Phone Call

Situation

In this scenario, Tanaka-san calls Yamada-san to suggest meeting up, either today or tomorrow. Yamada-san is unavailable today but free the following day. They successfully make plans to get together.

Dialogue

Key Vocabulary

Grammar Notes

• 〜ですか (desu ka): This is a polite way to form a question. It is attached to the end of a noun or adjective phrase.

• 〜が (ga): The particle 〜が (ga) can connect two clauses in the middle of a sentence. It often implies a slight hesitation or politeness before a request or stating a difficulty. For instance, 「今日きょうはちょっと…。」 (Kyou wa chotto...) might be followed by 「今日きょうはちょっと忙いそがしいですが…。」 (Kyou wa chotto isogashii desu ga..., meaning 'Today I'm a bit busy, but...').
• 〜か〜 (ka ~): This particle is used to mean "or" when connecting two nouns or phrases, offering a choice between them.

• 〜ませんか (masen ka): This is a polite and inviting way to suggest an action or ask someone to do something together. It translates to "Won't you...?" or "Shall we...?"

• 〜なら (nara): This particle indicates a conditional statement, meaning "if it's X," or "in the case of X." It often refers to a specific condition or topic that has been mentioned previously.

• 〜ましょうか (mashou ka): This expression is used to make a suggestion, often asking for the other person's opinion, similar to "Shall we...?" or "How about we...?"

Cultural Notes

In Japanese communication, especially over the phone, politeness and indirectness are highly valued. Standard practice dictates starting a phone call with 「もしもし」 (Moshi moshi).

When making plans or inquiring about availability, direct refusals are often avoided. Instead, phrases like 「ちょっと…」 (chotto...) are commonly used to politely indicate difficulty without explicitly saying "no." This subtle hint implies that the person is busy or unavailable, and the other party is expected to understand the implication.

Concluding a phone call typically involves polite expressions such as 「失礼しつれいします」 (Shitsurei shimasu). While literally meaning "I will commit an impoliteness," this phrase functions as a polite way to say goodbye or hang up, acknowledging the act of ending the conversation.

Additionally, when arranging meetings, it's common to use indefinite terms like 「〜ごろ」 (goro) for "around (time)" or suggest easily recognizable meeting spots like 「駅えきの前まえ」 (eki no mae, "in front of the station").

The phrase 「よろしくお願ねがいします」 (Yoroshiku onegai shimasu) is remarkably versatile. In this dialogue, it conveys an eagerness for the upcoming meeting, essentially meaning "I look forward to our meeting" or "Please treat me well when we meet." It serves as a polite acknowledgment and expression of anticipation for the future interaction.

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Practice

• Role-play: Practice the dialogue above with a partner, taking turns being Tanaka and Yamada. Pay attention to natural rhythm and intonation.
• Substitution Drill 1 (Time): Replace 「午後ごご3時じごろ」 with other times such as 「午前ごぜん10時じごろ」 (gozen juu-ji goro - around 10 AM) or 「夜よる7時じごろ」 (yoru shichi-ji goro - around 7 PM).
• Substitution Drill 2 (Location): Replace 「駅えきの前まえ」 with alternative locations like 「カフェ」 (kafe - cafe) or 「本屋ほんや」 (honya - bookstore) to practice meeting at different places.
• Substitution Drill 3 (Day): Instead of tomorrow, try asking to meet "this weekend" (今週こんしゅうの週末しゅうまつ - konshuu no shuumatsu) or "next week" (来週らいしゅう - raishuu).
• Variation Scenario: Imagine Yamada-san is unavailable all day tomorrow too. How would the conversation adapt? Practice politely declining tomorrow and suggesting an alternative day, like "next week."