Changing Plans Honestly and Respectfully | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In daily life, two adults discuss changing shared plans directly because one person overcommitted and needs a simpler option..

EN → JA / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Changing Plans Honestly and Respectfully to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

私たちの予定を変更する必要があるので、直接あなたに伝えたいと思っていました。

wah-tah-shee-TAH-chee noh yoh-TEH oh henk-KOH soo-ROO hee-TSOO-yoh gah ah-ROO noh-DEH, choh-koo-SEHT-soo ah-nah-TAH nee ts-tah-eh-TAI toh oh-MOH-tay ee-mah-shee-TAH. I need to change our plans, and I wanted to tell you directly.
B

曖昧なメッセージを送るのではなく、直接伝えてくれてありがたいです。

ah-ee-MY nah meh-SEH-jee oh oh-KOO-roo noh deh wah nah-koo, choh-koo-SEHT-soo ts-tah-eh-teh KOO-reh-teh ah-ree-GAH-tie dehs. I appreciate you telling me directly instead of sending a vague message.
A

引き受けすぎてしまったので、疲れ切った状態で行きたくありません。

hee-kee-OO-keh soo-GEE-tay shee-MAH-tah noh-DEH, tsoo-kah-reh-KEET-tah joh-TIE deh ee-kee-tah-koo ah-ree-mah-SEHN. I overcommitted, and I don't want to show up exhausted.
B

残念ですが、無理に決行すると、おそらくその日がもっと大変になります。

zahn-NEN deh-soo gah, moo-REE nee kehk-KOH soo-ROO toh, oh-soh-rah-koo soh-NOH hee gah MOHT-toh tie-HEN nee nah-ree-MAHS. I'm disappointed, but forcing it would probably make the day harder.
A

同意する前に、自分の余力を確認すべきでした。

doh-EE soo-ROO MAH-eh nee, jee-BOON noh yoh-RYOH-koo oh kah-koo-NEEN soo-BEH-kee deh-SHEE-tah. I should have checked my capacity before agreeing.
B

そういうことはあります。特に、何もかも急がなければならないように感じるときはそうです。

soh-OO ee-oo koh-toh wah ah-ree-MAHS. toh-koo-nee, nah-nee-MOH kah-MOH ee-soh-gah nah-keh-REH-bah nah-RAH-nai yoh-OO nee KAHN-jee-roo toh-KEE wah soh-OO dehs. It happens, especially when everything feels urgent.
A

その代わり、会うときはもっと簡単なことをしませんか。

soh-NOH hoh gah, ah-OO toh-KEE wah MOHT-toh kahn-TAHN nah koh-toh oh shee-MEHN-kah. Could we do something simpler when we meet instead?
B

そのほうが私たち二人にとって対応しやすいと思います。

soh-NOH hoh gah wah-tah-shee-TAH-chee foo-TAH-ree nee toh-TEH tie-OH shee-yah-soo-ee toh oh-MOH-ee-MAHS. That would be easier for both of us to manage.

