Organizing Account Activity | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: At a banking support desk, two adults discuss organizing account activity so recurring services and unusual payments are easier to notice..

EN → JA / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Organizing Account Activity to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

普段の口座の利用と、ときどきある支払いを分けようとしています。

FOO-dahn noh KOO-zah noh ree-YOH toh, toh-kee-DOH-kee ah-roo shee-hah-RAI oh WAH-keh-yoh toh shee-TEH ee-MAHSS. I'm trying to separate routine account activity from occasional payments.
B

そうすると、どのサービスが自動的に更新されるのか分かりやすくなります。

soh-KOO-suh-TOH, doh-noh SAH-bee-soo gah jee-DOH-teh-kee nee KOH-shin sah-REH-roo noh-kah wah-kah-ree-yah-SOO-koo nah-ree-MAHSS. That can help you see which services renew automatically.
A

難しいのは、変化が埋もれてしまう前に気づくことです。

nahn-SHEE noh wah, hen-KAH gah oo-MOH-reh-teh shee-MAH-oo mae-nee kee-DOO-koo koh-toh dess. The hard part is noticing changes before they get buried.
B

似た支払いをまとめるほうが、リマインダーだけに頼るより役立つかもしれません。

nee-TAH shee-hah-RAI oh mah-TOH-meh-roo hoh gah, ree-MAH-in-dah dah-keh nee tah-YOH-roo yoh-ree yah-koo-DAH-tsu kah-moh shee-REH-mah-SEN. Grouping similar payments may help more than relying on reminders.
A

定期的なサービス用に専用のカードを一枚使えそうです。

teh-KEE-teh-kee nah SAH-bee-soo yooh nee sen-YOH noh KAH-doh oh ee-CHY-mah tsu-KAH-eh soh dess. I could use one dedicated card for regular services.
B

そうすれば、普段と違う利用がもっと早く目につくでしょう。

soh-SOO-sheh-bah, FOO-dahn toh chee-GAH-oo ree-YOH gah MOHT-toh HAH-yah-koo meh nee TSOO-koo deh-SHOH. Then unusual activity would stand out more quickly.
A

メイン口座の記録も、あまりごちゃごちゃしなくなるかもしれません。

MAYN KOO-zah noh kee-ROH-koo moh, ah-MAH-ree goh-chah-GOH-chah shee-NAH-koo nah-ROO kah-moh shee-REH-mah-SEN. It might also keep my main account less cluttered.
B

記録が整理されていると、今後の判断がしやすくなります。

kee-ROH-koo gah seh-REE sah-REH-teh ee-ROO toh, KOHN-goh noh hahn-DAHN gah shee-YAH-soo-koo nah-ree-MAHSS. Cleaner records can make future decisions easier.

