Reducing unnecessary video meetings | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. できるだけ不要なビデオ会議を減らしたいです。

   I want to reduce unnecessary video meetings where possible.

   できるだけ

   as much as possible

   不要な

   unnecessary

   ビデオ会議

   video meeting

   減らしたいです

   want to reduce

   More detail

   できるだけ means “as much as possible” or, with an action, “where possible.” It sets the desired limit for the action that follows. A reusable pattern is できるだけ + verb: できるだけ早く来てください。 means “Please come as soon as possible.” 不要な means “unnecessary” before a noun. It is the attributive form of 不要だ: 不要なもの means “an unnecessary thing,” while それは不要です means “That is unnecessary.” The な links this type of adjective to a following noun; it is not part of the noun もの or any other noun. ビデオ会議 is a compound noun meaning “video meeting.” 会議 means “meeting,” and ビデオ specifies its format. As a noun, it can be used in other patterns such as ビデオ会議をする (“hold a video meeting”) or ビデオ会議に参加する (“participate in a video meeting”). 減らしたいです expresses “want to reduce.” The lexical verb is 減らす, a transitive verb meaning “reduce” or “decrease something”; its -たい form is 減らしたい, “want to reduce.” です makes the statement polite. This differs from 減る, “decrease” or “be reduced,” which describes the amount becoming smaller without presenting someone as the one reducing it. For example, 会議を減らしたいです。 means “I want to reduce meetings.” Together, できるだけ limits the desired action, 不要なビデオ会議 identifies the meetings being acted on, and 減らしたいです states the speaker’s polite desire to reduce them. The whole utterance means “I want to reduce unnecessary video meetings where possible.”

2. わかりますが、反応が見えることで有益になる話し合いもあります。

   I understand, though some discussions benefit from visible reactions.

   わかりますが

   I understand, though

   反応

   reaction

   見える

   be visible; be seen

   ことで

   by; through

   有益になる

   become beneficial

   話し合い

   discussion

   もあります

   there are also

   More detail

   わかりますが uses the polite nonpast form of わかる (“understand”) followed by が, which connects this statement to a qualification or contrast. Here the omitted subject is understood as “I,” supported by the fixed translation. わかる is the basic form; わかります is its polite form. 反応 means “reaction.” It is a noun and does not itself mark singular or plural, so the sentence leaves the number open. In this utterance it refers to reactions whose visibility can affect a discussion. 見える means “be visible” or “can be seen.” It is different from 見る, “look at” or “see,” which describes an active viewer. The form 見える presents the reactions as perceptible rather than naming someone who sees them. In 見えることで, こと turns the preceding clause into a noun-like expression, and で marks the means, circumstance, or cause: “through/by the fact that [they] are visible.” Thus ことで is not a quantity marker here. Example: 声が聞こえることで安心します。 — “I feel reassured because the voice can be heard.” 有益になる means “become beneficial/useful.” The base adjective is 有益だ (“beneficial”), and なる expresses a change into that state; with this type of adjective, the form before なる is 有益に. The sentence says that the discussion gains a benefit under the stated condition, rather than simply describing every discussion as inherently beneficial. 話し合い means “discussion” or “talking something over.” The related verb is 話し合う, “discuss/talk over,” while 話し合い is the noun form used here. Example: その問題について話し合います。 — “We will discuss that issue.” もあります combines も, “also,” with the polite existential form あります, “there is/are” for something treated as inanimate. In this sentence, the construction indicates that discussions of this beneficial kind exist as an additional subset; it does not say that all discussions have this property. The fixed translation renders this naturally as “some discussions benefit.” Putting the parts together, 反応が見えることで describes the condition “because/through reactions being visible,” 有益になる話し合い means “discussions that become beneficial,” and もあります says that such discussions also exist. The whole utterance is: “I understand, though some discussions benefit from visible reactions.”

3. 複雑な決定はリアルタイムで話し合う価値がありますが、更新情報はそうでないことが多いです。

   Complex decisions deserve live discussion, but updates often do not.

