Describing a Possible Heating Problem | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 暖房はつくのですが、部屋がいつまでたっても快適になりません。

   The heating switches on, but the room never becomes comfortable.

   暖房

   heating

   つく

   switches on; comes on

   のですが

   but; though

   部屋

   room

   いつまでたっても

   no matter how long; still never

   快適

   comfortable

   になりません

   does not become

   More detail

   暖房 means “heating” here. It is a noun referring to the heating system or heating function, not to a particular appliance. In Japanese, nouns commonly take は to mark the topic: 暖房は means “as for the heating.” つく means “come on” or “switch on” in this sentence. It is the non-past form of つく; with equipment such as heating or a light, it describes the equipment becoming operational. This is distinct from つける, “turn something on,” which normally presents a person or agent as causing the action. Here the translation supports the intransitive reading “the heating switches on.” のですが gives a connecting “but” or “although” effect. の presents or frames the preceding fact, and ですが connects it politely to the following problem. In this utterance, the useful reusable pattern is A のですが、B (“A, but B”), without changing the fact expressed by A. 部屋 means “room.” In 部屋が, the particle が marks 部屋 as the grammatical subject—the thing that undergoes the change described next. The fixed translation identifies the room as the thing that does not become comfortable. This differs from a topic marked by は, as in 部屋は (“as for the room”). いつまでたっても means “no matter how long it takes” or “even after all this time.” It is commonly used with a negative predicate to express that a condition still has not changed: いつまでたっても Aない means “A never happens, however long one waits.” The form たって comes from 経つ (“pass,” especially of time) in its connective form; the phrase is not a question about a specific deadline. 快適 means “comfortable.” It is a na-adjective, so the change-of-state pattern is 快適になる, literally “become comfortable.” In Japanese, na-adjectives use な before a noun, as in 快適な部屋 (“a comfortable room”), but use に before なる to express becoming: 快適になる. なりません is the polite negative form of なる, “become.” The observed form says that the change does not occur. With the preceding に, 快適になりません means “does not become comfortable.” The polite non-negative counterpart is なります (“becomes”); the base form is なる. Together, 暖房はつくのですが says “the heating switches on, but,” establishing that the heating comes on. 部屋がいつまでたっても快適になりません says that, however long one waits, the room does not become comfortable. The whole utterance therefore means: “The heating switches on, but the room never becomes comfortable.”

2. サーモスタットは動いていても、ラジエーターのバルブが固まったままかもしれません。

   The thermostat may be working, while the radiator valve remains stuck.

   サーモスタット

   thermostat

   動いていても

   even if it is working

   ラジエーター

   radiator

   バルブ

   valve

   固まったまま

   remain stuck

   かもしれません

   may; might

   More detail

   サーモスタット means “thermostat,” the device being discussed. It is a noun written in katakana, as is common for many technical loanwords in Japanese. In サーモスタットは, は marks this noun as the topic; the topic is the thermostat identified by the fixed translation. 動いていても means “even if it is working.” The base verb is 動く, “to work” in this equipment context or “to move” in other contexts. Its ている form, 動いている, describes an ongoing condition; here it means that the thermostat is functioning. The ending ても adds a concessive meaning such as “even if” or “although.” Example: 機械が動いていても、音が出ないことがあります。 — “Even if the machine is working, it may sometimes make no sound.” ラジエーター means “radiator.” It is a noun in katakana. Here it is linked by の to the following noun: ラジエーターのバルブ means “the radiator’s valve” or, more naturally, “the valve on the radiator.” バルブ means “valve.” It is another katakana noun. In バルブが, が marks the valve as the grammatical subject of the condition 固まったまま. 固まったまま means “remaining stuck.” The base verb is the intransitive 固まる, “to become hard, set, or stuck,” and 固まった is its past form. The past form here identifies the state that has been reached; it does not by itself mean that the sticking happened at a particular past time. まま means “remaining in the same state,” so 固まったまま presents the valve as still stuck. Example: ドアが閉まったままです。 — “The door remains closed.” かもしれません means “may” or “might.” It expresses possibility rather than certainty, and ません gives the polite sentence ending. In this utterance, the possible situation is that the radiator valve remains stuck. The form is a polite way to state uncertainty; it does not mean that the speaker is making a firm diagnosis. Together, サーモスタットは動いていても sets up a contrast: “even if the thermostat is working.” ラジエーターのバルブが固まったまま describes the contrasting equipment condition: “the radiator valve remains stuck.” The final かもしれません makes the whole proposition tentative, producing: “The thermostat may be working, while the radiator valve remains stuck.”

