New here? This is lesson 158 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
What happened first in Japanese
Leo has a bug in a small puzzle game at work. He asks Mori-san for a minute at his desk in the Ueno office.
The error shows only when he hits save. He walks her through the clicks, then offers to show the screen.
You will name when the problem starts, guess a cause, and list the steps in order.
Keep it polite at work. Mori-san wants short, plain words.
By the end of this lesson
Walk someone through a problem and guess the cause.
- ___ときだけ、問題が起きます。The problem only happens when ___.
- ___からかもしれません。It might be because ___.
- これを直す方法はありますか。Is there a way to fix this?
- 実際にどうなるかお見せできます。I can show you what happens.
- まず保存しました。それから、送りました。First I saved it, then I sent it.
- 入力を間違えたかもしれません。I may have typed it wrong.
Scene — only on save
The Ueno office is quiet after lunch. Leo sits at his desk with a headset around his neck. A puzzle-game screen sits open, with no readable text.
Mori-san stands behind him, tablet in one hand, waiting for the clicks that make the error appear.
Learn — walk through a bug
These six lines help you walk someone through a bug. You pin when it happens, guess why, and name the steps.
One line offers to show the screen.
___ときだけ、問題が起きます。
The problem only happens when ___.
When to use it: Use this to pin the one moment a problem appears.
とき names the moment, and だけ limits it to that moment only.
___からかもしれません。
It might be because ___.
When to use it: Use this to guess a cause without sounding sure.
から names the reason, and かもしれません keeps it a guess.
これを直す方法はありますか。
Is there a way to fix this?
When to use it: Ask this when you want a fix, not only a cause.
は marks 方法 as the thing you are asking about.
実際にどうなるかお見せできます。
I can show you what happens.
When to use it: Offer this when a demo is faster than a long explanation.
お見せできます is one set phrase for I can show you.
Say it: Give the small っ in 実際 its own beat.
まず保存しました。それから、送りました。
First I saved it, then I sent it.
When to use it: Use this to name two steps in the order they happened.
まず is the first step, and それから is the next one.
入力を間違えたかもしれません。
I may have typed it wrong.
When to use it: Use this when you think a typing error caused the problem.
かもしれません turns the guess into something less certain.
Story — Mori-san watches
Leo walks Mori-san through the save click. The error appears only then.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- After lunch in the Ueno office. Mori-san stops behind Leo's chair, tablet in hand.
Moriどうしたんですか。What happened?
Leo問題があります。I have a problem.- He turns the screen toward her. The game UI shows no readable text.
- Leoえっと、保存するときだけ、問題が起きます。Um, the problem only happens when I save.
- Mori見せてください。Please show me.
- Leo実際にどうなるかお見せできます。I can show you what happens.
- He clicks save. A red flash. Mori-san watches once, then nods.
- Leoまず保存しました。それから、送りました。First I saved it, then I sent it.
- Moriそうですね。Right.
- Leo入力を間違えたかもしれません。I may have typed it wrong.
- Moriほかの原因はありますか。Is there another cause?
- Leo設定からかもしれません。It might be because of the settings.
- He waits. Mori-san glances at the tablet, then at the screen.
- Leoこれを直す方法はありますか。Is there a way to fix this?
- Moriありますよ。後で見ます。There is. I'll look later.
Practice — name the steps
Ten short tasks wait here. You will listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
The error appears only when you hit save. Tell Mori-san when it happens.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
I may have typed it wrong.
入力を間違えたか____しれません。
Pick the reply
Mori says:
Pick the reply
どうしたんですか。
What happened?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Is there a way to fix this?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
You saved the file, then you sent it. Fix the second step.
まず保存しました。それから、____。
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
___からかもしれません。
True or false?
True or false?
This line asks how you are.
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
Mori-san has the log on her tablet. Ask her to show it to you.
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at the Ueno desk. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Moriどうしたんですか。What happened?
- Leo (you)Tell her the problem only happens when you save.
Tell her the problem only happens when you save.
___ときだけ、問題が起きます。
The problem only happens when ___.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| ___ときだけ、問題が起きます。 | The problem only happens when ___. | |
| ___からかもしれません。 | It might be because ___. | |
| これを直す方法はありますか。 | Is there a way to fix this? | |
| 実際にどうなるかお見せできます。 | I can show you what happens. | |
| まず保存しました。それから、送りました。 | First I saved it, then I sent it. | |
| 入力を間違えたかもしれません。 | I may have typed it wrong. |
Save your progress — it’s free
Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these walkthrough lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round before stand-up keeps the steps ready.
Open Yak Cards