Lesson #5: 急ぎの書類はメールで送る、とのことです (Isogi no shorui wa meeru de okuru, to no koto desu)

Relaying Messages

English Title: She’ll send the urgent documents via email.

🎧 Audio:
Listen to this lesson

Role-play Setup

You work at a company. Your department head (部長) has just returned to the office. Your coworker Itoo-san left early because she felt ill. The department head had asked Itoo-san to prepare some urgent documents. You need to relay Itoo-san’s message about how she will handle the documents.

Full Script & Explanation

Scene 1: The Buchoo Returns

Wada (和田 - Coworker):
お疲れ様でした。
Otsukaresama deshita.
Welcome back.

Explanation: This is a greeting that can be used in the workplace.「おはようございます」can be used, but「こんにちは」and「こんばんは」are not as common. In this case, it’s being used as a greeting to a superior who has just come back to the office. When leaving the office for the day,「お先に失礼します」and「お疲れ様でした」are often used. However, some workplaces may see it as rude when these phrases are used with superiors. It may be a good idea to listen to what colleagues say and copy them.

Buchoo (部長):
あれ、伊東くんは？
Are, Itoo-kun wa?
Huh? Where is Itoo-kun?

Explanation: Itoo-kun is not in his seat.「あれ」is an expression of surprise.「伊東くんは？」is a shortened version of「伊東くんはどこですか」.

Wada:
部長がお留守の間に、急に具合が悪くなって早退しました。
Buchoo ga orusu no aida ni, kyuu ni guai ga waruku natte sootai-shimashita.
She got ill while you were out and went home early.

Explanation:「お留守の間に」means「いない間に」(while you were out). It’s appropriate for use with superiors.「具合が悪い」means「気分が悪い」(not feeling well).「早退する」means to leave earlier than the designated time. In the workplace,「早退」is often used in place of「早く帰ります」.

Buchoo:
伊東くん早退か。大丈夫かな。
Itoo-kun sootai ka. Daijoobu ka na.
Oh, he left early. I hope he’s okay.

Explanation:「そうか」is a casual form of「そうですか」.「早退か」is a casual form of「早退（です）か」. The「な」in「大丈夫かな」shows concern and friendliness.

Scene 2: Asking About the Documents

Wada (to student):
えっ、伊東さん早退？
E, Itoo-san sootai?
Itoo-san left early?

Explanation:「えっ」is an expression of surprise or remembering. The meaning here is the same as「えっ、伊東さんが早退したんですか、本当ですか？！」and shows surprise.

Buchoo:
いやぁ、急ぎの書類を頼んでいたんだけど、やってくれたかな。
Iyaa, isogi no shorui o tanonde ita n da kedo, yatte kureta ka na.
Well, I asked her for some urgent documents. I wonder if she did them.

Explanation:「急ぎの書類」refers to documents that are needed quickly! You can use 急ぎ＋の＋a noun to say “something urgent.” For example:「急ぎの電話」(an urgent call),「急ぎの仕事」(an urgent task).「頼んでいたんだけど」shares the same meaning as「頼みましたが」, but「頼んでいたんだけど」is more polite while still maintaining a sense of worry.「やってくれたかな」can be used by superiors to subordinates, or among equals.

Wada:
伊東さん、そのことについて何か言ってなかった？
Itoo-san, sono koto ni tsuite nanika itte nakatta?
Did Itoo-san say anything about that?

Explanation:「何か言ってなかった？」is a casual way of saying「何か言っていませんでしたか」. It’s used by superiors to subordinates or among equals.

🔑 KEY PHRASE

Student:
はい、急ぎの書類はメールで送る、とのことです。
Hai, isogi no shorui wa meeru de okuru, to no koto desu.
Yes. She’ll send the urgent documents via email.

Explanation:
「～とのことです」is a useful phrase that allows you to relay messages.
Just follow this pattern:「伝言(messages)＋とのことです」

How to use it:
Repeat what you were told, and then add「とのことです」to the end.

Example: If Yamada-san told you「明日10時にまた電話をします」(I’ll call again tomorrow at 10.), you can share this information with your superior by saying「山田さんは、明日10時にまた電話をする、とのことです」(Yamada-san said she’d call again at 10 tomorrow.)

Pattern examples:

Important: To tell about something that hasn’t happened yet, use the plain dictionary form of verbs. In this case,「急ぎの書類は(これから)メールで送ります」uses「～送る」. If the event has already happened, use the past tense. To make「メールで送りました」(She sent them by mail) use「送った、とのことです」.

