Lesson 8: よろしければ、私が致しましょうか (Yoroshikereba, watashi ga itashimashoo ka)

Offering Help Politely

English Title: If you don’t mind, shall I do that?

Role-play Setup

Scene: A cleaning service employee is working at a client’s home. The elderly client tries to move a heavy item but experiences back pain. The employee politely offers assistance.

Characters:

Client (お客様): An elderly homeowner who needs help
Cleaner: Service employee who offers polite assistance

Full Script & Explanation

1. どうですか。進んでいますか。

Doo desu ka. Susunde imasu ka.
Everything going okay?

Here, this phrase is being used to check progress. 「進んでいますか」is used here to mean 「仕事は進んでいますか」(How is work going?). In this case, since both the speaker and listener know the situation, there is no need to say「仕事は」.

2. はい、お客様。もう終わりそうです。

Hai, okyakusama. Moo owarisoo desu.
Yes, ma’am. I’m nearly finished.

The speaker is responding politely. 「もう終わりそうです」means “nearly finished, but not finished yet.”
「終わりそう」uses the verb 終わる and そうです as follows:
終わり<ます> ＋そうです → 終わりそうです。
This form can be used with other verbs as well:
動詞 <ます形のstem> + そうです
Examples:
- この仕事はあと30分で終わりそうです → I’ll finish this task in half an hour.
- この店はもうすぐ閉まりそうです (閉まります + そうです) → This store is about to close.

3. あら、いつも早くて助かるわ。ありがとう。

Ara, itsumo hayakute tasukaru wa. Arigatoo.
You’re always so fast! Thank you.

「あら、」is an expression of mild surprise, often used by more elderly women.
The 「わ」in「早くて助かるわ」is a feminine way to end a sentence.
Men may tend to use the following expression instead:「あ、いつも早くて助かるよ。ありがとう」

4. どういたしまして。

Doo itashimashite.
You’re welcome.

This is a response to 「ありがとう」. It’s a comparatively friendly response.
To be more polite, use a humble phrase like 「いえいえ、そんなことありません」.

5. あそこに戻さないと。

Asoko ni modosanai to.
I’d better put it back over there.

「戻さないと」is a shortened form of「戻さないといけません」. In this case, the speaker is talking to herself.

6. あっ！痛たたたたた。腰が。

Ah! Itatatatata. Koshi ga.
Ah! Ow-ow-ow! My back!

This is an expression used when you’ve suddenly hurt yourself.
「あっ！」is an expression of surprise.
「いたたたた」is used to mean “ouch.”
You can use this phrase for any part of your body, not just your back.

7. 大丈夫ですか。

Daijoobu desu ka.
Are you alright?

This phrase is often used to express concern.

8. よろしければ、私が致しましょうか。

Yoroshikereba, watashi ga itashimashoo ka.
If you don’t mind, shall I do that?

This phrase is being used to make a polite offer of help. In this form, the phrase is appropriate for use with superiors or clients.
To be more casual, use the following:「よければ、私がしましょうか。」or「よければ、私がしようか」.
In the workplace, it’s important to quickly make offers of help when you think help may be needed. If you see someone in need, try using this phrase to offer help!

9. あぁ、お願いします。

Aa, onegai shimasu.
Oh, thank you.

Here,「あぁ」has a nuance of「いいですか。」. This is a casual expression.

10. この本の片付けも、よろしければ、私が致しましょうか。

Kono hon no katazuke mo, yoroshikereba, watashi ga itashimashoo ka.
Shall I tidy up these books, too?

11. お願いします。ありがとう。

Onegai shimasu. Arigatoo.
Yes, please. Thank you.

KEY PHRASE

よろしければ、私が致しましょうか。
Yoroshikereba, watashi ga itashimashoo ka.
If you don’t mind, shall I do that?

This is a very polite way to offer help. The structure includes:

よろしければ (yoroshikereba) = “if it’s alright with you” / “if you don’t mind”
私が (watashi ga) = “I” (emphatic, showing you’ll take responsibility)
致しましょうか (itashimashoo ka) = “shall I do?” (humble form of します)

Vocabulary

Japanese	Romanization	Meaning
お客様	okyakusama	customer/client (very polite)
終わりそう	owarisoo	seems about to finish
助かる	tasukaru	to be helpful/saved
どういたしまして	doo itashimashite	you’re welcome
戻す	modosu	to return/put back
痛い	itai	painful/ouch
腰	koshi	lower back/waist
大丈夫	daijoobu	alright/okay
致す	itasu	to do (humble)
片付け	katazuke	tidying up/cleaning

Key Term: お客様 (おきゃくさま / okyakusama) - Customer/Client

「お客様」and「お客さん」are both words used to mean “customer” or “client.”

お客様 (okyakusama) is more formal, and is used by people in the service industry, when directly speaking with a customer.
お客さん (okyakusan) is used in more friendly situations, such as when the customer is someone you have seen before. It may be more commonly used at small businesses and retail shops.
顧客 (kokyaku) is another word for “customer” or “client,” but is not used when speaking directly to a customer.

Examples:

魚屋（さかなや）で「お客さん、今日はいい魚があるよ。まぐろがいいよ。」
At a fish shop: Sir, today we’ve got great fish. Especially the maguro!

