New here? This is lesson 193 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
What's unclear in Japanese
Leo's note on the same puzzle-game bug sits on Mori-san's desk, and the steps are muddy.
She does not scold. She asks which part is unclear, then whether her answer actually helped.
You will pinpoint the unclear bit, check if anything is still unsure, and ask if the answer did the job.
You can also offer a simpler pass, or start again from the top.
By the end of this lesson
Ask which part is unclear and whether the answer helps.
- どの部分が分かりにくいですか。Which part is unclear?
- 何か分からないところはありますか。Is there anything you're unsure about?
- これで質問の答えになっていますか。Does that answer your question?
- もっと簡単に説明できますよ。I can explain it more simply.
- まず何から聞きますか。What do you want to ask first?
- 最初から説明しましょうか。Shall I explain from the start?
Scene — a muddy bug note
Afternoon at the Ueno office. Screens show the same puzzle game, with no readable UI. Leo's bug note sits beside Mori-san's tablet.
She reads it twice, then looks up. The steps jump, and she wants the unclear part named before she tries again.
Learn — which part is unclear
Six lines help you find the muddy bit and check whether an answer actually helped.
You can offer a simpler pass or start from the beginning.
どの部分が分かりにくいですか。
Which part is unclear?
When to use it: Use this to pinpoint the muddy bit in a note or explanation.
が marks the part that is hard to follow.
何か分からないところはありますか。
Is there anything you're unsure about?
When to use it: Use this after an explanation to invite remaining doubts.
ところ names a spot or aspect; here it is an unclear part.
これで質問の答えになっていますか。
Does that answer your question?
When to use it: Use this after you answer, to check it actually helped.
に before なっています marks the result, here the answer.
Say it: The small っ in なっています creates a brief pause before て.
もっと簡単に説明できますよ。
I can explain it more simply.
When to use it: Offer this when the first pass still looks too hard.
よ adds emphasis or presents information to the listener; here the context makes this a helpful offer.
まず何から聞きますか。
What do you want to ask first?
When to use it: Use this when several questions are waiting and you need an order.
から after 何 asks where to begin.
最初から説明しましょうか。
Shall I explain from the start?
When to use it: Offer this when starting over would be kinder than patching holes.
ましょうか makes this a question offering the speaker's action.
Say it: Keep しょう long; do not cut it short.
Story — the same bug
Mori-san reads Leo's muddy note on the same bug, then asks which part is unclear.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Leo's muddy note sits by Mori-san's tablet. She reads it twice.
Moriレオさん、このメモ、ちょっと分かりにくいです。Leo, this note is a bit hard to follow.
Leoすみません。同じバグの話なんですが。Sorry. It's about the same bug, but...- Moriどの部分が分かりにくいですか。Which part is unclear?
- Leo再現の手順が、よくわかりません。I don't really understand the steps to reproduce it.
- Mori何か分からないところはありますか。Is there anything you're unsure about?
- Leoはい。保存のあとです。Yes. The part after saving.
- Moriまず何から聞きますか。What do you want to ask first?
- Leoまず、保存のあとに何が起きますか。First, what happens after you save?
- Mori保存したあと、サーバーに送られます。これで質問の答えになっていますか。After you save, it is sent to the server. Does that answer your question?
- Leoまだ少しわかりません。I still don't quite understand.
- Moriもっと簡単に説明できますよ。I can explain it more simply.
- Leoもう一度、説明してください。Please explain that again.
- Mori最初から説明しましょうか。Shall I explain from the start?
- Leoはい、お願いします。Yes, please.
- Mori starts again, slower, with the tablet turned toward Leo.
- Moriここまで大丈夫ですか。Does that make sense so far?
- Leoはい、大丈夫です。Yes, I'm following.
Practice — pin down the unclear bit
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, fill a gap, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
何か分からないところはありますか。
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your first explanation of the save step did not land. Offer to make it simpler.
Pick the reply
Mori says:
Pick the reply
ええと、どこから聞けばいいか、よく分かりません。
Um, I don't really know where I should start asking.
And you reply with:
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Does that answer your question?
これで質問の答え____なっていますか。
Build the line
Build the line
Shall I explain from the start?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Several questions are waiting. Ask where to begin, not what the question is.
まず何____聞きますか。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
Pick the reply
Mori says:
Pick the reply
保存したあと、同期が始まります。
After you save, the sync starts.
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
Mori-san's first pass was too fast. Ask her to go through it again.
True or false?
True or false?
You say this to check that the other person is still following.
Say it — your turn to check
You are Leo at the Ueno desk. Mori-san is stuck on your note. 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このメモ、ちょっと分かりにくいです。This note is a bit hard to follow.
- Leo (you)Ask which part is unclear.
Ask which part is unclear.
どの部分が分かりにくいですか。
Which part is unclear?
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| どの部分が分かりにくいですか。 | Which part is unclear? | |
| 何か分からないところはありますか。 | Is there anything you're unsure about? | |
| これで質問の答えになっていますか。 | Does that answer your question? | |
| もっと簡単に説明できますよ。 | I can explain it more simply. | |
| まず何から聞きますか。 | What do you want to ask first? | |
| 最初から説明しましょうか。 | Shall I explain from the start? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these check-in lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them after a meeting.
A short Yak Cards round after a meeting keeps these checks ready.
Open Yak Cards