New here? This is lesson 217 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
A short presentation in Japanese
Leo has three minutes to update Mori-san on the puzzle game before everyone returns to work.
He needs to explain the background, describe the changes, and make the next steps clear.
You will practice the signposts that keep a short presentation easy to follow.
Then close the talk, invite questions, and thank the people who listened.
By the end of this lesson
Open a short talk, present three points in order, close, and invite questions.
- 共有したいことが、三つあります。There are three things I'd like to share.
- まず、背景から説明します。First, I'll explain the background.
- 次に、今回の変更点をお話しします。Next, I'll talk about the changes this time.
- 最後に、今後の予定をお伝えします。Finally, I'll give you the plan from here.
- 以上です。ご質問はありますか。That's all. Are there any questions?
- ご清聴、ありがとうございました。Thank you for listening.
Scene — three minutes at the office
At the Ueno office, Leo connects his laptop while Mori-san sets her tablet beside a small meeting table.
The puzzle game is ready for another round of testing. Leo has prepared three points, and Mori-san is watching the clock.
Learn — give your talk a clear shape
These six lines give your listeners a clear route through three points.
Notice how each transition announces what comes next, and how the closing makes room for questions.
共有したいことが、三つあります。
There are three things I'd like to share.
When to use it: Use this at the start of a short talk to tell listeners how many points to expect.
こと turns what you want to share into countable points, which 三つ counts here.
まず、背景から説明します。
First, I'll explain the background.
When to use it: Use this before giving the context listeners need to understand your update.
から marks the background as the starting point of your explanation.
次に、今回の変更点をお話しします。
Next, I'll talk about the changes this time.
When to use it: Use this when you move from the background to the changes in the current version.
を marks the changes as the content you will talk about.
最後に、今後の予定をお伝えします。
Finally, I'll give you the plan from here.
When to use it: Use this to introduce your final point about what will happen next.
お伝えします is a polite, modest way to say you will convey information to your listeners.
以上です。ご質問はありますか。
That's all. Are there any questions?
When to use it: Use this after your final point to finish the presentation and invite questions.
ご adds respect to the questions that listeners may want to ask.
ご清聴、ありがとうございました。
Thank you for listening.
When to use it: Use this formal closing to thank an audience after a prepared presentation.
ご清聴 thanks an audience for attentive listening and suits a prepared talk.
Say it: Keep both long vowels in ご清聴 full length, even when you finish quickly.
Story — three points, then back to work
Leo gives a brief update on the puzzle game, with Mori-san checking the practical details.
Follow the three signposts and notice where the presentation ends and questions begin.
- Leo opens the game on his laptop. Mori-san glances at the clock.
Mori-sanレオさん、パズルゲームの更新について、短くお願いします。Leo, please give us a brief update on the puzzle game.
Leo共有したいことが、三つあります。There are three things I'd like to share.- Mori-sanはい、お願いします。Yes, go ahead.
- Leoまず、背景から説明します。前の版では、ヒントが分かりにくいという声がありました。First, I'll explain the background. We received feedback that the hints in the previous version were hard to understand.
- Mori-san最初の画面で迷う人が多かったんですよね。A lot of people were getting lost on the first screen, weren't they?
- Leoはい。次に、今回の変更点をお話しします。Yes. Next, I'll talk about the changes this time.
- Leoヒントの文を短くしました。翻訳はもうできています。We shortened the hint text. The translation is already done.
- Mori-sanなるほど。画面での確認はこれからですね。I see. Checking it on screen comes next, then.
- Leo最後に、今後の予定をお伝えします。明日、全体をテストします。Finally, I'll give you the plan from here. Tomorrow we'll test the whole game.
- Mori-san修正した版は、いつ出せますか。When can you hand over the revised version?
- Leo金曜日までに出せます。We can hand it over by Friday.
- Mori-san分かりました。Understood.
- Leo以上です。ご質問はありますか。That's all. Are there any questions?
- Mori-san質問はありません。流れがよく分かりました。No questions. The sequence was very clear.
- Leoご清聴、ありがとうございました。Thank you for listening.
- Mori-san nods at the formal closing, then checks the clock with a small smile.
- Mori-sanありがとうございました。三分で終わりましたね。Thank you. That took just three minutes.
- Leoええ、話すことを三つに絞ってよかったです。Yes, I'm glad I limited it to three points.
Practice — guide your listeners
Work through nine tasks on opening, sequencing, and closing a short talk.
You will also revisit two progress updates that supply useful content between the presentation signposts.
0 of 9 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Build the line
Build the line
First, I'll explain the background.
、。
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You have finished the background and are ready to explain this version's changes now; announce that transition.
Build the line
Build the line
Finally, I'll give you the plan from here.
、。
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
All three points are complete; finish your presentation and explicitly invite the audience to ask questions.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
ご清聴、ありがとうございました。
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Next, I'll talk about the changes this time.
次に、今回の変更点____お話しします。
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
翻訳はもうできています。
True or false?
True or false?
The speaker says they cannot hand it over until next week.
Say it — give the short update
Take Leo's role and rehearse the opening, transitions, and closing of his short update.
Mori-san will cue each section so you can record all six presentation lines in order.
- Mori-sanでは、レオさん、お願いします。Leo, please go ahead.
- Leo (you)Open by announcing three things you would like to share.
Open by announcing three things you would like to share.
共有したいことが、三つあります。
There are three things I'd like to share.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 共有したいことが、三つあります。 | There are three things I'd like to share. | |
| まず、背景から説明します。 | First, I'll explain the background. | |
| 次に、今回の変更点をお話しします。 | Next, I'll talk about the changes this time. | |
| 最後に、今後の予定をお伝えします。 | Finally, I'll give you the plan from here. | |
| 以上です。ご質問はありますか。 | That's all. Are there any questions? | |
| ご清聴、ありがとうございました。 | Thank you for listening. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Rehearse the route through your next short talk with [Yak Cards](https://yakyacker.com/yak-cards/). Keep the opening, three transitions, and closing ready.
Practice the six lines in presentation order before your next update.
Open Yak Cards