外で困ったときWhen Problems Happen Outside
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Talk about lost items, broken devices, delays, wrong orders, and other everyday problems that happen while you are out.
- Explain a situation to someone using explanatory「んです」so that your explanation sounds natural rather than abrupt.
- Describe an unfortunate or regrettable event using「てしまいました」.
- Ask someone to do something for you using an expanded request pattern such as「てもらえませんか」.
- Use repair phrases to ask someone to repeat, slow down, or clarify what they said.
- Ask for and understand basic confirmation using「確認」in a service or public setting.
- Read and write a short account of a problem that happened while out, including what happened and what was requested or resolved.
Communication Scenario
Emma is spending a free afternoon in town before meeting Yuki. Over the course of the afternoon, several small problems come up: her train is delayed, she thinks she may have dropped her phone charger somewhere, and a café gets her order wrong. Each time, Emma has to explain the situation and ask for help in Japanese rather than simply pointing or switching to English.
- This chapter opens Unit II, which focuses on solving practical problems: things that go wrong outside the home, returns and reservations, travel and lodging, and clinic or procedure situations.
- By the end of the chapter, you will be able to explain a problem, make a polite request for help, and confirm details with a staff member or stranger in a way that sounds natural rather than overly blunt.
Core Vocabulary
This chapter introduces vocabulary for lost items, broken devices, delays, wrong orders, public help, and accessibility. These words are new to Volume II and appear with furigana throughout this chapter and until a later chapter's matrix marks them as consolidated.
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 忘れ物 | わすれもの | lost item; something left behind |
| 落とす | おとす | to drop; to lose (an object) |
| なくす | なくす | to lose (an object) |
| 故障 | こしょう | breakdown; malfunction |
| こわれる | こわれる | to break; to become broken (intransitive) |
| 遅れる | おくれる | to be late; to be delayed |
| 遅延 | ちえん | delay (especially trains, transportation) |
| 注文 | ちゅうもん | order (at a restaurant or shop) |
| 間違い | まちがい | mistake; error |
| 確認 | かくにん | confirmation; checking |
| 手伝う | てつだう | to help; to assist |
| 案内 | あんない | guidance; information (e.g., an information desk) |
| バリアフリー | バリアフリー | barrier-free; accessible |
| エレベーター | エレベーター | elevator |
| 財布 | さいふ | wallet |
| 充電器 | じゅうでんき | charger (for a phone or device) |
なくす is used when you no longer know where something is, without saying how it happened. 落とす specifically suggests the object was dropped. こわれる describes an object becoming broken, without stating who broke it; the object itself is the grammatical subject, as in 充電器がこわれました (The charger broke).
Script and Kanji Focus
This chapter introduces kanji for loss, delay, problem, help, confirmation, warnings, and notices. These kanji are new and keep furigana in this chapter's texts and exercises.
Volume I kanji already marked consolidated, such as 元気, 生活, and 学校, continue to appear without furigana. The Unit I kanji introduced in Chapters 2 through 4 (習慣, 予定, 責任, 関係, 招待, 連絡, 友人, 規則, 必要, 締め切り, 提出) remain in the developing stage and keep furigana through this chapter. This chapter's own new kanji (忘れ物, 故障, 遅れる, 問題, 確認, 注意, 案内, 手伝う) are newly introduced and also keep furigana throughout Unit II.
れんしゅう — Practice: Choose four kanji from this chapter's list. Write each one three times, then use each one once in a sentence describing something going wrong or someone helping.
Pronunciation Focus
Explanatory 「んです」sentences often carry a slightly falling, confiding intonation, different from a plain statement. When practicing sentences such as 財布をなくしてしまったんです, keep the following in mind:
- maintain full mora length in words such as こしょう (breakdown) and ちえん (delay), even when speaking with an apologetic or hesitant tone;
- keep the geminate consonant clear in words such as ちょっと (a moment; a little) when used as a softener before a request; and
- avoid rushing through the moraic ん in じゅうでんき (charger) and かんけい (relationship).
Practice saying one sentence from the Model Dialogue first as a plain statement, then again with the softer, more explanatory tone appropriate to んです.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter authorizes explanatory「んです」,「てしまいました」, repair phrases,「確認」, and expanded requests such as「てもらえませんか」.
1. Explanatory んです
Purpose: to explain a situation, give a reason, or provide background information, especially before making a request or apology.
- 電車が遅れているんです。You see, the train is delayed. (explaining why I am late)
- 充電器をなくしてしまったんです。You see, I've lost my charger.
- これは注文したものと違うんです。This is different from what I ordered, you see.
んです signals that a statement is offered as an explanation or as background for what follows, rather than as a plain, unconnected fact. It is not simply a stronger version of です.