   複雑な

   complex

   決定

   decision

   リアルタイムで

   in real time

   話し合う

   discuss

   価値

   value; worth

   が、

   but

   更新情報

   updates

   そうでない

   not so

   ことが多いです

   often

   More detail

   複雑な means “complex” here and modifies the noun that follows. 複雑 is a な-adjective: before a noun it uses 複雑な, while at the end of a plain statement it can be 複雑だ (polite: 複雑です). This form does not mark the noun as masculine, feminine, singular, or plural. 決定 is the noun “decision.” It is useful to distinguish it from the verb 決める, “to decide.” For example: 決定を見直します。 — “We will review the decision.” リアルタイムで means “in real time.” The particle で marks the setting or manner in which an action takes place. The word リアルタイム is used as a noun-like loanword, and リアルタイムで話し合う means “discuss in real time.” 話し合う means “discuss” or “talk something over.” It presents discussion as an exchange between participants; it is different from simply 話す, “speak” or “talk.” Example: 問題について話し合います。 — “We will discuss the problem.” 価値 means “value” or “worth.” With がある, the pattern V-る価値がある means “it is worth doing V.” Thus 話し合う価値があります means “there is value in discussing it” or, naturally, “it is worth discussing.” Here あります is the polite form of ある, “to exist / to be present,” and the valued activity is 話し合う. が、 connects the first clause to a contrasting second clause. In this position it is naturally translated as “but.” It does not belong to the meaning of 価値; it signals the contrast between the two clauses. 更新情報 is a compound noun meaning “update information” or “updates”: 更新 means “update” and 情報 means “information.” The compound refers here to updates as the topic being compared with complex decisions. Example: 更新情報を確認しました。 — “I checked the updates.” そうでない means “not so” or “not being that way.” In this sentence, そう refers back to the proposition that something has value for real-time discussion, so そうでない means “not having that value,” rather than introducing an unrelated meaning of そう. The でない part is a plain negative form of the copular pattern; a polite alternative is そうではありません. ことが多いです expresses high frequency: literally, situations of that kind are numerous, so “often.” こと turns the preceding state or situation into something that can be discussed as a case, and 多い means “many” or “frequent.” 多いです is its polite form. Example: この道は混むことが多いです。 — “This road is often crowded.” Together, 複雑な決定は sets “complex decisions” as the topic. リアルタイムで話し合う価値があります says that discussing them in real time is worthwhile. After the contrast marker が, 更新情報はそうでないことが多いです says that updates often do not have that same value. The complete meaning is: “Complex decisions deserve live discussion, but updates often do not.”

4. それなら、意思決定の会議と情報共有を分けるべきです。

   Then we should separate decision meetings from information sharing.

   それなら

   then; in that case

   意思決定

   decision-making

   会議

   meeting

   情報共有

   information sharing

   分ける

   separate

   べきです

   should

   More detail

   それなら means “then” or “in that case,” linking this recommendation to the preceding situation. それ is the demonstrative element in the expression, and なら presents the stated situation as the condition for what follows. Here, the fixed translation supports the contextual meaning “then.” 意思決定 means “decision-making.” It is a noun compound: 意思 is intention or will, and 決定 is a decision or determination. In 意思決定の会議, の links this noun to the following noun, so the phrase means “meetings for decision-making” or “decision meetings.” 会議 means “meeting” or “conference.” The form does not itself mark a particular number; the context and translation present the phrase as the kind of meetings that should be separated from information sharing. 情報共有 means “information sharing.” This is another noun compound: 情報 means information, and 共有 means sharing or joint possession. In this sentence it is the second activity being separated from decision meetings. を marks 情報共有 as the object of 分ける. It is a particle, not part of the noun compound. 分ける is the base form meaning “to separate,” “divide,” or “sort into distinct groups.” In this sentence it takes 情報共有 as its object and means keeping decision meetings and information sharing distinct. A useful pattern is AとBを分ける, “separate A and B”; here, と links 意思決定の会議 with 情報共有. べきです expresses that something is advisable, appropriate, or what one should do. べき follows the plain form of a verb, so 分けるべき means “should separate.” です gives the recommendation a polite sentence ending. The construction does not by itself specify who must carry it out; the fixed translation renders the recommendation as “we should separate” from the context. Together, 意思決定の会議と情報共有を分けるべきです means “should separate decision meetings from information sharing”: 意思決定の会議 and 情報共有 are the two things distinguished by と, を marks the object, and 分けるべきです gives the polite recommendation. With それなら at the beginning, the whole utterance is: “Then we should separate decision meetings from information sharing.”

