Japanese Scenes

Before the call

💡 What to know before you call

Since April 1, 2025, の (leave to care for a child) covers kids up to the end of 3rd grade of elementary school, and you can take it for a sick or injured child, vaccinations and checkups, class or daycare closures due to an outbreak, and nursery/kindergarten entrance and graduation ceremonies, and school entrance ceremonies. Each parent gets 5 days a year with one eligible child (10 with two or more), and you can take it by the hour, so a pickup at 11 a.m. doesn't have to cost a full day. The "year" runs April to March unless your company sets otherwise. If you ask on the day by phone, the company can have you file the form after you return. The law doesn't require it to be paid, so check Zeals's (しゅうぎょうきそく, work rules). Note that sports day or class visits aren't covered by law.

Words this call depends on

からがあって
"I got a call (to come) from daycare, and…" (recycled [[〜そうです（伝聞）]]: 熱を出したそうです)
させていただけますか
Could I (please be allowed to) leave early?
の
leave to care for a child: illness, vaccinations, checkups, and specified ceremonies
に
push (it) to tomorrow
の
"something urgent / an urgent matter" (recycled [[〜たら]]: 急ぎの件があったら)

Grammar you'll use

〜そうです（伝聞）
hearsay: 'I heard that ~'
Plain form + そうです
🧩 Try it
息子が熱を出した
Hint: I heard (hearsay)
〜させていただけますか
Could you please let me ~? / May I ~? (very polite permission request)
causative form + ていただけますか. 早退する → 早退させて, 帰る → 帰らせて, 休む → 休ませて, 確認する → 確認させて
🧩 Try it
早退
Hint: humble causative request
〜たら
if/when ~ (conditional)
Verb-た + ら
🧩 Try it
急ぎの件があっ
Hint: if/when
〜ておく
do something in advance / to be ready
Verb て-form + おく (書いておく, 予約しておく). Request: 〜ておいてください. Casual speech often shortens it to 〜とく (書いとく).
🧩 Try it
佐藤さんに頼んで
Hint: do in advance
ので
because / since (soft reason)
Plain form + ので / い-adj + ので / な-adj・noun + なので
🧩 Try it
急ぎではない、明日に回します
Hint: reason, softer than から
〜たいんですが
I'd like to ~, but… (soft request / opener that invites help)
Verb-ます stem + たいんですが
🧩 Try it
子の看護等休暇を使い
Hint: 使う → たい + soft opener

The flow of the call6 steps · orange = they'll ask you

1Get your manager's attention (they ask you)Lines 1–2
2Explain the daycare callLines 3–4
3Ask to leave early on 子の看護等休暇Lines 5–6
4Hand off the afternoon meetingLine 7
5Your manager asks about the rest of your work (they ask you)Lines 8–10
6Ask them to message you if it's urgentLines 11–12

Up next · step 2 of 4

Listen to the call

Continue to Listen