Lesson #30: 今はちょっと手が離せません (Ima wa chotto te ga hanaسemasen)

Turning down a request for support politely

English Title: Turning down a request for support politely

🎧 Audio:
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Role-play Setup

You’re working in a restaurant kitchen during a busy shift. Multiple group customers have arrived at once, and everyone is overwhelmed with orders. A colleague asks for your help, but you’re in the middle of an important task that can’t be interrupted. You need to decline politely while showing you’ll help as soon as possible.

Full Script & Explanation

The Busy Kitchen

Server

すみません、２番テーブルのお客様の前菜はまだですか。
Sumimasen, ni-ban tēburu no okyakusama no zensai wa mada desu ka.
Excuse me, where are the appetizers for Table 2?

「前菜はまだですか」means 「前菜はまだできていませんか」(Are the appetizers still not ready?). The speaker is wondering when the appetizers will be ready.

Cook

今ちょうど盛りつけているところです。
Ima chōdo moritsukete iru tokoro desu.
I’m plating them now.

「ところ」is often used to mean “place,” but in this case, it’s being used to mean 「まさに今」(right now). It can be used in phrases to show your current progress on a task.

Server

ワンさん、このあと１番テーブルはデザートになりますけど、できていますか。
Wan-san, kono ato ichi-ban tēburu wa dezāto ni narimasu kedo, dekite imasu ka.
Wang-san, Table 1 is going to need their desserts. Are they done?

Here, 「できていますか」is being used to mean「出来上がっていますか」. The phrase「〜になる」is being used to tell the listener what is coming up next.

Wang (you)

まだです。あともう少しかかります。
Mada desu. Ato mō sukoshi kakarimasu.
Not yet. I need a little more time.

The phrase 「もう少しかかります」 means「もう少し時間がかかる」, but omits「時間が」.

Chef

皆さん、お客様をお待たせしないようお願いしますね！
Minasan, okyakusama o omataseshinai yō onegai shimasu ne!
We can’t keep the customers waiting, guys!

The speaker is trying to rally the kitchen to work as fast as possible so that customers are not kept waiting much longer. Adding「ね」at the end of the sentence is used for emphasis.

Staff

はい！
Hai!
Okay!

Discussing the Workload

Cook

これじゃあ、全然人手が足りませんね。
Kore ja, zenzen hitode ga tarimasen ne.
We’re understaffed!

「人手」, or worker, means the same thing as「働く人」or「働き手」.

Cook

一気に５組も団体さんが入ったら追いつかないですよ。
Ikki ni go-kumi mo dantai-san ga haittara oitsukanai desu yo.
If five groups come in at once like this, we can’t keep up!

「一気に」means the same thing as「一度に」(at once). The word「団体さん」refers to「グループ客」, or a group. The word「追いつかない」is used to mean that one can’t keep up or cope.

Server

ワンさんは大丈夫そうですか。
Wan-san wa daijōbu-sō desu ka.
Wang-san, how are you doing?

The speaker is checking on their coworker. The phrase「〜そうです」refers to how things look, or how things seem to be shaping up.

Wang (you)

なんとか大丈夫です。
Nantoka daijōbu desu.
I should be fine.

「なんとか」is a word that’s used to show one is getting through a difficult situation.

The Pressure Increases

Server

2番テーブルのお客様から「前菜を10分以上待っている」とクレームが入りました。
Ni-ban tēburu no okyakusama kara “zensai o juppun ijō matte iru” to kurēmu ga hairimashita.
Table 2 has been waiting for appetizers for over ten minutes! They’re not happy.

Here, the speaker uses the word 「入りました」instead of just「クレームがありました」to show that a complaint has just come in, and to create a sense of urgency.

Chef

大至急仕上げてください！
Daishikyū shiagete kudasai!
I need the appetizers now!

「至急」means「大急ぎ」. Adding the kanji 「大」to make「大至急」creates an even greater sense of urgency. The word「仕上げる」means「完成させる」.

Chef

ワンさん、デザートもそろそろですから！
Wan-san, dezāto mo sorosoro desu kara!
Wang-san, I’ll need the desserts soon!

「そろそろ出すことになる」explains that it is nearly time for the desserts to be brought out. The implication is that the speaker wants Wang-san to hurry up and finish the desserts.

Wang (you)

あー、どうしよう！まずい、間に合わないよ…。
Ā, dō shiyō! Mazui, ma ni awanai yo…
Argh! What do I do? I can’t make these fast enough…

The Request for Help

Cook

ワンさん、ちょっとだけこっちの仕事を手伝ってくれませんか。
Wan-san, chotto dake kocchi no shigoto o tetsudatte kuremasen ka.
Wang-san, could you help me out a bit?