Word by Word

私たち 私たち means “we” here and, in 私たちの予定, identifies the group whose plans are being discussed. Reuse it before の when referring to something belonging to the speaker and others.
の の links 私たち to 予定 in 私たちの予定 and shows the relationship between the group and the plans. Reuse this particle between a possessor or noun modifier and the noun it describes.
予定 予定 means the shared plans or schedule in 私たちの予定. It is useful when discussing arrangements that have already been made or are being changed.
を を marks 予定 as the object of 変更する in 予定を変更する. Reuse it after the thing that an action changes, sends, checks, or otherwise affects.
変更 変更 in 変更する names the alteration being made to the plans. With する, it forms a common pattern for changing a plan or arrangement.
する する in 変更する turns 変更 into the action of changing the plans. This pattern is useful when describing an action formed from a noun such as an alteration or decision.
必要 必要がある states that something is needed; here, changing the plans is necessary. Reuse 必要がある to say that an action or thing is required.
が が marks 必要 as the subject of 必要がある, and in その日がもっと大変になります it marks その日 as what becomes harder. Its role depends on the predicate surrounding it.
ある ある in 必要がある completes the expression for there being a need. Reuse it in 必要がある to state that something is necessary.
ので ので in 変更する必要があるので introduces the reason for telling the other person directly. A clause followed by ので is useful when giving a polite or explanatory reason.
直接 直接 means directly, as in speaking to the person rather than communicating vaguely. It is useful when emphasizing straightforward, face-to-face, or unambiguous communication.
あなた あなた is the person being addressed in あなたに伝えたいと思っていました. With に, it identifies the recipient of the message, which is useful when clearly addressing another person.
に に marks the recipient in あなたに伝えたい and turns 無理 into the adverbial 無理に. Its exact function depends on the surrounding expression, such as a recipient or the manner of an action.
伝え 伝え in 伝えたい means conveying or telling something to another person. It appears before たい to express the speaker’s wish to tell the other person directly.
たい たい in 伝えたい expresses the speaker’s desire to tell the other person. Reuse it after an action stem when describing what the speaker wants to do.
と と in 伝えたいと思っていました marks the thought or intention that follows before 思う. It is useful for framing a quoted idea or internal thought.
思っ 思っ is the form used at the start of 思っていました, framing the speaker’s thought or intention. Together with と, it lets a thought be followed by 思う.
て て connects 思っ to い in 思っていました, keeping the thought expression continuous. Here it is part of the ongoing polite expression rather than a standalone meaning.
い い in 思っていました helps show that the thinking was continuing over a prior period. It combines with て and the polite elements to present the earlier intention smoothly.
まし まし in 思っていました is the polite auxiliary segment. It makes the report of the earlier thought suitable for respectful conversation.
た た in 思っていました gives the thought a past, retrospective setting. The full expression is useful when explaining what one had previously been thinking or intending.
曖昧 曖昧 means vague or unclear in 曖昧なメッセージ. It describes communication that does not state the intended meaning directly, especially when explaining why a clearer message is preferable.
な な links the adjectival noun 曖昧 to メッセージ in 曖昧なメッセージ. Reuse it between this type of modifier and the noun it describes.
メッセージ メッセージ means a message, here one that could be vague if sent instead of speaking directly. It is useful for referring to written or electronic communication.
送る 送る means to send in 送るのではなく, referring to sending a vague message. It is useful with a message or other item that is transmitted to another person.
で で in 送るのではなく is part of ではなく, the contrastive expression that sets up “rather than sending.” It helps reject one option before presenting the preferred alternative.
は は in 送るのではなく highlights the option being contrasted with direct telling. Reuse it in a contrastive expression when separating one choice from another.
なく なく in 送るのではなく completes the negative alternative “rather than sending.” Reuse ではなく after an option you reject before presenting the preferred alternative.
くれ くれ in 伝えてくれてありがたい marks the other person’s telling as a favor that benefits the speaker. Reuse it within a て-form plus くれる expression when appreciating someone’s action.
ありがたい ありがたい in 伝えてくれてありがたいです expresses appreciation for being told directly. It is useful when acknowledging a helpful or considerate action by another person.
です です in ありがたいです gives the appreciation a polite ending. It is useful for presenting a polite evaluation or feeling in conversation.
引き受け 引き受け in 引き受けすぎてしまった means taking on responsibility, here accepting too much. It is useful when describing acceptance of a task, duty, or commitment.
すぎ すぎ in 引き受けすぎてしまった adds the meaning “too much” to 引き受け. Reuse it after an action stem when an action has exceeded a suitable amount.
しまっ しまっ in 引き受けすぎてしまった marks the overcommitting as completed and regrettable. Here it helps the speaker admit that the excessive commitment has already happened.
疲れ 疲れ in 疲れ切った状態 carries the meaning of being tired as part of the condition of showing up. It combines with 切っ here to describe complete exhaustion.
切っ 切っ in 疲れ切った means completely, so 疲れ切った状態 is a state of being exhausted. It is useful when an action or condition has reached its full extent.
状態 状態 means a state or condition in 疲れ切った状態. Here it describes the condition in which the speaker does not want to go, and it is useful for describing someone’s physical or situational condition.
行き 行き in 行きたくありません supplies the action of going before たく expresses desire. The full negative expression says that the speaker does not want to go while exhausted.
たく たく in 行きたくありません is the desire element that follows 行き. Together with the negative ending, it expresses not wanting to go.
あり あり in 行きたくありません is the verb element inside the polite negative expression. Here it helps turn the desire expression into “do not want to.”
ませ ませ in 行きたくありません is the polite auxiliary segment of the negative ending. It keeps the refusal or negative statement polite in this conversation.
ん ん in 行きたくありません completes the negative meaning. With ませ and あり, it forms a polite way to say that the speaker does not want to go.
残念 残念 means disappointing or regrettable in 残念ですが. It acknowledges disappointment before the speaker gives a practical reason for changing the plan.
