About This Lesson
Use Returning a Device with an Intermittent Screen Fault to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
最近この機器を買ったのですが、画面がときどきちらつきます。
sai-KEEN KOH-noh kee-KEE oh KAH-tah no dess-GAH, gah-MEN gah toh-kee-doh-KEE chee-rah-tsoo-KEE-mahs. I bought this device recently, but the screen flickers sometimes.
B
断続的に起こる不具合は再現しにくいことがあるので、こちらで検査します。
dan-zoh-koo-TEH-kee nee oh-KOH-roo foo-goo-EYE wah sai-GEN shee-nee-KOO-ee KOH-toh gah ah-ROO noh-DEH, koh-CHRAH deh ken-SAH shee-MAHS. Intermittent faults can be hard to reproduce, so we will test it here.
A
通常使用中にその症状が起きたときの短い動画を撮りました。
tsoo-JOH shee-YOH-CHOO nee soh-NOH shoh-JOH gah oh-KEE-tah toh-KEE noh mee-jee-KAI doh-GAH oh toh-REE-mah-shee-tah. I recorded a short video of it happening during normal use.
B
検査中に不具合が現れなければ、その動画が役立ちます。
ken-SAH-CHOO nee foo-goo-EYE gah ah-rah-wah-reh nah-KEH-reh-bah, soh-NOH doh-GAH gah yah-koo-DAH-chee-mahs. The video will help if the fault does not show up during the test.
A
修理ではなく、交換を希望します。
SHOO-ree deh-wah nah-koo, koh-KAHN oh KEE-boh shee-MAHS. I would prefer a replacement instead of a repair.
B
その希望は記録できますが、次の対応は点検結果によって決まります。
soh-NOH KEE-boh wah kee-ROH-koo deh-KEE-mahs gah, tsu-GEE noh tie-OH wah ten-KEN keh-KAH nee YOT-teh kee-MAH-ree-mahs. We can record that preference, but the inspection decides the next step.
A
初期設定の直後に問題が始まったことを記録してください。
SHOH-kee seh-TEH noh chee-KOH nee moh-DAI gah hah-jee-MAH-tah koh-toh oh kee-ROH-koo shee-TEH koo-dah-SAI. Please note that the problem started right after setup.
B
その点をサービス記録に追加します。
soh-NOH ten oh SAH-bee-soo kee-ROH-koo nee tsoo-ee-KAH shee-MAHS. I will add that to the service record.Word by Word
最近
「最近」means “recently” in this dialogue and modifies the purchase in 「最近この機器を買った」. It is a time expression placed near the beginning of a sentence to say when something happened.
この
「この」means “this” and identifies the device as the one being referred to. It is placed directly before the noun 「機器」.
機器
「機器」means “device” or “piece of equipment” here. It is the thing identified by 「この」 and marked as the object of the purchase.
を
In 「この機器を買った」, 「を」 marks 「この機器」 as the object of 「買った」. This particle commonly follows the thing that someone buys, uses, or handles.
買った
「買った」means “bought” and describes the completed purchase in this sentence. It is the past form related to 「買う」 and appears after the object 「この機器を」.
の
In 「買ったのですが」, 「の」 gives the preceding statement an explanatory tone: “I bought it, but…”. Together with the following 「です」 and 「が」, it presents the background politely before the screen problem is mentioned.
です
In 「買ったのですが」, 「です」 contributes polite explanatory wording rather than simply ending a noun sentence. The sequence 「買ったのですが」 politely frames the purchase as background for what follows.
が
This form has two roles in the dialogue: in 「買ったのですが」 it links to a soft “but,” while in 「画面が」 it marks the screen as the subject of the flickering. Its exact role is determined by the surrounding words.
画面
「画面」means “screen” here, specifically the part of the device that flickers. It is marked by 「が」 as the thing showing the problem.
ときどき
「ときどき」means “sometimes” and shows that the flickering is occasional rather than constant. It is placed with the event expression 「ちらつきます」 to describe how often it happens.
ちらつきます
「ちらつきます」means “flickers” in the description of the screen. It is a polite form used to report a visible problem, with 「画面が」 as its subject.