「こっちの仕事」is being used to refer to what the speaker is working on. The speaker wants help with their job making appetizers, because they are overwhelmed with work. The phrase「～てくれませんか」is used by superiors to subordinates, or among coworkers.

KEY PHRASE

Wang (you)

すみません、今はちょっと手が離せません。終わり次第お手伝いします。
Sumimasen, ima wa chotto te ga hanasemasen. Owari-shidai otetsudai shimasu.
I’m in the middle of something. I’ll help you as soon as I’m done.

「手が離せない」means「今目の前に先にやるべき仕事がある」, and that the speaker is busy with their own work. The phrase「終わり次第」means「終わったらすぐに」, but is more polite, and more appropriate for use in a business situation. It lets the listener know that the speaker will help them as soon as they are able to, and that the listener’s work will become their top priority.

Cook

そうですか…。じゃあ、終わったらお願いします。
Sō desu ka… Jā, owattara onegai shimasu.
I see. Well, as soon as you’re done!

In this case, 「終わったら」isn’t being used to mean “if you finish,” but instead “when you finish.” It means the same thing as「終わってから」or「終わった後で」.

Wang (you)

分かりました。
Wakarimashita.
Okay.

Chef

じゃあ、私が手伝いましょうか。
Jā, watashi ga tetsudaimashō ka.
Shall I help?

The chef in charge of main dishes is offering help. The phrase「〜ましょうか」can be used to offer help.

Cook

ありがとうございます！
Arigatō gozaimasu!
Thank you!

Vocabulary

前菜 (zensai) - appetizers
The kanji「菜」can be used to refer to a side dish. 「前菜」, or appetizers, are what precede a main dish. Multi-course meals may include 「前菜」 (appetizers)、「スープ」 (soup)、「メイン」(魚料理、肉料理）(main dishes), and 「デザート」 (dessert).
Example: 「前菜盛り合わせ」を頼み、みんなで分けて食べることにした。(We decided to share the appetizer platter.)
Example: 前菜の量が多くて、それだけでお腹がいっぱいになりそうだ。(The appetizers look big enough to fill me up.)

人手 (hitode) - workers, help, labor
This term is used to refer to workers or help, or the labor force in general.
Example: 深刻な人手不足が続いていて、人手を確保しようとする企業が増えている。(There is a serious labor shortage, and many companies are trying to secure workers.)
Example: 企業は、人手不足解消に向けて議論を続けている。(The company is continuing to hold discussions about how to solve the labor shortage.)

団体さん (dantai-san) - group
A 団体 is a group of people gathered for a specific purpose. By adding the suffix「さん」on the end, it becomes more polite and friendly. Groups of customers can be collectively called 「団体さん」.
Example: 今日チェックインする団体さんは、何名かな。(How many people are in the group that’s checking in later today?)
Example: 観光バスから団体さんが降りてきた。(A group of people got off of the tour bus.)

Cultural Notes

Declining Requests in Japanese Workplace

When you need to decline a request:

  1. Apologize first - すみません
  2. Explain clearly - 今はちょっと手が離せません
  3. Offer alternative - 終わり次第お手伝いします
  4. Follow through - Make sure to help when you can

Managing Busy Periods in Japanese Service Industry

Japanese restaurants and service industries value:

Grammar Points

Using「手が離せない」

This idiomatic expression means “I can’t leave what I’m doing right now.”

Examples:

Using「〜次第」to Mean “As Soon As”

Pattern: Verb stem + 次第

This pattern means “as soon as” or “immediately after.”

Examples:

Using「〜ましょうか」to Offer Help

Pattern: Verb stem + ましょうか

This pattern is used to offer to do something for someone.

Examples:

Tips from this Dialogue

Politely Declining While Showing Willingness

  1. Acknowledge the request - Don’t ignore it
  2. Apologize - すみません
  3. Explain your situation - Be clear about why you can’t help now
  4. Commit to helping later - 終わり次第お手伝いします
  5. Actually follow through - This maintains trust

Managing Priorities

In busy work situations:

Keego (Polite Language)

行く (iku) - to go
Polite/Respectful Forms:

Kanji

務 - duty, serve
Reading: む (mu), きん (kin), つと (tsuto)
Example: 出勤 (shukkin - go to work), 勤務 (kinmu - work duty), 務める (tsutomeru - to serve)

Source

Based on NHK WORLD-JAPAN’s “Easy Japanese for Work” Lesson #30
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/easyjapaneseforwork/skit30.html