無理 無理 in 無理に決行すると describes forcing something beyond what is reasonable or manageable. With に, it modifies the carrying out as forced or unreasonable.
決行 決行 in 無理に決行すると means going ahead with the plan despite the difficulty. It is useful for describing the carrying out of a planned action or event.
おそらく おそらく means probably in おそらくその日がもっと大変になります. It is useful when giving a likely result without presenting it as certain.
その その occurs in その日 and その代わり, pointing to a day or alternative identifiable from the conversation. Reuse it before a noun when the listener can identify the thing meant.
日 日 means day in その日, referring to the day of the planned meeting or activity. It is useful when discussing how a particular day may be affected.
もっと もっと means more or even more in もっと大変になります. It is useful when comparing a later condition with the current or expected level of difficulty.
大変 大変 describes the day as difficult or demanding in もっと大変になります. It is useful for evaluating how hard a situation would be to manage.
なり なり in 大変になります marks a change into a more difficult state. With ます, it politely describes what the day would become.
ます ます in 大変になります gives the prediction a polite ending. It is useful for presenting a statement about a result in respectful conversation.
同意 同意 in 同意する前に means agreement to the plan. With する, it names the act that should have been preceded by checking the speaker’s capacity.
前 前 in 同意する前に means before the act of agreeing. With に, it marks the earlier time relative to the action that follows.
自分 自分 means oneself or one’s own self in 自分の余力. Here it identifies the speaker’s own available capacity, and it is useful when distinguishing personal limits from someone else’s.
余力 余力 means remaining capacity or energy in 自分の余力. It is useful when considering whether one still has enough time, energy, or ability for an additional commitment.
確認 確認 in 確認すべきでした means checking or confirming the speaker’s available capacity. It is useful when verifying a condition before agreeing to a plan.
す す in 確認すべきでした is the する part before べき, making the checking the action that should have been done. It belongs to the pattern 確認すべきでした, which evaluates that earlier action retrospectively.
べき べき in 確認すべきでした expresses what ought to have been done, with でした making the judgment retrospective and polite. Reuse it after an action form when giving advice or self-criticism.
でし でし in でした is the polite copula segment that closes the retrospective judgment in 確認すべきでした. It helps make the statement polite rather than abrupt.
そういう そういう in そういうこと refers to the kind of mistake just being discussed. Reuse it before こと or another noun when pointing to a previously identified type of situation.
こと こと in そういうこと turns the situation being discussed into a general matter or circumstance. It is useful when referring back to an event without repeating all its details.
特に 特に means especially in 特に、何もかも急がなければならないように感じるとき. It narrows the general statement to the particularly stressful situation that follows.
何もかも 何もかも means everything in 何もかも急がなければならない. It emphasizes that the feeling applies to all the relevant tasks or matters, not just one.
急が 急が in 急がなければならない supplies the action of hurrying inside the negative conditional obligation pattern. Here the whole sequence describes feeling that everything must be hurried.
なけれ なけれ in 急がなければならない is the negative conditional part meaning “if not,” before the necessity expression is completed. Its contribution is understood together with ばならない.
ば ば completes the conditional in 急がなければならない. Together with なけれ and ならない, it forms the requirement that one must hurry.
なら なら in ならない combines with ない to complete the necessity expression 急がなければならない. Here it helps express “must” rather than introducing a separate topic.
ない ない in 急がなければならない is the negative element that, within this pattern, yields necessity rather than simple negation. The whole phrase says that everything feels as though it has to be hurried.
よう ように in 急がなければならないように感じる links the obligation idea to the way things feel, meaning “as though.” Here it describes an impression rather than a physical way.
感じる 感じる means feel or sense in 急がなければならないように感じる. It is useful when describing how a situation appears subjectively to the speaker.
とき とき in 感じるとき means when or at the time that the feeling occurs. It is useful for setting the situation in which another statement applies.
そう そう in そういうこと points to that kind of situation, while the final そうです refers back to the same general idea. It is useful for pointing back to something just described without repeating it.
その代わり その代わり combines その, which points to the already mentioned alternative, with 代わり, meaning a replacement; together it means “instead” here. It introduces the simpler activity proposed in place of the original plan.
会う 会う means meet in 会うとき, referring to the time when the two people meet. It is useful for describing a meeting that is already planned or being arranged.
簡単 簡単 means simple or easy in 簡単なこと. Here it describes an activity that requires less effort than the original plan, making it useful when proposing a simpler option.
し し in しませんか is the action stem of doing, and here it refers to doing the simpler activity. With ませんか, it becomes a polite invitation to suggest an activity.
か か in しませんか turns the polite negative form into an invitation or question. It is useful when proposing that the other person do something together.
ほう ほう in そのほうが identifies the proposed option as the one being compared and judged easier. With が, そのほうが presents that option as the subject of the evaluation.
二人 二人 means the two people in 私たち二人にとって, referring to both participants together. It is useful when describing an effect or judgment that applies to exactly two people.
にとって にとって combines に, which marks the people whose standpoint is used, with とって to form the perspective expression in 私たち二人にとって. Together it means “for the two of us” or “from our standpoint,” useful when evaluating what is manageable for particular people.
対応 対応 in 対応しやすい means handling or managing the situation. It is useful when describing how someone will deal with a plan, task, or problem.
やすい やすい in 対応しやすい means easy to manage or respond to. Following the action stem 対応し, it evaluates how easy that action is and can be reused after an action stem to describe ease.
思い 思い in 思います is the form used before ます to express thinking or an opinion. Here it softens the evaluation that the simpler option would be easier and reports B’s view politely.

