Working in a Japanese Company

Reading Passage

「田中たなかさん、おはようございます！」と、わたしは毎朝まいあさ、会社かいしゃの玄関げんかんで先輩せんぱいに挨拶あいさつをします。日本にほんの会社かいしゃで働はたらき始はじめてもう3ヶ月かげつになります。この3ヶ月かげつは本当ほんとうに早はやかったです。最初さいしょは慣なれないことばかりで、毎日まいにち緊張きんちょうしていました。特とくに、敬語けいごの使つかい方かたや、会議かいぎでの振ふる舞まいなど、日本独特にほんどくとくのビジネス習慣しゅうかんを理解りかいするのが難むずかしかったです。

しかし、周まわりの同僚どうりょうが優やさしく教おしえてくれたおかげで、だんだん仕事しごとに慣なれてきました。先日せんじつは、初はじめて自分じぶんの意見いけんを会議かいぎで発表はっぴょうしました。とてもドキドキしましたが、部長ぶちょうが「いい意見いけんだね」と褒ほめてくださり、とても嬉うれしかったです。

今いまでは、仕事しごとだけでなく、会社かいしゃの皆みなさんと昼食ちゅうしょくを一緒いっしょに食たべたり、仕事帰しごとかえりに飲のみに行いったりすることもできるようになりました。私わたしにとって、日本にほんの会社かいしゃで働はたらくことは、新あたらしい文化ぶんかを学まなび、自分じぶんを成長せいちょうさせる素晴すばらしい経験けいけんです。これからも一生懸命いっしょうけんめい、頑張がんばりたいと思おもいます。

Vocabulary List

• 毎朝まいあさ (maiasa) — every morning
• 挨拶あいさつ (aisatsu) — greeting
• 先輩せんぱい (senpai) — senior colleague
• 慣なれない (narenai) — unfamiliar
• 緊張きんちょう (kinchou) — nervous, tense
• 敬語けいご (keigo) — honorific language
• 振ふる舞まい (furumai) — behavior, conduct
• 日本独特にほんどくとく (nihon dokutoku) — uniquely Japanese
• 習慣しゅうかん (shuukan) — custom, habit
• 同僚どうりょう (douryou) — colleague
• 部長ぶちょう (buchou) — department manager
• 褒ほめる (homeru) — to praise
• 昼食ちゅうしょく (chuushoku) — lunch
• 一生懸命いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei) — with all one's might, diligently
• 経験けいけん (keiken) — experience

English Translation

“Good morning, Tanaka-san!” I greet my senior colleague every morning at the company entrance. It’s already been three months since I started working at a Japanese company. These three months have passed really quickly. At first, everything was unfamiliar, and I was nervous every day. Especially, it was difficult to understand uniquely Japanese business customs, such as how to use honorific language and how to behave in meetings.

However, thanks to my kind colleagues around me who taught me, I gradually got used to the work. The other day, I presented my own opinion in a meeting for the first time. I was very nervous, but the department manager praised me saying, “That’s a good idea,” and I was very happy.

Now, not only at work, but I can also eat lunch together with everyone from the company and go out for drinks after work. For me, working at a Japanese company is a wonderful experience to learn a new culture and foster my personal growth. I intend to keep doing my best.

Comprehension Questions

• 私わたしが日本にほんの会社かいしゃで働はたらき始はじめて、どのくらい経たちましたか？

(How long has it been since I started working at a Japanese company?)

(What did I find difficult at first?)

(Why was I able to get used to the work?)

(When I presented my opinion in the meeting, what did the department manager say?)

(For me, what kind of experience is working at a Japanese company?)

Grammar Points Used

• ～になります (ni narimasu): Expresses a change or the passage of time. Often translated as "it has been," "it will become."

Example: 働はたらき始はじめてもう3ヶ月かげつになります (It's already been three months since I started working).

• ～ばかり (bakari): Indicates "only," "nothing but," or "just" (when following a verb in its past tense, it means "just finished"). Here it means "nothing but," indicating a situation composed entirely of something.

Example: 慣なれないことばかり (nothing but unfamiliar things).

• ～おかげで (okage de): Expresses that something positive happened thanks to someone/something.

Example: 周まわりの同僚どうりょうが優やさしく教おしえてくれたおかげで (thanks to my kind colleagues who taught me).

• ～だけでなく～も (dake de naku ~ mo): Means "not only ~ but also ~."

Example: 仕事しごとだけでなく、会社かいしゃの皆みなさんと… (not only at work, but also with everyone from the company…).

• ～ことができる (koto ga dekiru): Expresses ability or possibility. "Can do ~."

Example: 飲のみに行いったりすることもできるようになりました (I also became able to go out for drinks).

• ～にとって (ni totte): Means "for," "to" (a person). Expresses a perspective or judgment.

Example: 私わたしにとって (for me).

• ～たいと思おもいます (tai to omoimasu): Expresses one's intention or desire. "I think I want to ~."

Example: これからも一生懸命いっしょうけんめい、頑張がんばりたいと思おもいます (I intend to continue working hard with all my might).