Conclusion

Buchoo:
そう。よかった。
Soo. Yokatta.
I see. I’m glad.

Explanation:「そう。よかった。」is used by superiors to subordinates or among equals. To be more polite, use「そうですか。よかったです」.

Buchoo:
じゃあ、メールをチェックしてみるよ。
Jaa, meeru o chekku-shite miru yo.
Okay, I’ll check my email.

Explanation:「～てみる」uses the -te form (て形) and みる to mean that one will try to do something.「書いてみるよ」(I’ll try to write it),「印刷してみるよ」(I’ll try to print it).

Student:
はい、お願いします。
Hai, onegai-shimasu.
Sure.

Vocabulary

お疲れ様 (otsukaresama) - thank you for your work, welcome back
Example: お疲れ様でした。(Thank you for your work / Welcome back.)

留守 (rusu) - absence, being away
Example: お留守の間に電話がありました。(There was a call while you were out.)

具合 (guai) - condition, health
Example: 具合が悪いです。(I don’t feel well.)

早退 (sootai) - leaving early
Example: 早退させていただけますか。(May I leave early?)

急ぎ (isogi) - urgent, hurry
Example: 急ぎの用事があります。(I have urgent business.)

書類 (shorui) - document, paperwork
Example: 書類を準備します。(I’ll prepare the documents.)

頼む (tanomu) - to ask, to request
Example: 仕事を頼みます。(I’ll ask you to do the work.)

送る (okuru) - to send
Example: メールで送ります。(I’ll send it by email.)

チェックする (chekku-suru) - to check
Example: 書類をチェックします。(I’ll check the documents.)

Cultural Notes

Workplace Greetings with「お疲れ様」

「お疲れ様でした」is a versatile phrase in the workplace:

However, its use can vary by workplace culture. Some companies may consider it inappropriate for use from subordinates to superiors. Always observe what your colleagues do and follow their example.

Punctuality and Early Departure

Japanese workplaces highly value punctuality. Several terms relate to arrival and departure times:

Important etiquette:

Grammar Points

Pattern 1: ～とのことです (Relaying Information)

Pattern: [Plain form statement] + とのことです

Used to relay information you heard from someone else.

Examples:

For past events:

Pattern 2: ～てくれた (Doing Something for Me)

Pattern: [Verb te-form] + くれた

Indicates someone did something for the speaker’s benefit.

Examples:

Polite forms:

Pattern 3: ～てみる (Trying to Do)

Pattern: [Verb te-form] + みる

Indicates trying to do something.

Examples:

Tips from this Dialogue

Relaying Messages Professionally

When relaying a message from one person to another:

  1. Clearly identify who said it (if asked)
  2. Use「～とのことです」to indicate you’re relaying information
  3. Keep the message accurate and concise
  4. Use appropriate politeness level for the situation

Expressing Concern

When showing concern for someone:

Using「急ぎの～」

To indicate something is urgent:

Keego (Polite Language)

Asking About Early Departure

From casual to formal:

  1. 早く帰る (I’ll go home early - casual)
  2. 早退します (I’ll leave early - polite)
  3. 早退してもいいですか (May I leave early? - polite)
  4. 早退してもよろしいでしょうか (May I please leave early? - formal)
  5. 早退させていただけないでしょうか (Might I be permitted to leave early? - very formal)

Saying “While You Were Out”

From casual to formal:

  1. いない間に (while you were out - casual)
  2. 留守の間に (while you were absent - polite)
  3. お留守の間に (while you were out - respectful)

Kanji

送 - send, see off
Reading: おく (oku), ソウ (soo)
Example: 送付 (soofu - send), 発送 (hassoo - send off/shipping), 送る (okuru - to send)

退 - retreat, withdraw, leave
Reading: しりぞ (shirizo), タイ (tai)
Example: 早退 (sootai - leaving early), 退職 (taishoku - resignation), 後退 (kootai - retreat)

急 - hurry, sudden, urgent
Reading: いそ (iso), キュウ (kyuu)
Example: 急ぎ (isogi - urgent), 急ぐ (isogu - to hurry), 緊急 (kinkyuu - emergency)

Words from this Dialogue

早退 (sootai) - leaving early

早退 means going home before the regular time, or「定時」. When asking superiors for permission to leave early, use「早退してもよろしいでしょうか」or「早退させていただけないでしょうか」(May I please go home early?)

Important notes:

Usage examples:

Source: Based on NHK WORLD-JAPAN’s “Easy Japanese for Work” Lesson #5
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/easyjapaneseforwork/skit05.html