3. その可能性も考えましたが、壁の近くではパイプが温かく感じられるからです。

   I wondered about that, because the pipe feels warm near the wall.

   その

   that

   可能性

   possibility

   も

   also

   考えました

   considered; wondered

   壁

   wall

   近く

   nearby; vicinity

   では

   at/in …; as for …

   パイプ

   pipe

   温かく

   warm

   感じられる

   feels; can be felt

   からです

   because

   More detail

   その points to an already established thing or idea. Here it modifies 可能性, and the translation supports the meaning “that”; the exact referent of “that” is not identified in the fixed sentence. Japanese demonstratives also distinguish distance or discourse status, but this form is the relevant attributive form before a noun. 可能性 means “possibility.” It is a noun and can be used in reusable patterns such as 可能性がある (“there is a possibility”) and 可能性を考える (“consider a possibility”). も adds the meaning “also” or “too” to the preceding phrase. Thus その可能性も means “that possibility too,” without itself stating what other possibility was considered. 考えました is the polite past form of 考える, “to think” or “to consider.” The past form presents the considering as completed or as a thought the speaker had. 可能性を考える is a useful pattern for “consider a possibility.” Example: 別の可能性を考えました。 — “I considered another possibility.” The connective が immediately after this selected phrase links the consideration to the following reason. In this sentence it can be rendered naturally as “but” or left implicit in English; the selected phrase 考えました itself does not include that connective. 壁 means “wall.” It is a noun; in 壁の近く, の links it to 近く, giving “the vicinity of the wall.” 近く means “near” or “the vicinity.” Here it is the noun 近く in the pattern Nの近く (“near N”), rather than an adjective modifying 壁. Example: 駅の近くです。 — “It is near the station.” では is で plus は. で marks the place or setting, and は gives that setting a topic or contrastive focus: 壁の近くでは means “near the wall” with that location singled out. It does not by itself mean that the pipe is located permanently there. パイプ means “pipe.” It is the noun functioning as the thing whose temperature is perceived in the following expression. 温かく is the adverbial form of the i-adjective 温かい, “warm.” The ending changes 温かい to 温かく so it can describe how something is perceived in 温かく感じられる. This is different from 暖かい, which commonly describes pleasantly warm weather or surroundings; 温かい is especially useful for the warmth of an object or substance. 感じられる comes from 感じる, “to feel” or “to perceive,” and here expresses that something can be perceived as warm: “feels warm” or “can be felt as warm.” The form is not the simple present 感じる; 感じられる presents the perception as possible or perceptible. Example: この金属は冷たく感じられる。 — “This metal feels cold.” からです follows a clause and presents that preceding clause as the reason for what came before; it ends the explanation politely. Here 壁の近くではパイプが温かく感じられるからです means “because the pipe feels warm near the wall.” The です adds a polite sentence ending; it is not a separate English content word. Putting the parts together, その可能性も考えましたが means “I considered that possibility too, but,” and 壁の近くではパイプが温かく感じられるからです gives the reason: “because the pipe feels warm near the wall.” The whole utterance therefore means: “I wondered about that, because the pipe feels warm near the wall.”

4. それなら、問題は電源ではなく、おそらく循環ですね。

   Then the problem is probably circulation rather than power.

   それなら

   then; in that case

   問題

   problem

   電源

   power supply

   ではなく

   rather than; not … but …

   おそらく

   probably

   循環

   circulation

   ですね

   is, with a confirming tone

   More detail

   それなら means “then” or “in that case.” それ refers to something already under discussion, while なら presents the condition or premise: “if that is so.” Example: それなら、始めましょう。 — “In that case, let’s begin.” 問題 means “problem” or “issue.” It is a noun and can be used in compounds, such as 問題点 (“problematic point” or “issue”). In this sentence, it is the topic being identified. 電源 means “power supply” or “the power source,” not electricity in every possible sense. The sentence identifies this as the first item in a contrast. Example: 電源を切ってください。 — “Please turn off the power.” ではなく is a reusable contrast pattern meaning “not X, but/rather than X.” It is the negative continuative form of だ after a noun or noun-like expression: Xではなく、Y = “not X, but Y.” Here, 電源ではなく means “rather than the power supply,” and the following 循環 supplies the alternative. This construction does not by itself assert a numerical contrast or indicate that both possibilities are equally likely. おそらく means “probably” or “likely.” It expresses the speaker’s uncertainty about the identification that follows. Example: おそらく明日です。 — “It is probably tomorrow.” 循環 means “circulation” or “circulating flow.” In this utterance, the fixed translation supports the sense of circulation as the alternative to the power supply. As a noun, it can also describe circulation in other contexts, but its exact type must come from context. ですね combines です, a polite copular form, with sentence-final ね. です presents the statement politely; ね gives it a confirming or shared-recognition tone, similar to “right?” or “I see” in suitable contexts. Here it does not turn the utterance into a direct question; it softens the conclusion and invites agreement. Together, それなら sets up the conclusion from the preceding premise: “Then, in that case.” 問題は marks “the problem” as the topic, while 電源ではなく excludes the power supply as the identified cause and おそらく循環 gives circulation as the probable alternative. The whole utterance is therefore: “Then the problem is probably circulation rather than power,” stated politely with a confirming tone through ですね.