5. 書面で更新すれば、皆がよりよく考えて返答できます。

   Written updates would let people respond more thoughtfully.

   書面で

   in writing

   更新すれば

   if updated

   皆

   everyone

   よりよく

   more thoughtfully

   考えて

   think and

   返答できます

   can respond

   More detail

   書面で means “in writing” or “by means of a written document.” Here, で marks the medium or manner used for the update. For example, メールで連絡します。 means “I will contact you by email.” 更新すれば is the conditional form of 更新する (“to update”). The -ば ending presents the update as the condition: 更新すれば means “if [someone] updates” or, in this sentence’s intended reading, “if there are written updates.” The Japanese form does not itself state who performs the update; the fixed translation focuses on the resulting written updates. 皆 means “everyone” or “all the people concerned.” With the subject marker が, 皆が marks everyone as the subject of the following abilities and actions. The word does not by itself specify a number beyond the group being referred to as everyone. よりよく means “better” or “more thoughtfully.” It is the adverbial comparative form built from よく, the adverb related to よい/いい (“good; well”); より marks the comparison. Here it modifies 考えて, so the people can think more carefully or thoughtfully. Compare よく考える (“think carefully”) with よりよく考える (“think more carefully”). 考えて is the て-form of 考える (“to think; consider”). The て-form links this activity to the following one: the people think and then respond. For example, よく考えて答えます。 means “I will think carefully and answer.” 返答できます means “can respond” or “can reply.” The underlying verb is the compound 返答する (“to respond; reply”), and 返答できる expresses ability; 返答できます is its polite form. The polite ending ます affects the style, not the basic ability meaning. For example, 質問に返答できます。 means “I can respond to the question.” Together, 書面で更新すれば sets the condition “if updates are provided in writing,” while 皆がよりよく考えて返答できます says that everyone can think more thoughtfully and then respond. Thus the whole utterance means: “Written updates would let people respond more thoughtfully.” The conditional is presented as a practical result rather than as a command.

6. 書面での更新は記録も残るので、後で役立ちます。

   They also create records, which is useful later.

   書面での

   in writing

   更新

   update

   記録も

   records too

   残る

   remain; be left

   ので

   so; because

   後で

   later

   役立ちます

   be useful; help

   More detail

   書面での means “in writing” or “written.” 書面 refers to a written document or written form, で marks the form or means, and の links this phrase to the following noun: 書面での更新 = “updates in writing.” In the previous sentence, 書面で更新すれば uses the related pattern 書面で directly before a verb: “if [people] update in writing.” 更新 means “update” here and is a noun. It can also be used as a verb with する: 情報を更新する = “update the information.” In 書面での更新, it identifies the written update itself, not the act of updating as a standalone verb. 記録も means “records too” or “records as well.” も adds this item to something already understood, which is why the translation includes “also.” The noun 記録 means a record or written record. Example: 記録も必要です。 — “Records are also necessary.” 残る means “remain” or “be left.” It is an intransitive verb: the record remains or is left as a result, rather than someone explicitly “leaving” it in this clause. Its transitive counterpart is 残す, “leave or preserve something”: 記録を残す = “leave a record.” The observed form 残る is the non-past form, used here for a general consequence. ので connects the preceding reason with the result that follows: “because …, so …” or simply “since ….” Here, 記録も残るので gives the reason for the later usefulness. A reusable pattern is Aので、B = “Because A, B.” Example: 記録が残るので、確認できます。 — “Because a record remains, we can check it.” 後で means “later,” referring to a later time rather than specifying exactly when. 後 means “after” or “later,” and で marks the time at which something happens. Example: 後で確認します。 — “I will check later.” 役立ちます means “is useful” or “serves a useful purpose.” Its base form is 役立つ; 役立ちます is its polite non-past form. The form does not itself specify who finds it useful. Example: この情報は後で役立ちます。 — “This information will be useful later.” Together, 書面での更新 identifies updates made in writing, and 記録も残るので says that they also leave records. 後で役立ちます says that those records or written updates will be useful later. The complete meaning is: “Written updates also create records, which are useful later.”