断続的
「断続的」means “intermittent,” describing a fault that occurs with interruptions rather than continuously. In 「断続的に起こる不具合」, it modifies the way the fault occurs.
に
In 「断続的に起こる」, 「に」 changes 「断続的」 into an adverbial description of how the fault occurs. The same pattern places an adjective-like description before an action or event.
起こる
「起こる」means “occur” or “happen” in 「断続的に起こる不具合」. It describes the fault as an event that takes place, and the phrase before it explains its pattern.
不具合
「不具合」means a “fault” or “defect” in the device. Here it refers to the intermittent problem that the staff will try to reproduce and inspect.
は
In 「不具合は再現しにくい」, 「は」 marks 「不具合」 as the topic of the explanation. The sentence then describes a characteristic of this kind of fault.
再現
「再現」means reproducing the same fault so that it can be observed again. In 「再現しにくい」, it is connected to the expression for difficulty.
にくい
In 「再現しにくい」, 「にくい」means that the action is difficult to carry out. It follows the action part 「再現し」 and is useful for describing actions that are hard to perform.
こと
In 「再現しにくいことがある」, 「こと」 turns the preceding situation into a fact or occurrence that can be discussed. The full phrase says that such a difficult-to-reproduce situation sometimes occurs.
ある
In 「ことがある」, 「ある」 expresses that such a case exists or can occur. This pattern is used here to say that intermittent faults may sometimes be difficult to reproduce.
ので
「ので」means “because” or “since” and introduces the reason for testing the device. In this sentence, the difficulty of reproducing the fault leads to 「こちらで検査します」.
こちら
「こちら」means “here” or “this side” in the service-counter context. In 「こちらで検査します」, it refers politely to the shop’s inspection location or service side.
で
In 「こちらで検査します」, 「で」 marks the place where the inspection will be carried out. It follows the location expression 「こちら」.
検査
「検査」means “test” or “inspection” of the device. It is used with 「します」 in 「検査します」 to describe the staff’s planned action.
します
In 「検査します」, 「します」 means “carry out” or “do” and makes 「検査」 into an action. It is the polite form used by the service staff when stating what they will do.
通常
「通常」means “normal” or “ordinary” in 「通常使用中」. It describes ordinary use rather than a special test situation.
使用中
「使用中」means “during use” or “while in use.” In 「通常使用中に」, it identifies the period during ordinary use when the symptom occurred.
その
「その」means “that” or “the mentioned” and points back to the problem already being discussed. It directly modifies 「症状」 in 「その症状」.
症状
「症状」means “symptom” or the observable sign of a problem. Here it refers to the screen behavior recorded in the video.
起きた
「起きた」means “happened” or “occurred” in 「症状が起きたとき」. It is the past form related to 「起きる」 and describes when the symptom took place.
とき
In 「起きたとき」, 「とき」 means “when” or “the time when.” It follows the description of the event and connects it to the recorded video.
短い
「短い」means “short” and describes the length of the video. It is placed directly before 「動画」.
動画
「動画」means “video” in this dialogue. It is the recording that shows the symptom during ordinary use.
撮りました
「撮りました」means “recorded” or “took” in 「動画を撮りました」. It is the polite past form related to 「撮る」 and takes 「動画」 as the object.
検査中
「検査中」means “during the inspection” or “while the test is in progress.” It sets the time period in which the fault may or may not appear.
現れなければ
「現れなければ」means “if it does not appear” or “if it does not show up.” In 「不具合が現れなければ」, it introduces the condition that the fault is not visible during the test.
役立ちます
「役立ちます」means “is useful” or “helps” here, referring to the video’s usefulness when the fault does not appear. It commonly follows the useful item with 「が」, as in 「その動画が役立ちます」.
修理
「修理」means “repair” and names one possible way to deal with the device. In 「修理ではなく」, it is contrasted with the requested 「交換」.
なく
In 「修理ではなく」, 「なく」 links the first option to a contrast meaning “not repair, but rather…”. The full expression must be understood together with 「では」 and the following 「交換」.