Word by Word

普段 In 普段の口座の利用, 普段 means usual or ordinary, referring to normal account activity. It modifies the following noun and is useful when discussing someone’s regular routine or habits.
の Here の links 普段 to 口座の利用, making 普段 describe the use of the account. A common reuse pattern is one noun or description followed by の and the noun it qualifies.
口座 口座 means a bank account in 口座の利用. It is used when discussing account management, balances, or account activity.
利用 In 口座の利用, 利用 means use or usage, referring here to activity involving the bank account. The pattern Nの利用 is useful for describing how something is used.
と Here と connects 普段の口座の利用 with ときどきある支払い as two things to separate. It is commonly used to link nouns or noun phrases in a list.
ときどき ときどき means sometimes or occasionally in ときどきある支払い. It describes something that occurs from time to time, such as irregular account payments.
ある In ときどきある支払い, ある describes payments that occur or exist occasionally. It is placed before 支払い to describe what kind of payments they are.
支払い 支払い means payment in ときどきある支払い. It is used for money that is paid, especially when discussing bills or account records.
を Here を marks ときどきある支払い as the object of the separation in 分けようとしています. It commonly marks the thing directly affected by an action.
分けよう 分けよう is the volitional form of 分ける and expresses the intention to separate or sort. Together with しています, 分けようとしています describes an ongoing attempt; a common pattern is Xを分けようとする.
しています しています is the polite ongoing form of する, whose citation form is する. After 分けようと, it shows that the speaker is currently trying to do something.
そうすると そうすると means then or if so, referring to the preceding plan and introducing its result. そう points back to that plan, while すると presents what follows when the action is taken; it is useful for explaining a consequence.
どの どの asks which one among a group and directly modifies サービス in どのサービス. The reusable pattern is どの + noun when selecting one item from several possibilities.
サービス サービス means service in どのサービスが自動的に更新されるのか. It refers here to a recurring service connected with account payments.
が Here が marks どのサービス as the subject of 自動的に更新される. It is useful inside a clause that identifies what performs or undergoes an action.
自動的 自動的 means automatic in 自動的に更新される, indicating that the renewal happens without a person carrying it out each time. It is commonly followed by に when describing an automatic manner.
に In 自動的に, に changes 自動的 into an adverbial description of how the renewal happens. This use is common after a な-type description before an action.
更新される 更新される means be renewed or be updated in 自動的に更新される. It describes the service as undergoing renewal, and a useful pattern is Nが更新される.
か Here か turns どのサービスが自動的に更新される into an embedded question about which services renew automatically. It can mark an uncertain point or information to be determined inside a larger sentence.
分かりやすく 分かりやすく means in an easy-to-understand or easy-to-see way in 分かりやすくなります. Before なる, it describes something becoming easier to understand or notice.
なります なります is the polite form of なる and means becomes here, completing 分かりやすくなります. A common pattern is an adjective or description followed by なる to express a change of state.
難しい 難しい means difficult or hard in 難しいのは, describing the part that presents difficulty. It is useful when identifying a difficult task or point in a situation.
は In 難しいのは, は marks the topic and frames the following explanation as the difficult point. It is commonly used to set up a topic before describing or evaluating it.
変化 変化 means change in 変化が埋もれてしまう前に, referring to changes in account activity. It is useful for discussing changes in records, conditions, or behavior.
埋もれて 埋もれて is the te-form of 埋もれる and means becoming buried or hidden in 埋もれてしまう. Here it describes changes disappearing among other records before they can be noticed.
しまう After 埋もれて, しまう indicates that the changes end up becoming buried, with an unwanted or complete-result nuance. The reusable pattern Vてしまう often describes an action or result that has unfortunately occurred.
前 In 埋もれてしまう前に, 前 means before and places one event earlier than another. A common pattern is a clause followed by 前に when something must happen before that event.
気づく 気づく means notice or become aware of something in 気づくこと. It is commonly used with に for the thing that comes to someone’s attention, as in Xに気づく.
こと After 気づく, こと turns the action into the act or fact of noticing in 気づくこと. This lets an action function as the topic or subject of a sentence.
です です is the polite copula that closes the explanation in 難しいのは、変化が埋もれてしまう前に気づくことです. It presents the preceding phrase as the answer or definition of the topic.
似た 似た means similar in 似た支払い and directly describes payments that resemble one another. A useful pattern is 似た + noun when grouping things by similarity.
まとめる まとめる means group or organize in まとめるほうが, referring to putting similar payments together. A common reuse pattern is Xをまとめる for organizing a set of items.
ほう In まとめるほうが、リマインダーだけに頼るより, ほう presents grouping as one option or approach for comparison. The pattern V-ほうが is useful when saying that one approach is preferable or more helpful.
リマインダー リマインダー means reminder in リマインダーだけに頼る. It refers here to a tool used to remember payments or tasks, especially when discussing ways to avoid missing something.
だけ Here だけ means only and limits the reliance to reminders in リマインダーだけに頼る. It is useful for emphasizing that something is the sole method or basis.
頼る 頼る means rely on in リマインダーだけに頼る. It commonly takes に for the person, tool, or method being relied on.
より In 頼るより, より marks the comparison point, meaning than relying on reminders. It is useful when comparing one method or option with another.
役立つ 役立つ means be useful or help in まとめるほうが役立つ. It describes an action or thing as providing practical benefit, often with に for what it is useful for.
かもしれません かもしれません expresses a polite possibility such as might or may. かも marks the uncertain possibility and しれません completes the polite expression; it is useful when presenting a suggestion without certainty.
定期的 定期的 means regular or recurring in 定期的なサービス. It describes services that occur at regular intervals and is followed by な before a noun.
な Here な links 定期的 to サービス in 定期的なサービス. This linking form is used when a description of this type directly modifies a noun.
用 In サービス用に, 用 indicates intended use or purpose, meaning for services. The pattern N用 is useful for marking what something is designed or reserved for.
専用 専用 means dedicated or reserved for a particular purpose in 専用のカード. It shows that the card is intended specifically for the regular services rather than general use.
カード カード means card in 専用のカード. In this dialogue it refers to a payment card used for regular services.
使えそう 使えそう means seems possible to use or looks usable in 使えそうです. It combines the potential form 使える of 使う with そう, presenting the use as a feasible possibility rather than a firm decision.
そうすれば そうすれば means if that is done or then, referring to the proposed use of a dedicated card. そう points back to that action, while すれば is the conditional form of する; together they introduce the expected result.
違う 違う means be different in 普段と違う利用, describing activity that differs from the usual pattern. A common reuse pattern is Xと違う for something different from a reference point.
もっと もっと means more and increases the degree of 早く in もっと早く目につく. It is useful when comparing the current degree with a greater one.
早く 早く is the adverbial form of 早い and means quickly here in もっと早く目につく. It describes how soon unusual activity becomes noticeable.
目につく 目につく means catch the eye or stand out as a whole. 目 contributes the eye or visual attention, に marks the point of contact, and つく contributes the idea of coming to that attention; this expression is useful for noticeable details or problems.
でしょう でしょう expresses a polite expectation or prediction in 目につくでしょう, meaning the unusual activity would probably stand out. It is useful when presenting an expected result with some uncertainty.
メイン メイン means main in メイン口座の記録, identifying the primary account rather than the dedicated card account. It is useful for distinguishing the principal item from a secondary one.
記録 記録 means record or records in メイン口座の記録. It refers to the stored history of account activity and commonly combines with の to show what is recorded.
も Here も means also or too, adding the effect on the main account’s records to the other benefits already mentioned. It commonly adds another item or situation to the statement.
あまり あまり means not very or not much here because it appears with the negative form しなく. It is useful for expressing a limited degree when describing how much something does or does not happen.
ごちゃごちゃ ごちゃごちゃ means cluttered or messy in ごちゃごちゃしなくなる, describing records that are difficult to keep orderly. It is useful for describing an arrangement with too many mixed or disorganized elements.
しなく しなく is the negative connective form of する in ごちゃごちゃしなくなる. After ごちゃごちゃ, it means not be cluttered, and before なる it describes a change into that state.
なる なる means become in ごちゃごちゃしなくなる, expressing a change toward a less cluttered state. A common pattern is a description followed by なる to show that something comes to have that condition.
整理されている 整理されている means be organized or be kept in order in 記録が整理されている. The form describes records as remaining in an organized state, which is useful when discussing files, information, or account history.
今後 今後 means from now on or in the future in 今後の判断. It places the decisions after the present point and is useful for discussing future plans or consequences.
判断 判断 means decision or judgment in 今後の判断. It refers to choices made after considering information, and it commonly combines with の when specifying what those decisions concern.
しやすく しやすく means in an easy-to-do way in 判断がしやすくなります, so future decisions become easier to make. It is the adverbial form used when an action is easy, and a common pattern is a verb stem followed by やすい.

