the plain-form verb “meet.” A useful pattern is AがBに会う, “A meets B”; the person being met is commonly marked with に. In the supplied sentence, the participants are not stated in the Japanese wording, while the fixed translation supports the intended reading “meet in person.” 提案してください is a polite request meaning “please suggest” or “please offer.” It consists of 提案する, “suggest/propose,” in the て form 提案して, followed by ください, a polite request construction. The lexical verb is 提案する; ください makes the utterance a request rather than simply stating that someone suggests something. For example, 別の方法を提案してください。 means “Please suggest another method.” Together, 道路がもっと安全になったら sets a condition: once the roads are safer. 直接会う adds the action “meet in person,” and こと turns that action into something that can be proposed. The particle も adds “also/too,” and 提案してください requests that the listener offer this option. Thus the fixed utterance means: “Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.”

9. 相手が待つほうがいいと思うなら、私は明日でも大丈夫です。

   If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.

   相手

   the other person; the other party

   待つ

   wait

   ほうがいい

   it is better to

   と思う

   think that

   なら

   if; if that is the case

   私

   I; me

   は

   as for

   明日

   tomorrow

   でも

   even; also

   大丈夫です

   is okay; works

   More detail

   相手 means the other person or party involved. It is a noun, so it can be reused with particles such as が or は: 相手が来ます。 means “The other person will come.” In this sentence, the supplied translation identifies the other party as the one who would rather wait, without specifying whether that refers to one person or more than one. 待つ is the dictionary form of the verb “to wait.” In this sentence it appears inside the expression 待つほうがいい, where the plain form 待つ modifies ほう: literally, “the option of waiting.” The same form can describe a present or future action when context supplies the time. Example: ここで待つ。 — “I’ll wait here.” ほうがいい presents one option as preferable: “it is better to …” or, in advice, “you should …”. With a verb, a plain form can come before it: 休むほうがいい。 — “It is better to rest.” Here it evaluates waiting as the preferred option; it does not by itself mean that waiting has already happened. と思う is the verb 思う (“to think”) with と, which marks the thought or proposition being held. The observed form 思う is non-past and can express a current opinion or a future-oriented judgment. In this sentence, the supplied translation presents the other party as preferring to wait. Example: それがいいと思います。 — “I think that is good.” なら makes the preceding thought the condition: “if that is the case” or “if …”. It follows と思う here, so と思うなら means “if [they] think so” in the intended reading. This conditional form is useful when responding to a stated or inferred condition: 忙しいなら、明日にしましょう。 — “If you are busy, let’s do it tomorrow.” 私 is the first-person pronoun “I” or “me.” With は, the speaker sets themself as the topic. Japanese often omits pronouns when the context makes them clear, but 私は explicitly contrasts or foregrounds the speaker’s position here. 明日 means “tomorrow.” It is a time noun and does not need a separate preposition in this sentence. Example: 明日会います。 — “I will meet [you] tomorrow.” でも here presents 明日 as an acceptable option, with a nuance such as “even tomorrow” or “tomorrow also.” This is the particle combination で + も, not a new form of the noun 明日. In 明日でも大丈夫です, the speaker says that tomorrow is acceptable as one possible time; the sentence does not assert that tomorrow is the only option. 大丈夫です literally uses 大丈夫 (“all right” or “okay”) with polite です. In this context it means that the proposed time works for the speaker or causes no problem. Example: 午後でも大丈夫です。 — “The afternoon works for me too.” Together, 相手が待つほうがいいと思うなら sets the condition “if they would rather wait,” according to the supplied translation. 私は makes the speaker’s position the topic, and 明日でも大丈夫です says that tomorrow is an acceptable option for the speaker. The whole utterance therefore means: “If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.”

10. 明確な選択肢があれば、変更を受け入れやすくなるはずです。

    Clear options should make the change easier to accept.

    明確な

    clear

    選択肢

    option

    があれば

    if there are

    変更

    change

    受け入れ

    accept

    やすく

    easily

    なる

    become

    はずです

    should be expected

    More detail

    明確な means “clear” here. It is the attributive form of the な-adjective 明確だ, used directly before a noun: 明確な説明 means “a clear explanation.” The な is part of this adjective’s noun-modifying pattern; it is not an inflection of the noun that follows. 選択肢 means “option” or “choice.” This is a noun, and 選択肢が means “options” as the grammatical subject of the conditional clause. Japanese does not mark this noun as plural here; the context determines whether one or more options are intended. があれば expresses “if there is/are.” It is the conditional form of ある, used for the existence of things. The pattern [noun]があれば means “if there is/are [noun].” Example: 時間があれば、参加します。— “If I have time, I will participate.” Together, 明確な選択肢があれば means “if there are clear options.” The condition is presented before the comma, and the following clause states the expected result. 変更 means “change,” and in 変更を it is the object marked by を. Here it refers to the change that would be accepted; 変更を受け入れる means “accept the change.” Example: その変更を受け入れます。— “I will accept that change.” 受け入れ is the form of the verb 受け入れる used before another element. The full verb 受け入れる means “to accept” or “to receive,” and its ます-stem, 受け入れ, combines with やすい in 受け入れやすい. The observed form is not a separate verb meaning “accept” by itself in this construction. やすく is the connective form of the い-adjective やすい, “easy to.” After a verb stem, [verb stem]やすい means “easy to [verb]”: 読みやすい means “easy to read.” Its く-form connects to なる, so 受け入れやすくなる means “become easier to accept.” なる means “become” or “come to be.” With an adjective’s く-form, it describes a change into that state: 静かになる means “become quiet,” while 受け入れやすくなる means “become easier to accept.” はずです presents the result as expected or well-founded: “should” or “is expected to.” はず is a noun meaning an expectation or reasonable conclusion, and です gives the polite sentence ending. It is stronger than merely saying that something is possible, but it does not guarantee the result. The whole structure is [condition]があれば、[object]を[verb stem]やすくなるはずです: “If there are clear options, [the change] should become easier to accept.” The condition 明確な選択肢があれば supplies the reason, and 変更を受け入れやすくなるはずです states the expected improvement in how easy accepting the change will be.