Clarifying Dependencies in a Priority Debate | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a workplace feedback session, two colleagues discuss how a tense priority debate can be made clearer with a dependency map..

EN → JA / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Clarifying Dependencies in a Priority Debate to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

みんなの優先順位を順位づけし始めると、議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました。

MIHN-nah noh yoo-SEN joo-NEE oh joo-NEE-zoo-keh shee hah-jee-MEH-roo toh, gee-ROHN gah keen-CHOH shee-tah foon-EE-kee nee nah-ree-mah-SHTAH. The discussion got tense once people started ranking everyone's priorities.
B

いくつかのチームは、自分たちの仕事が後回しにされていると感じていたようです。

ee-KOOT-soo-kah noh CHEE-moo wah, jee-boon tah-chee noh shee-goh-toh gah oh-toh-MAH-shee nee sah-reh-teh EE-roo toh kahn-jee-teh ee-tah yoh dess. It sounded like some teams felt their work was being pushed aside.
A

誰もそのつもりがなかったとしても、それで信頼が損なわれることがあります。

dah-reh moh soh-noh tsoo-moh-ree gah nah-kah-tah toh-shee-teh moh, soh-reh deh sheen-RAI gah soh-KOH-nah-wah-reh-roo koh-toh gah ah-ree-mahss. That can hurt trust, even if nobody meant it that way.
B

次の会議の前に、依存関係と重要度を分けて考えたほうがよいかもしれません。

MAH-jee kahn-GAH-eh-tah hoh gah yoh-EE kah-moh shee-reh-MAH-sen. Maybe we should separate dependencies from importance before the next meeting.
A

先に行う必要がある作業もあります。

SAH-kee nee oh-koh-NAH-oo heet-soo-YOH gah ah-roo sah-GYOH moh ah-ree-MAHS. Some tasks need to happen first.
A

しかし、それでその作業の価値が高くなるわけではありません。

shee-KAH-shee, soh-reh deh soh-noh sah-GYOH noh KAH-chee gah tah-KAH-koo nah-roo wah-keh deh wah ah-ree-mah-SEN. But that does not make them more valuable.
B

次に会う前に、依存関係の図を作成できます。

TSOO-gee nee ah-oo MAH-eh nee, ee-ZOHN kahn-KAY noh zoo oh sah-koo-SAY deh-kee-MAHS. I can put together a dependency map before we meet again.
A

そうすれば、議論を個人的なものにせず、具体的なものにできるはずです。

soh-oo soo-REH-bah, gee-ROHN oh koh-JEEN-teh-kee nah moh-noh nee seh-zoo, goo-TAI-teh-kee nah moh-noh nee deh-kee-roo hah-zoo dess. That should keep the discussion concrete instead of personal.
B

そうすれば、みんなが自分の不満だけでなく、同じ情報をもとに議論できます。

soh-oo soo-REH-bah, MEEN-nah gah jee-boon noh foo-MAHN dah-keh deh-NAH-koo, oh-NAH-jee joh-HOH oh moh-toh nee gee-ROHN deh-kee-MAHS. Then people can base the discussion on the same information, not just their frustrations.