2. てしまいました — regrettable or completed events
Purpose: to describe an event, often unfortunate or unintended, that has been completed.
- 財布を落としてしまいました。I dropped my wallet. (unfortunately)
- スマホの充電器がこわれてしまいました。My phone charger broke. (unfortunately)
- バスに乗り遅れてしまいました。I missed the bus. (unfortunately)
3. Repair phrases
Purpose: to ask someone to repeat, slow down, or clarify what they said.
- すみません、もう一度お願いします。Excuse me, could you say that once more?
- すみません、よく聞こえませんでした。Sorry, I didn't catch that clearly.
- もう少しゆっくり話していただけますか。Could you speak a little more slowly?
4. 確認 — asking for and offering confirmation
Purpose: to check that details are correct before proceeding.
- 確認してもいいですか。May I confirm something?
- お名前を確認させてください。Please let me confirm your name.
- 注文を確認したいんですが。I'd like to confirm the order, if that's all right.
5. Expanded requests — てもらえませんか
Purpose: to make a polite request for someone to do something, slightly softer and more indirect than てください.
- 手伝ってもらえませんか。Could you help me?
- もう一度説明してもらえませんか。Could you explain that once more?
- エレベーターの場所を教えてもらえませんか。Could you tell me where the elevator is?
てもらえませんか is built on もらう (Chapter 3) plus the potential and negative-question pattern, making it more indirect and generally more polite than a plain command form.
Grammar Practice
- Write one sentence explaining a situation using んです.
- Write one sentence describing something unfortunate using てしまいました.
- Write one repair phrase you would use if you did not hear someone clearly.
- Write one sentence asking to confirm something, using 確認.
- Write one polite request using てもらえませんか.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Emma stops by a station information counter after realizing she may have left her phone charger on a train.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What does Emma think she lost, and where?
- Which train line was Emma riding?
- How does Emma ask the staff member to check for the item?
- What does the staff member ask Emma to do at the end of the conversation?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — Explain and request. For each situation below, write one sentence explaining what happened with んです or てしまいました, and one sentence making a request with てもらえませんか.
- You dropped your wallet somewhere in a shop.
- Your phone broke and you need directions to a repair shop.
- Your order at a café arrived wrong.
- You could not hear an announcement about a delayed bus.
タスク２ — Role-play a problem. With a partner (or on your own, imagining a partner), act out a short exchange in which one person explains a problem from the list above and the other person responds, asks a clarifying question, and offers help or confirmation.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a clear, moderate pace.
きくタスク — A customer explains a problem at a café
すみません、注文したものと違うんです。コーヒーを頼みましたが、紅茶が来てしまいました。確認してもらえませんか。それから、もう一つお願いがあるんですが、店の中にエレベーターはありますか。友人が階段を使えないので、確認したいんです。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Note what the customer ordered, what arrived instead, what the customer asks the staff to confirm, and the second request the customer makes.
This script uses polite style, appropriate for speaking with staff in a shop or café.
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Quick answers
- 最近、何かなくしてしまったことがありますか。
- よく聞こえないとき、何と言いますか。
- お店で注文が間違っていたら、何と言いますか。
コミュニケーションタスク — Reporting a problem
With a partner, take turns playing a customer with a problem (a lost item, a broken device, a wrong order, or a delay) and a staff member who listens, asks a clarifying question, and offers help.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded explanation
Record yourself explaining one problem from this chapter using んです or てしまいました, followed by a request using てもらえませんか. Listen back and check your intonation and your use of the target patterns.
Reading Practice
Read the following notice, then answer the questions below.
忘れ物についてのお知らせ — A lost-and-found notice
電車や駅の中で忘れ物をしてしまった方は、まず駅の案内カウンターへお越しください。係員が忘れ物のリストを確認いたします。財布や充電器などの小さい物は、こちらでお預かりしております。電車の遅延や故障についてのご質問も、こちらでお受けしております。エレベーターをご利用になる方は、案内カウンターの係員にお声がけください。
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- Where should a person go if they lose something on a train or in a station?
- What kinds of small items are held by the counter, according to the notice?
- What two other kinds of questions can the counter help with?
- What should someone who wants to use the elevator do?
Writing Workshop
In this workshop you will write a short account of a problem you experienced (real or invented) while out, using the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- Open with an attention-getter, such as すみません, and identify who you are speaking to (in an email, this can be a brief greeting instead).
- Explain what happened, using んです or てしまいました to describe the problem naturally.
- Add one detail about when, where, or what was involved, recycling vocabulary from this chapter.
- Make a polite request, using てもらえませんか or 確認してもらえませんか.
- Revise and check using the checklist below before finalizing your text.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My text clearly explains what problem happened.
