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Surviving the Office
Working in a Japanese office requires a delicate balance of respect and efficiency. You don't want to sound like a stiff robot, but you also don't want to offend your seniors. Learning how to politely interrupt, ask for help, and confirm strict deadlines are essential survival skills for the 9-to-5 grind.
Scenes
Scene Vocabulary
今ちょっとよろしいですか？いまちょっとよろしいですか？
ima chotto yoroshii desu ka?Do you have a moment?お忙しいところすみません
o-isogashii tokoro sumimasenSorry to interrupt your busy time使い方
tsukaikataHow to useよく分からなくて
yoku wakaranakuteI don't really understand (and...)クリック
kurikkuClickアップロード
appuroodoUpload〜
~dakeOnly / Justなるほど
naru hodoI see / Makes senseやってみます
yatte mimasuI'll try doing it分からなかったら
wakaranakattaraIf you don't understandまた
mataAgainありがとう
arigatouThank youデータ
dētaDataファイル
fairuFileございます
gozaimasuIs / Existsはい
haiYes聞いて
kiiteListen / Askここ
kokoHereこの
konoThisください
kudasaiPlease give me / Please do何なに
nanWhatして
shiteDoそれ
soreThat one田中さん
tanaka-sanMr/Ms TanakaDialogue A: Asking for Help Without Being Annoying
You are stuck on a task and need to ask your senior colleague (senpai) for help. They look busy. The key here is the "apologetic interruption." In Japan, you must acknowledge that you are taking their time before you actually ask the question.
Display Options
You
田中さん、今ちょっとよろしいですか？Tanaka-san, ima chotto yoroshii desu ka?
Tanaka-san, do you have a moment right now?
Tanaka
はい、何ですか？Hai, nan desu ka?
Yes, what is it?
You
お忙しいところすみません。このデータの使い方がよく分からなくて...O-isogashii tokoro sumimasen. Kono dēta no tsukaikata ga yoku wakaranakute...
I'm sorry to bother you when you're busy. I don't really understand how to use this data...
Tanaka
あ、それですね。ここをクリックして、ファイルをアップロードするだけですよ。A, sore desu ne. Koko o kurikku shite, fairu o appurōdo suru dake desu yo.
Ah, that. You just click here and upload the file.
You
なるほど！やってみます。Naru hodo! Yatte mimasu.
I see! I'll give it a try.
Tanaka
分からなかったら、また聞いてくださいね。Wakaranakattara, mata kiite kudasai ne.
If you still don't understand, ask me again.
You
ありがとうございます！Arigatou gozaimasu!
Thank you very much!