Word by Word

みんな In this dialogue, みんな means everyone involved in the discussion. It refers to all the people whose priorities are being considered. A common pattern is みんなの優先順位, meaning everyone’s priorities.
の Here, の links みんな to 優先順位 and shows whose priorities they are. The pattern みんなの優先順位 means “everyone’s priorities.” This particle commonly connects a possessor or category to a noun.
優先順位 優先順位 means the order of priority assigned to tasks or concerns. In みんなの優先順位, it refers to each person’s or team’s priorities in the debate. It is useful when comparing which work should be handled first.
を In みんなの優先順位を順位づけし始める, を marks みんなの優先順位 as the direct object of the ranking action. It shows what is being ranked. A common pattern is nounを動詞, with the noun receiving the action.
順位づけ 順位づけ means ranking something in an order of priority. In this line, みんなの優先順位を順位づけ refers to ranking everyone’s priorities. It is used when an order or relative position must be assigned.
し始める し始める means begin doing something, and here it says that people began ranking priorities. It follows the action noun 順位づけ to form 順位づけし始める. This pattern is useful for describing the start of an activity.
と In し始めると、議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました, と means “when” or “once” and connects the trigger to its result. It presents the tense atmosphere as arising once the ranking began. This conditional pattern is useful for describing a result that follows an event.
議論 議論 means the discussion or debate taking place here. In 議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました, it is the discussion whose atmosphere changed. The word is useful for workplace discussions about an issue or decision.
が In 議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました, が marks 議論 as the subject undergoing the change. It identifies what became a tense atmosphere. A common pattern is nounが状態になる.
緊張した 緊張した describes the atmosphere as tense or strained in this discussion. Together with 雰囲気, 緊張した雰囲気 means a tense atmosphere. It is useful when a conversation becomes uncomfortable or pressured.
雰囲気 雰囲気 means the atmosphere or general feeling of a situation. Here, 緊張した雰囲気 describes the strained feeling of the discussion. It is commonly used with an adjective or description of the atmosphere.
に In 緊張した雰囲気になりました, に marks the resulting state that the atmosphere entered. The pattern nounに+なる describes becoming or changing into a state. It is useful for describing a change in tone or condition.
なりました なりました means became or came to be, and here it completes 緊張した雰囲気になりました, “became a tense atmosphere.” The polite form presents the change as a completed event. A common pattern is nounに+なりました for a resulting state.
いくつか いくつか means some or several, referring here to more than one team but not specifying exactly which ones. In いくつかのチーム, it modifies チーム through の. It is useful when referring to an unspecified limited number of items or groups.
チーム チーム means team, and here it refers to some workplace teams. In いくつかのチームは, the teams are introduced as the topic of the next statement. It is commonly used for an organized group working toward a shared task.
は In いくつかのチームは, は marks the teams as the topic and sets up what they felt. It can also create a contrast with other teams or viewpoints. A common pattern is nounは followed by information about that topic.
自分たち 自分たち refers to the teams themselves as a group. In 自分たちの仕事, it marks the work belonging to those teams. The pattern 自分たちの+ noun is useful when a group refers to its own people, work, or interests.
仕事 仕事 means work here, specifically the work belonging to the teams. In 自分たちの仕事が後回しにされている, it is the work perceived as being put aside. It is useful for discussing responsibilities, assignments, or duties.
後回し 後回し means putting something off or treating it as a lower priority. In 自分たちの仕事が後回しにされている, the teams feel their work is being left for later. It is useful when work is delayed because other matters are handled first.
されている In 後回しにされている, されている describes an ongoing state in which the work is being treated as lower priority. It presents 後回し as something done to the work rather than as the teams’ own action. This form is useful for describing a continuing treatment or situation.
感じていた 感じていた means felt or had been feeling, and here it describes the teams’ perception of their work being put aside. It connects that perception with 自分たちの仕事が後回しにされている. It is useful for reporting how someone experienced an ongoing situation.
よう In 感じていたようです, よう indicates that the speaker is describing an appearance or inference rather than directly asserting the teams’ private feelings. The full expression presents the interpretation politely. This pattern is useful when reporting what seems to have happened.
です Here, です gives 感じていたようです a polite sentence ending. It presents the speaker’s inference in a respectful workplace conversation. It commonly follows よう in this kind of polite statement.
誰も 誰も means nobody in the negative context 誰もそのつもりがなかった. It refers to no person having that intention. The pattern 誰も+negative predicate is used to say that nobody did or had something.
その その points back to the unintended treatment described in the earlier discussion. In そのつもり, it means that intention or that purpose. This demonstrative is useful when referring to something already understood from the conversation.
つもり つもり means intention or purpose here. In そのつもりがなかった, the speaker says that nobody had the intention implied by the result. It is commonly used with がある or がない to describe whether someone had an intention.
なかった In そのつもりがなかった, なかった says that the intention did not exist. It makes the statement negative and past in relation to the situation being discussed. The pattern nounがなかった is useful for saying that something was absent.
としても In なかったとしても、それで信頼が損なわれることがあります, としても means “even if” and introduces a concession. It acknowledges that nobody had the intention while allowing the consequence to remain possible. This pattern is useful for discussing an outcome that can occur despite a condition.
それ それ refers to the situation just mentioned, especially the unintended way the work was treated. In それで信頼が損なわれる, it identifies that situation as the cause of the loss of trust. It is useful for referring back to an already established matter.
で In それで信頼が損なわれる, で indicates that the situation represented by それ leads to the result. It can be understood as “because of that” or “as a result of that” here. This use is helpful when connecting a cause or circumstance to an outcome.
信頼 信頼 means trust or confidence between people or groups. In 信頼が損なわれる, it is the trust that may be damaged by the tense priority debate. It is useful in workplace conversations about relationships and cooperation.
損なわれる 損なわれる means be damaged or harmed, and here it describes trust being weakened. In 信頼が損なわれる, the focus is on the effect on trust rather than on who caused it. It is useful for describing damage to trust, relationships, or other valued conditions.
こと In 損なわれることがあります, こと turns the event of trust being damaged into something that can be discussed as an occurrence. The whole phrase means that such an event can happen. This nominalizing use is common before ある or ありません.
あります In 損なわれることがあります, あります means that the possibility or occurrence exists, giving “it can happen.” It completes the polite expression for a possible event. The pattern verbことがあります is useful for saying that something sometimes occurs.
次 次 means next in 次の会議. It identifies the meeting that will follow the current discussion. It is useful when arranging preparation or action for a later event.
会議 会議 means meeting, and here it refers to the next workplace meeting. In 次の会議の前に, it provides the event before which preparation should happen. It is useful for formal or work-related meetings.