5. 技術者は、すべての部屋に入らずに確認できますか。

   Could a technician check it without entering every room?

   技術者は

   as for the technician

   すべての

   all; every

   部屋

   room

   入らずに

   without entering

   確認できますか

   can check?

   More detail

   技術者は identifies the technician as the topic: “as for the technician.” 技術者 means “technician,” and は marks the topic. The topic marker does not itself say that the technician is the grammatical subject of every later verb, but here the fixed translation supports the technician as the person who may perform the check. すべての means “every” or “all,” and it modifies the noun immediately after it. With a countable place such as 部屋, すべての部屋 means “every room” in this sentence. The form すべての is a noun-modifying form; it is not the noun 部屋 and does not replace it. 部屋 means “room.” A reusable pattern is すべての + noun, for example, すべての窓 means “every window.” 入らずに means “without entering.” Its base verb is 入る, “to enter,” and the observed negative form is 入らず, followed by に. This 〜ずに pattern connects a negative action to the main action: 確認せずに means “without checking.” In more everyday wording, 入らないで can also express “without entering,” but it is not the form used in the fixed utterance. Here 入らずに applies to entering the rooms; it does not negate 確認できますか. 確認できますか asks whether checking is possible: “can [someone] check?” 確認する is the base verb meaning “to check” or “to confirm,” and できる expresses ability or possibility. In this polite form, できます is followed by question marker か. The sentence does not specify in the target text what “it” is being checked; the fixed translation supports the general meaning “check it.” Together, すべての部屋に入らずに means “without entering every room,” and 確認できますか asks whether the technician can check the unspecified object or matter under that condition. The complete utterance therefore means: “Could a technician check it without entering every room?” The polite question presents this as a request for information about whether that checking is possible.

6. アパート全体の温度を比べるために、各部屋に入れる必要があるかもしれません。

   They may need access to compare temperatures across the apartment.

   アパート

   apartment

   全体

   whole; entire

   温度

   temperature

   比べる

   compare

   ために

   in order to

   各部屋

   each room

   入れる

   enter; put in

   必要

   need; necessity

   かもしれません

   may; might

   More detail

   アパート means “apartment.” It is a noun; in this sentence it is the place whose overall area is being considered. 全体 means “the whole” or “the entirety.” Combined with アパートの, アパート全体の describes something belonging to or covering the apartment as a whole, rather than just one part. Example: 建物全体 means “the whole building.” 温度 means “temperature.” Here, アパート全体の温度 refers to the temperature across the apartment. The particle の links the apartment-wide scope to the noun 温度. 比べる is the dictionary form meaning “to compare.” Its object takes を, so 温度を比べる means “compare temperatures.” Example: 二つの方法を比べる。 — “I compare the two methods.” ために expresses purpose when it follows a verb in its plain form: 比べるために means “in order to compare.” It introduces the goal of the action that follows. Example: 確認するために写真を撮ります。 — “I take a picture in order to check.” 各部屋 means “each room.” 各 gives the noun-by-noun meaning “each,” so this is not simply “the rooms” as an undifferentiated group. Example: 各部署 means “each department.” 入れる is the observed form in 各部屋に入れる. In this context, supported by the translation “have access,” it has the potential meaning “be able to enter,” corresponding to 入る “enter.” The same spelling can also be the transitive verb “put something or someone in,” so the surrounding construction is important. Here, 各部屋に入れる means “be able to enter each room.” 必要 is a noun-like word meaning “need” or “necessity.” The pattern 必要がある means “need to” or “it is necessary to,” and 必要 itself is not the verb that carries the action. Example: 確認する必要があります。 — “It is necessary to check.” かもしれません expresses possibility: “may” or “might.” In this sentence it follows 必要があります, making 必要があるかもしれません mean “may need to.” It presents the need as possible, not certain. Example: 明日は雨かもしれません。 — “It may rain tomorrow.” Together, アパート全体の温度を比べるために gives the purpose “in order to compare temperatures across the whole apartment.” 各部屋に入れる必要がある says that being able to enter each room is necessary, and かもしれません makes that necessity uncertain. The whole utterance therefore means: “They may need access to each room in order to compare temperatures across the apartment.”