- I used んです or てしまいました naturally, not as a random addition.
- I included one polite request using てもらえませんか.
- I used at least three vocabulary items from this chapter's Core Vocabulary.
- I kept furigana on this chapter's new kanji and on developing Unit I kanji.
- I kept one consistent, polite register throughout.
- I ended each sentence with 。 and used consistent script and punctuation.
Culture and Communication
Many train stations, shops, and public facilities in Japan maintain organized lost-and-found procedures, and asking politely at an information counter is a common and effective first step when something goes missing. Confirming details such as the item's color, the time, and the exact train line helps staff locate an item more quickly.
The exact procedure for lost items, refunds, or accessibility requests can vary by company, region, and type of facility. The dialogue and notice in this chapter describe one plausible procedure; confirming the specific steps with staff at the actual location remains the most reliable approach.
Using んです to explain a situation before making a request, and choosing てもらえませんか instead of a direct command form, both soften the request and make it sound more considerate. This kind of softening is especially useful when asking a stranger or a staff member for help.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *テストに合格してしまいました。 (used to mean simply "I passed the test," with no sense of regret).
Correction: テストに合格しました。 — てしまいました is appropriate for unfortunate, unintended, or sometimes surprising events, such as losing or breaking something, not for ordinary good news.
Error: *充電器をこわれました。 (mixing the intransitive verb こわれる with を, as if it were transitive).
Correction: 充電器がこわれました。 — こわれる is intransitive and takes が; the transitive partner こわす, which takes を and means "to break something," is introduced later in the series.
Error: Walking up to a stranger or staff member and stating a request directly, without すみません or another opening phrase.
Correction: Begin with すみません or a similar attention-getter before explaining the situation, as shown in the Model Dialogue.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Give three vocabulary items from this chapter and use each one in a sentence.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write 忘れ物, 故障, 確認, and 案内 from memory, and explain why they still need furigana at this point in the volume.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence using explanatory んです correctly.
2. Write one sentence using てしまいました correctly.
3. Write one repair phrase.
4. Write one sentence using 確認 correctly.
5. Write one polite request using てもらえませんか.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the lost-and-found notice in the Reading Practice section. Write two sentences summarizing it in your own words.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your own problem-and-request account, following the Writing Workshop steps.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. With a partner or instructor, role-play explaining a problem and making a polite request.
Practical Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
外で困ったとき — Reporting and resolving a problem
Complete all three components below.
- Written report: Write a short account of at least five sentences describing a problem that happened while you were out, using んです or てしまいました, at least one repair phrase or confirmation expression, and one request using てもらえませんか.
- Spoken exchange: With a partner, instructor, or recording, act out explaining the same problem and responding to at least one follow-up question.
- Listening check: Listen to a partner's or instructor's problem report and correctly identify the problem, the detail given, and the request made.
Assessment focus: accurate and natural use of んです and てしまいました; a correctly formed request with てもらえませんか; correct furigana on this chapter's new kanji and developing Unit I kanji; consistent polite register; and comprehensible pronunciation with attention to mora timing and moraic ん in longer explanatory sentences.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. Model: 電車が遅れているんです。 2. Model: 財布を落としてしまいました。 3. Model: すみません、もう一度お願いします。 4. Model: 確認してもいいですか。 5. Model: 手伝ってもらえませんか。
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Emma thinks she lost her phone charger, possibly on the train.
- She was riding the Chūō Line.
- She asks the staff member to check by saying 確認してもらえませんか.
- The staff member asks Emma to write her name and contact information on a form, for confirmation.
Listening task — Model summary
The customer ordered coffee, but tea arrived instead. The customer asks the staff to confirm the order. The customer's second request is to ask whether there is an elevator in the shop, because a friend cannot use the stairs.
Reading — Comprehension
- A person who loses something on a train or in a station should go to the station's information counter.
- Small items such as wallets and chargers are held at the counter.
- The counter can also answer questions about train delays and breakdowns.
- Someone who wants to use the elevator should speak to the staff member at the information counter.
Chapter Review — Section A and B
Open-ended; check against the Core Vocabulary and Script and Kanji Focus sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
Open-ended; models follow the patterns shown in the Grammar and Sentence Patterns section above.
Chapter Review — Section D
Model answer: 忘れ物をした人は、まず案内カウンターへ行きます。係員が忘れ物のリストを確認します。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
Chapter Review — Section E and F, and Practical Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate written work against the Writing Workshop checklist above, and evaluate the spoken exchange and listening check against the assessment focus listed under the Practical Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can explain a problem that happened while out, using んです and てしまいました naturally, make a polite request for help or confirmation with てもらえませんか, and use basic repair phrases to keep a conversation going when you don't catch something the first time.