Grammar Points

〜てしまった

引き受けすぎてしまった。

hee-kee-OO-keh soo-GEE-tay shee-MAH-tah.

I ended up taking on too much.

〜てしまった expresses that an action was completed, often with regret or an unwanted result.

〜なければならない

急がなければならない。

ee-SOH-gah nah-keh-REH-bah nah-RAH-nai.

It is necessary to hurry.

〜なければならない means “must” or “have to.” It expresses obligation.

Japanese Vocabulary

メッセージ noun
meh-SEH-jee message

曖昧なメッセージを送る

引き受けすぎる verb
hee-kee-OO-keh soo-GEE-roo to take on too much 引き受けすぎてしまった

引き受けすぎてしまった

決行する verb
kehk-KOH soo-ROO to carry out; to go ahead with

無理に決行すると

残念 adj
zahn-NEN disappointing; unfortunate

残念ですが

送る verb
oh-KOO-roo to send

メッセージを送る

直接 adv
choh-koo-SEHT-soo directly; in person

直接あなたに伝える

伝える verb
tsoo-tah-eh-ROO to tell; to convey

伝えたいと思っていました

疲れ切った adj
tsoo-kah-reh-KEET-tah exhausted; completely tired

疲れ切った状態

変更する verb
hen-KOH soo-ROO to change; to modify

予定を変更する

無理に adv
moo-REE nee forcibly; unwillingly

無理に決行する

予定 noun
yoh-TEH plans; schedule

私たちの予定

曖昧な adj
ah-ee-MY nah vague; ambiguous

曖昧なメッセージ

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

message

Show Answerメッセージ

to change; to modify

Show Answer変更する

exhausted; completely tired

Show Answer疲れ切った

to take on too much

Show Answer引き受けすぎてしまった