Workplace Japanese Words and Dialogs
How to Ask
Who is …?
- Who is this person? この方はどなたですか？
- Who is that person? あの方はどなたですか？
- Who is that person over there? あちらの方は、どなたでしょうか？あそこにいるのは、どなたですか？
- Excuse me, but who is this person? 失礼ですが、こちらの方はどなた様でしょうか？
- What is that person’s role/responsibility? あの方は、どのようなご担当の方でしょうか？
Do you know …?
Polite and Professional
These are the most respectful ways to ask and are the safest options in a formal office like a bank. They use honorific language to avoid sounding like you are questioning the other person’s intelligence or testing them. Use these when speaking to a boss, a senior colleague, or someone outside your team when you want to be very polite or are unsure if they have the information.
- ご存知でしょうか？ Would you happen to know it?
- ご存知ですか？ Do you know about it?
Standard and Direct
These are neutral and straightforward expressions suitable for colleagues you talk to regularly. They are best for asking about objective facts, such as the location of a file or who is in charge of a specific task. While they are polite, they are more direct than the honorific versions.
- 知っていますか？ Do you know?
- これについて何か知っていますか？ Do you know anything about this?
Comprehension and Intuition
These are used when “knowing” involves understanding a concept or having a hunch about a problem. The first example focuses on whether the person understands the mechanics or meaning of an object, like a piece of code. The second example is used when looking for a lead or a clue, making it perfect for troubleshooting errors where you are asking if the situation sounds familiar.
- これのこと分かりますか？ Do you understand what this is?
- 心当たりはありますか？ Does this ring a bell?
Do you understand …?
In a Japanese office—especially a bank—asking “Do you understand?” directly as 「わかりますか？」 can sometimes sound a bit rude or condescending, as if you are questioning the other person’s intelligence.
Instead, it is much more professional to ask, “Does this make sense?” or “Is my explanation clear?” by putting the responsibility on yourself.
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The Most Professional Way (Putting it on yourself)
This is the best way to ask a senior or a colleague if they followed your explanation.
- 今の説明で、お分かりいただけましたでしょうか？ Was my explanation clear enough for you to understand?
- （今の説明で）ご不明な点はございませんか？ Are there any unclear points (in my explanation)?
- 私の説明で足りない部分はありますか？ Is there anything missing from my explanation?
- お分かりいただけましたでしょうか？ Was I able to make myself understood?
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Checking for Alignment (Very Common)
In engineering and banking, we often use the word 認識 (Understanding, Recognition). This asks if you are both “on the same page.”
- こちらの認識で合っていますでしょうか？ Is my understanding correct? / Does this match your understanding?
- イメージに相違ないでしょうか？ Is this consistent with the image you have in mind?
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Slightly more casual (To a close colleague)
If you’ve been working together for a few days and the atmosphere is relaxed.
- イメージ湧きますか？ Does that give you a good mental image? / Do you see what I mean?
- ここまでは大丈夫そうですか？ Is everything okay so far?
- 何か気になる点はありますか？ Is there anything you’re concerned about?
Should we continue …?
このまま続けてもよろしいでしょうか？ Should we continue as we are?
作業を継続して大丈夫ですか？ Is it okay to continue the work?
次のステップに進んでもいいでしょうか？ Can we move on to the next step?
このまま進めても問題ないでしょうか？ Is there any problem with proceeding like this?
続きをやってもいいですか？ Can I do the rest?
作業を続行しますか？ Shall we continue the operation?
Expressing Your Needs
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To get used to the workflow as quickly as possible, could you please teach me the step-by-step procedures? For example, it would be very helpful if I could have a small task where I can experience the whole flow, from reading the design documents to implementation.
業務フローに一日も早く慣れたいので、まずはステップバイステップの手順を教えていただけないでしょうか？例えば、設計書の読解から実装まで、一連の流れを体験できるような小さめのタスクをいただけると非常に助かります。
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To grasp the basic development flow, I’d like to experience the process from checking the design docs to implementation. Would it be possible to assign me a minimal task as a starting exercise?
基本的な開発の流れを把握するために、設計書の確認から実装までを一通り経験してみたいと考えています。まずは練習として、何かミニマムなタスクをお任せいただくことは可能でしょうか？
Glossary
起点 starting point 初回 first time 次回 next time 接続 connection 手順 procedure 求られます required 認証 certification 発行 issue 入力 input 出力 output 送信 transmission 不要 unnecessary 各人 each person 各自 each person 移動 movement 運用 use （稼｜働｜か｜どう） operation 影響 influence 作成 create 作業 work, operation 非推奨 not recommended 確認用 for confirmation 進捗 progress 加え add 設計 design 選択 choice 検索窓 search box 左上 upper left 汎用 general-purpose 以下 below 上記 mentioned above, aforementioned 格納 storage 開く open 閉じる close (state, ) 閉める close (door) What’s the difference between 閉める and 閉じる? DAWS上のドキュメント documentation on DAWS 直接 direct 参照 reference 共通 common 関数 function 別紙 another paper 新規項目 new item 詳細 details 記載 mention, enter （展｜開｜てん｜かい） expand 取得 acquisition 変わる change 変更 change 一番下に to/at the very bottom 以下のオプションのいずれかを使用して use one of the following options 認証情報は必要に応（お）じていつでも取得できます。 Authentication information can be obtained at any time as needed. 応（お）じる answer; meet 起動 boot 転送 transfer 先程 a little while ago, previous 先ほどの画面から、アクセスキー ID、シークレットキーをコピーしてください。 Please copy the Access Key ID and Secret Key from the previous screen. 貼り付ける paste 左側 left side 右側 right side 押す press 表示 display 実行 execution 実施 carry out 圧縮 compression 形式 form 解凍 thawing; decompression 拡張子 file extension 中身 contents 変数 variable 現在 the present, now 現在のシェルでのみ有効にするものなので、シェルの起動度に実行する必要があります。 This only takes effect in the current shell, so it needs to be run every time the shell starts. ライブラリ library 配布 distribute 配布元 distributor 設定 configuration 作成されたディレクトリ内に移動します。 Navigate into the created directory. 割愛 omit 構築 construction 進め方 how to proceed バージョンは16系です。 The version is 16. 一部入力する必要のある項目があります。 Some fields need to be filled in. 承諾 agree 辞退 decline 仮の予定 agree tentatively 予定表へのアクセス権が追加されました。 Access permission to the schedule has been added. 添付ファイル attachment 有害 harmful
承知しました。共有ありがとうございます。確認いたします。 Understood. Thank you for sharing. I will review it.
回復 recovery 含む contain 保存 preservation 消除 deletion 製造 manufacture 戻る return
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