前 In 次の会議の前に, 前 means before in time, not physical front. The phrase sets a deadline before the next meeting. A common pattern is eventの前に for an action that happens beforehand.
依存関係 依存関係 means dependencies, or relationships in which one task relies on another. Here, it is something to separate from importance before the meeting. It is useful when planning work that must follow a particular order.
重要度 重要度 means importance or degree of importance. In 依存関係と重要度, it is contrasted with task dependencies as a separate basis for discussion. It is useful when evaluating how important a task is.
分けて 分けて means separating or treating things separately in 分けて考えたほうがよい. Here, dependencies and importance should be considered as distinct factors. The pattern nounと nounを分けて考える is useful for separating two kinds of judgment.
考えた In 分けて考えたほうがよい, 考えた contributes to the advice that it would be better to consider the matters separately. This past-form pattern with ほうがよい expresses a recommended course of action. It is useful when giving a practical suggestion.
ほうがよい ほうがよい means that one option is better or advisable. In 分けて考えたほうがよい, it recommends considering dependencies and importance separately. A common pattern is verb past form+ほうがよい for direct but polite advice.
かもしれません かもしれません softens the suggestion by saying it may be the better approach rather than stating it as certain. In 考えたほうがよいかもしれません, it makes the workplace recommendation cautious and collaborative. It is useful when presenting a possibility or tentative proposal.
先 In 先に行う必要がある, 先 means ahead or first in the sequence. It indicates that some tasks must be done before others. It is useful for describing order or an earlier step in a process.
行う 行う means carry out or perform, and here it refers to carrying out some tasks first. In 先に行う必要がある, it has a formal workplace tone. It is useful for describing planned or organized actions.
必要 必要 means necessity or need. In 行う必要がある, it says that carrying out the tasks is required. The pattern verb必要がある is useful for stating that an action needs to be done.
ある In 行う必要がある, ある completes the expression that a need exists. It does not mean that a physical object is present here; it states the existence of a requirement. This pattern is useful for expressing necessity.
作業 作業 means task or work being carried out. In Some tasks need to happen first, 作業 refers to the work that has to be done in sequence. It is useful for concrete operational or project work.
も In 作業も, も means also or too. It adds these tasks to the other matters already under discussion. This particle is useful when including an additional item in the same statement.
しかし しかし means but or however and introduces a contrast with the need to do some tasks first. It signals that being first does not mean being more valuable. It is useful for clearly separating two related but different points.
価値 価値 means value or worth. In その作業の価値が高くなる, it refers to how valuable the task is, separate from when it must be done. It is useful when discussing the worth or benefit of work.
高く 高く means highly or to a higher level here, as the form used before なる in 価値が高くなる. It describes value increasing. This pattern is useful when saying that a quality or level becomes higher.
なる なる means become, and in 価値が高くなる it describes value becoming higher. Together with 高く, it expresses an increase rather than a simple state. It is useful for describing a change in condition or degree.
わけ In 高くなるわけではありません, わけ contributes to the meaning “it is not the case that” the value becomes higher. The phrase rejects an assumed implication rather than simply negating the verb. This pattern is useful for correcting an inference.
ありません Here, ありません politely negates the implication in 高くなるわけではありません. The complete expression says that doing a task first does not mean its value becomes higher. It is useful for polite negative statements about existence or conclusions.
会う 会う means meet, and here it appears in 会う前に to refer to meeting again. The phrase establishes a time before the next meeting. It is useful for describing preparation or action that happens before meeting someone.
図 図 means diagram or map. In 依存関係の図, it refers to a visual representation of how tasks depend on one another. It is useful when information is organized visually.
作成 作成 means creation or preparation, and in 作成できます it refers to creating the dependency map. It has a formal, work-related tone. It is useful for describing the preparation of documents, plans, or diagrams.
できます In 作成できます, できます means can create or prepare. It expresses B’s ability or willingness to make the dependency map. The pattern nounを作成できます is useful when offering to prepare something.
そうすれば そうすれば means if that is done, then, referring here to preparing and using the dependency map. It connects the proposed action with the expected improvement in the discussion. It is useful for explaining a result that follows from a previous proposal.
個人的 個人的 means personal or focused on an individual perspective. In 個人的なもの, it describes a discussion treated as personal rather than as a matter of concrete work dependencies. It is useful when distinguishing personal reactions from objective issues.
な In 個人的なもの, な links the descriptive form 個人的 to the noun もの. It allows the description “personal” to modify that matter. This linking pattern is used after this type of Japanese adjective before a noun.
もの In 個人的なもの and 具体的なもの, もの means a matter or thing under discussion. It lets the speaker describe the discussion as personal or concrete without naming a specific object. It is useful when referring broadly to an idea, matter, or situation.
せず In 個人的なものにせず, せず means without making or treating something as personal. It connects that avoided action to the preferred result of keeping the discussion concrete. This formal pattern is useful for saying “without doing” something.
具体的 具体的 means concrete or specific. In 具体的なものにできる, it describes a discussion grounded in identifiable work and dependencies rather than personal reactions. It is useful when asking for clear, practical details.
できる In 具体的なものにできるはずです, できる means can make or keep something in a certain state. It says the discussion can be made concrete. The pattern nounを adjectiveなものにできる is useful for describing a change into a desired form.
はず In できるはずです, はず expresses the speaker’s expectation that making the discussion concrete should be possible. It presents a reasoned expectation, not an absolute guarantee. It is useful when predicting a likely result based on known circumstances.
自分 自分 means oneself or one’s own, and in 自分の不満 it refers to each person’s own frustrations. The pattern 自分の+ noun marks something belonging to the person being discussed. It is useful when distinguishing personal concerns from shared information.
不満 不満 means dissatisfaction or frustration. In 自分の不満だけでなく, it refers to personal frustrations that should not be the only basis for discussion. It is useful when discussing complaints or dissatisfaction with a situation.
だけでなく だけでなく means not only and introduces something that should be included in addition to the preceding item. In 自分の不満だけでなく、同じ情報をもとに, the discussion should use shared information as well as personal frustrations. This pattern is useful for adding a second basis or element.
同じ 同じ means same or shared. In 同じ情報, it emphasizes that people are using common information rather than separate personal impressions. It is useful when different people refer to an identical basis or standard.
情報 情報 means information. In 同じ情報をもとに, it is the shared material on which people base the discussion. It is useful for discussing facts, data, or details used to support a decision.
もと In 情報をもとに, もと means a basis or source. The phrase says that the discussion is based on the same information. This pattern is useful for explaining what evidence or material supports an idea, decision, or discussion.