ホテルのフロントで「お客様、パスポートをお預かりします（おあずかりします）。」
In a hotel lobby: Ma’am, may I please see your passport?

顧客（こきゃく）を獲得（かくとく）するためにセールを催（もよお）した
To attract more customers, a sale was held.

顧客名簿（こきゃくめいぼ）を用意してください
Please prepare a client list.

Cultural Notes

Offering Help in Japanese Service Culture

Japanese service culture (おもてなし - omotenashi) emphasizes anticipating needs before being asked. Key points:

Proactive assistance: Don’t wait to be asked—offer help when you see someone struggling
Use humble language: 致す (itasu) instead of する (suru) when offering to do something for a client
Conditional phrasing: よろしければ softens the offer and gives the person an easy way to decline
Repeat offers: The cleaner offers to help twice—first with the item, then with tidying books
Gender differences in speech: Notice how the elderly female client uses feminine speech patterns (「あら」,「わ」)

Reading the Situation

This dialogue demonstrates the importance of:

Observing clients/customers carefully
Responding quickly when someone is in pain or distress
Offering additional help once initial assistance is accepted

Grammar Points

1. ～そうです for Appearance/Likelihood

Pattern: Verb stem (ます form without ます) + そうです
Meaning: “looks like…” / “seems like…” / “about to…”
Examples:
- 終わりそうです (owarisoo desu) - seems about to finish
- 雨が降りそうです (ame ga furisoo desu) - looks like it will rain
- 美味しそうです (oishisoo desu) - looks delicious

2. ～なくて for Reasons

Pattern: い-adjective (drop い) + くて / Verb (ない form) + くて
Meaning: “because…” / “and…”
Example: 早くて助かる (hayakute tasukaru) - (because you’re) fast, it’s helpful

3. ～ないと as Shortened Obligation

Pattern: Verb (ない form) + と
Meaning: “I have to…” / “I’d better…”
Full form: ～ないといけない/ならない
Example: 戻さないと (modosanai to) - I’d better put it back
Often used when talking to oneself

4. よろしければ for Conditional Offers

Pattern: よろしければ + offer
Meaning: “if it’s alright with you…” / “if you don’t mind…”
More polite than よければ
Used to soften offers and requests

5. Humble Form: 致す (itasu)

Humble form of: する (suru) - to do
Usage: Used when doing something for someone of higher status
Pattern: 致しましょうか (itashimashoo ka) - shall I do?
Shows respect by humbling your own actions

Tips from this Dialogue

Observe carefully: Pay attention to clients’ body language and situation
Respond quickly: When someone is hurt or needs help, offer assistance immediately
Use appropriate keego: With clients, use humble forms like 致す instead of する
Offer comprehensively: Once initial help is accepted, look for other ways to assist
Accept help gracefully: The client accepts help with 「お願いします」and「ありがとう」

Keego (Polite Language)

Offering Help - Politeness Levels

Casual → Formal:

やろうか？(yaroo ka?) - Shall I do it? [Very casual]
しようか？(shiyoo ka?) - Shall I do it? [Casual]
私がしましょうか。(watashi ga shimashoo ka.) - Shall I do it? [Polite]
よければ、私がしましょうか。(yokereba, watashi ga shimashoo ka.) - If you’d like, shall I do it? [More polite]
よろしければ、私が致しましょうか。(yoroshikereba, watashi ga itashimashoo ka.) - If you don’t mind, shall I do that? [Very polite, humble]

“You’re Welcome” - Response to Thanks

Casual → Formal:

いいよ (ii yo) - It’s fine [Very casual]
どういたしまして (doo itashimashite) - You’re welcome [Standard polite]
いえいえ (ie ie) - No, no [Modest]
とんでもないです (tondemonai desu) - Not at all [Humble]
とんでもございません (tondemo gozaimasen) - Not at all [Very humble]

Expressing Concern

Basic → More Polite:

大丈夫？(daijoobu?) - You okay? [Casual]
大丈夫ですか。(daijoobu desu ka.) - Are you alright? [Polite]
大丈夫でしょうか。(daijoobu deshoo ka.) - Are you alright? [More formal]
お加減はいかがですか。(okagen wa ikaga desu ka.) - How are you feeling? [Formal]

Kanji

Kanji	Reading	Meaning	Examples
致	ち (chi)	do (humble), cause	致命的 (chimeiteki) - fatal; 合致 (gatchi) - match; 致す (itasu) - to do (humble)
終	しゅう (shuu) / お (o)	end, finish	終わる (owaru) - to end; 終了 (shuuryoo) - completion; 最終 (saishuu) - final
助	じょ (jo) / たす (tasu)	help, rescue	助かる (tasukaru) - to be saved/helped; 助ける (tasukeru) - to help; 援助 (enjo) - assistance
戻	れい (rei) / もど (modo)	return, go back	戻す (modosu) - to return something; 戻る (modoru) - to go back
痛	つう (tsuu) / いた (ita)	pain, hurt	痛い (itai) - painful; 痛感 (tsukkan) - keenly feel; 頭痛 (zutsuu) - headache
腰	よう (yoo) / こし (koshi)	waist, lower back	腰 (koshi) - lower back; 腰掛ける (koshikakeru) - to sit

Source

URL: https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/english/learn/list/

Easy Japanese for Work #8 - “よろしければ、私が致しましょうか” (NHK WORLD-JAPAN)