Grammar Points

動詞意向形＋としています

似た支払いをまとめようとしています。

nee-TAH shee-hah-RAI oh mah-TOH-meh-yoh toh shee-TEH ee-MAHSS.

I am trying to group similar payments together.

～ようとしています expresses an attempt or an action that is about to happen.

～てしまう

普段と違う変化が埋もれてしまう。

FOO-dahn toh chee-GAH-oo hen-KAH gah oo-MOH-reh-teh shee-MAH-oo.

An unusual change ends up being overlooked.

～てしまう shows that something ends up happening, often with an unwanted or regrettable result.

Japanese Vocabulary

気づく verb
kee-DOO-koo notice; realize
口座 noun
KOO-zah bank account
更新される verb
KOH-shin sah-REH-roo be renewed; renew automatically
支払い noun
shee-hah-RAI payment
自動的に adv
jee-DOH-teh-kee nee automatically
難しい adj
nahn-SHEE difficult
普段 adv
FOO-dahn usual; ordinarily
分かりやすくなります phrase
wah-kah-ree-yah-SOO-koo nah-ree-MAHSS become easier to understand
分けようとしています phrase
WAH-keh-yoh toh shee-TEH ee-MAHSS am trying to separate
変化 noun
hen-KAH change
埋もれてしまう verb
oo-MOH-reh-teh shee-MAH-oo get buried; end up being overlooked
利用 noun
ree-YOH use; usage

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

be renewed; renew automatically

Show Answer更新される

become easier to understand

Show Answer分かりやすくなります

am trying to separate

Show Answer分けようとしています

automatically

Show Answer自動的に