Grammar Points

Nが後回しにされている

作業が後回しにされている。

sah-GYOH gah oh-toh-MAH-shee nee sah-reh-teh EE-roo

The task is being postponed.

「～されている」は、何かが誰かによって行われ、その状態が続いていることを表します。

Nを作成できます

依存関係の図を作成できます。

ee-ZOHN kahn-KAY noh zoo oh sah-koo-SAY deh-kee-MAHS

I can create a dependency map.

「～できます」は、何かをする能力や可能性があることを表します。

Japanese Vocabulary

依存関係 noun
ee-ZOHN kahn-KAY dependency; dependencies

依存関係と重要度を分けて考える

価値 noun
KAH-chee value

その作業の価値が高くなる

議論 noun
gee-ROHN discussion

議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました

緊張した verb
keen-CHOH shee-tah became tense

議論が緊張した雰囲気になりました

後回しにされている verb
oh-toh-MAH-shee nee sah-reh-teh EE-roo being put aside; being postponed

自分たちの仕事が後回しにされている

作業 noun
sah-GYOH task; work

先に行う必要がある作業もあります

重要度 noun
joo-YOH-doh importance

依存関係と重要度を分けて考える

順位づけ noun
joo-NEE-zoo-keh ranking; prioritization

みんなの優先順位を順位づけし始める

信頼 noun
sheen-RAI trust

それで信頼が損なわれることがあります

必要 noun
heet-soo-YOH necessity; need

先に行う必要がある作業もあります

分けて verb
wah-KEH-teh separating; dividing

依存関係と重要度を分けて考える

優先順位 noun
yoo-SEN joo-NEE priority; order of priority

みんなの優先順位を順位づけし始める

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

dependency; dependencies

Show Answer依存関係

ranking; prioritization

Show Answer順位づけ

being put aside; being postponed

Show Answer後回しにされている

priority; order of priority

Show Answer優先順位