交換
「交換」means “replacement” or “exchange” here and names the resolution the customer wants. In 「交換を希望します」, it is the requested object.
希望します
「希望します」means “request” or “state a preference” in this service-counter exchange. In 「交換を希望します」, the customer politely says that replacement is the preferred resolution.
希望
「希望」means a “preference” or “request” in 「その希望」. It refers to the customer’s stated desire for an exchange and is the item that can be recorded.
記録
「記録」means a “record” or the act of recording information. In the dialogue it is used both for recording the customer’s preference and for asking the staff to note the problem.
できます
In 「記録できます」, 「できます」means “can” or “is possible,” so the staff can record the preference. It is used with an action noun such as 「記録」 to state ability or possibility.
次
「次」means “next” in 「次の対応」. It identifies the action that will be decided after the inspection.
対応
「対応」means the “response” or “action taken” to handle the problem. In 「次の対応」, it refers to what the shop will do next.
点検
「点検」means “inspection” or “check” in 「点検結果」. It identifies the examination whose outcome will guide the next response.
結果
「結果」means “result” and here refers specifically to the outcome of the inspection. In 「点検結果によって」, it is the basis for deciding the next action.
によって
In 「点検結果によって決まります」, 「によって」 means “depending on” or “according to.” It shows that the inspection result determines which response will be taken.
決まります
「決まります」means “is decided” or “is determined” in 「次の対応は点検結果によって決まります」. The sentence explains that the next action will be settled based on the inspection result.
初期設定
「初期設定」means “initial setup,” the first configuration of the device. It provides the reference point in 「初期設定の直後」.
直後
「直後」means “immediately after” or “right after.” In 「初期設定の直後」, it specifies that the problem began directly following the initial setup.
問題
「問題」means “problem” in 「問題が始まった」. Here it refers to the device issue that the customer wants added to the service record.
始まった
「始まった」means “started” in 「問題が始まった」. It is the past form related to 「始まる」 and states when the problem began.
して
In 「記録してください」, 「して」 links the recording action to 「ください」. It contributes the action that the customer is politely asking the staff to perform.
ください
In 「記録してください」, 「ください」 makes a polite request meaning “please record it.” It follows the action form 「して」 to ask another person to carry out the action.
点
「点」means a “point” or “detail” in 「その点」. It refers to the specific information that the problem began immediately after setup.
サービス
「サービス」means “service” in 「サービス記録」. It identifies the record kept for handling the customer’s device issue.
追加します
「追加します」means “add” in 「その点をサービス記録に追加します」. It is the polite form related to 「追加する」 and takes the detail as the object being added to the service record.
Grammar Points
動詞ます形の語幹＋にくい
不具合は再現しにくい。
foo-goo-EYE wah sai-GEN shee-nee-KOO-ee.The fault is difficult to reproduce.
「～にくい」は、動作をするのが難しいことを表します。
～なければ
症状が現れなければ、点検結果を記録できます。
shoh-JOH gah ah-rah-wah-reh nah-KEH-reh-bah, ten-KEN keh-KAH oh kee-ROH-koo deh-KEE-mahs.If the symptom does not appear, you can record the inspection result.
「～なければ」は、条件「もし～ないなら」を表します。
Japanese Vocabulary
この
det
KOH-noh
this
ちらつく
verb
chee-rah-TSOO-koo
to flicker
ちらつきます
ときどき
adv
toh-kee-doh-KEE
sometimes
画面
noun
gah-MEN
screen
機器
noun
kee-KEE
device
検査する
verb
ken-SAH soo-roo
to test; to inspect
検査します
再現する
verb
sai-GEN soo-roo
to reproduce; to replicate
再現しにくい
最近
adv
sai-KEEN
recently
症状
noun
shoh-JOH
symptom
断続的に
adv
dan-zoh-koo-TEH-kee nee
intermittently
通常使用
phrase
tsoo-JOH shee-YOH
normal use
不具合
noun
foo-goo-EYE
fault; defect
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to reproduce; to replicate
Show Answer
再現しにくいsometimes
Show Answer
ときどきintermittently
Show Answer
断続的にto flicker