7. 定例会議でその方法を試行できますか。

   Could we pilot that approach with a recurring meeting?

   定例会議

   recurring meeting

   で

   at; in

   その

   that

   方法

   method; approach

   試行できますか

   can conduct a trial?

   More detail

   定例会議 means “a regularly scheduled meeting.” 定例 describes something held on a regular or fixed schedule, and 会議 means “meeting” or “conference.” Together, they form a reusable noun phrase for a recurring meeting. で marks the setting or occasion where an action takes place. Here, 定例会議で means “at/in a recurring meeting”; the fixed translation renders this naturally as “with a recurring meeting.” In other contexts, で can mark a means or tool, but that is not its role here. その is an attributive demonstrative meaning “that,” placed before the noun it modifies. The fixed translation identifies the intended referent as the approach being discussed. その itself does not mark number or gender. 方法 means “method” or “approach.” It is a noun, and その方法 is a reusable pattern meaning “that method/approach.” Example: この方法を使います。 — “We use this method.” 試行できますか asks whether a trial can be conducted. The base expression 試行する means “to conduct a trial” or “to pilot.” Its potential form is 試行できる, meaning “can conduct a trial,” and polite できます is used here. Final か marks the utterance as a question. The fixed translation supplies the intended subject as “we,” yielding “Could we pilot ...?” The structure is: 定例会議で + その方法を + 試行できますか The particle を marks その方法 as the object of the trial or piloting action. Together, the chunks mean: “Could we pilot that approach with a recurring meeting?” This is a polite way to ask whether the proposed trial is feasible.

8. それを試して、結果の質を比較できます。

   We can test it and compare the quality of outcomes.

   それを

   it (object)

   試して

   test/try, and

   結果

   result/outcome

   質

   quality

   比較できます

   can compare

   More detail

   それを consists of それ plus the object marker を. それ is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that/it”; its specific referent is not named in this sentence. を marks what the action is directed at. The fixed translation identifies the intended reading here as “it,” without requiring a more specific referent. 試して is the て-form of 試す (“to try” or “to test”). The て-form can connect this action to a following action: Aを試して、B can mean “test A and then do B,” with the exact connection supplied by context. Here it links testing with comparing. Example: 新しい方法を試して、記録します。 — “I will try the new method and record it.” 結果 means “result” or “outcome.” Its useful form here is the noun 結果, which can combine with の to describe a relation: 結果の質 means “the quality of the results/outcomes.” 質 means “quality.” In this sentence it refers to the quality associated with the outcomes, not to the outcomes themselves. の connects the noun 結果 to the noun 質; the first noun specifies what the quality concerns. 比較できます is the polite form of 比較できる, meaning “can compare.” 比較する is the dictionary-form verb “to compare”; its potential form is 比較できる, and the polite form of that is 比較できます. This potential form expresses ability. The omitted subject is understood from context, and the fixed translation supplies “we”; Japanese does not need to state that subject here. Example: 二つの結果を比較できます。 — “We can compare two results.” Taken together, それを試して means “test it,” and 結果の質を比較できます means “we can compare the quality of the outcomes.” The whole utterance is therefore “We can test it and compare the quality of outcomes.”