7. 十分な時間をあけて知らせてくれるなら、手配できます。

   I can arrange that if they give reasonable notice.

   十分な

   sufficient

   時間

   time

   あけて

   leaving an interval

   知らせてくれるなら

   if they let me know

   手配できます

   can arrange it

   More detail

   十分な means “sufficient” or “adequate.” It is the attributive form of 十分だ and directly modifies the noun that follows. Here it describes the amount of 時間, so 十分な時間 means “sufficient time.” 時間 means “time,” and in this sentence it is the interval or lead time available before the arrangement. A useful pattern is 十分な時間をあける, “to leave sufficient time.” をあけて uses あける in its て-form. In this context, 時間をあける means to leave or create an interval, not simply to open a physical object. The て-form links this action to the following action: leave enough time and then give notice. The form may also appear in requests or connected actions, for example, 少し時間をあけてください means “Please leave a little time.” 知らせてくれるなら combines 知らせる, “to notify” or “let someone know,” with くれる and the conditional なら. 知らせてくれる presents the notifying as something done for the speaker’s benefit, while 〜なら means “if” or “if that is the case.” In this sentence, the understood notifying party is “they,” and the intended recipient is the speaker, matching the fixed translation “if they give reasonable notice.” The preceding phrase specifies the condition: they notify the speaker after leaving sufficient lead time. 手配できます uses the noun 手配 (“arrangement” or “arranging”) with する; できます is the polite potential form of できる, expressing ability or feasibility. Thus 手配できます means “can arrange it.” The object of the arrangement is understood from the situation rather than stated as a separate noun in this sentence. Together, 十分な時間をあけて sets the required amount of lead time, and 知らせてくれるなら makes that advance notice the condition. 手配できます gives the result: “I can arrange that if they give reasonable notice.”

8. 確認する前に、はっきりした時間帯を指定してもらうようお願いすべきです。

   We should request a clear time window before we confirm.

   確認する

   confirm

   前に

   before

   はっきりした

   clear

   時間帯

   time window

   指定してもらう

   have someone specify

   ようお願い

   request that someone do something

   すべきです

   should

   More detail

   確認する means “to confirm” here. Its dictionary form is used before 前に in the pattern V-る前に, meaning “before doing V.” Example: 出かける前に、電気を消します。 — “Before going out, I turn off the lights.” 前に places the action in its clause earlier than a later action: “before ….” In this sentence, the confirmation is the earlier reference point for the request: the request should happen before confirmation. The same form can also be used with a noun, as in 昼食の前に — “before lunch.” はっきりした means “clear” or “definite” here and modifies 時間帯. It is the attributive form of the expression はっきりする (“become clear / be clear”), not a form of the noun 時間帯. The form はっきりした describes the time window as clearly specified. Example: はっきりした答えが必要です。 — “A clear answer is needed.” 時間帯 is a noun meaning a period or window of time. It refers to a span within a day rather than one precise instant. In the sentence, はっきりした時間帯 is a noun phrase: “a clear time window.” 指定してもらう combines 指定する (“specify/designate”) with ～てもらう. The latter presents the speaker as receiving the favor or benefit of someone else doing the action, so here it means “have someone specify” or “ask someone to specify.” The person who specifies is not named in the sentence. Example: 相手に場所を指定してもらいます。 — “I’ll have the other person specify the place.” ようお願い belongs to the polite request pattern ～ようにお願いする: “request that someone do ….” The ように part connects the desired action to お願いする (“make a request”); in the fixed text, に is not written between よう and お願い, so the selected quote itself is only the exact span ようお願い. Together with the preceding 指定してもらう, the construction makes a request for someone to specify the time window. すべきです expresses that the action is advisable or the proper thing to do: “should.” すべき is the form used before the polite copula です; it is associated with する and has a somewhat firm or formal “ought to” quality. Example: 早めに連絡すべきです。 — “You should contact them early.” Together, 確認する前に means “before we confirm,” はっきりした時間帯を指定してもらうようお願いする means “request that someone specify a clear time window,” and べきです marks this as the recommended action. The whole utterance therefore means: “We should request a clear time window before we confirm.”