Asking a coworker to re-explain: Explained too fast and need them to go step by step

💬 In どこが？, が marks the part you mean: literally "which part?" or "what part was the problem?" You'll hear the same pattern in 何が？ for "what part?" or "what is it?".

💬 どこが？ is literally "which part?" even though どこ often means "where." With a problem or explanation, it asks which part was unclear.

💬 分かる means "understand," but when you talk about something being easy or hard to understand, it often hooks onto another piece: 分かりやすい "easy to understand," 分かりにくい "hard to understand."

💬 Add にくい to the stem of a verb to say something is hard to do: 分かる → 分かりにくい, 読みます → 読みにくい. It means difficult in practice, not impossible.

💬 分かりにくかった is built from 分かる plus にくい, then put in the past: "was hard to understand." This is a handy pattern: 使いにくかった means "was hard to use."

💬 から often means "from," including a starting point in time or order, as in 最初から "from the beginning." You can reuse it with places too: 駅から "from the station."

💬 最初から means starting over from the beginning, not just "at first." It's a useful set phrase when you want someone to re-explain step by step.

💬 もう often means "again" or "one more" when it comes before a number word: もう一回 "one more time," もう一つ "one more." On its own in other contexts, it can also mean "already."

💬 一回 means "one time" or "once," and in everyday speech it's commonly said (ik-kai), with a held beat before かい. That small pause is important to the sound.

💬 もう一回 is a very common way to say "one more time." It's casual but widely used; a more formal version is もう一度.

🇯🇵 At work, もう一回 is fine with people you're comfortable with, but もう一度お願いします sounds more polished if you want to be extra polite.

💬 ですか turns something into a polite question: 大丈夫ですか "is it okay?", これですか "is it this?" You'll hear it constantly in workplace Japanese.

🇯🇵 いいですか is a gentle way to ask permission before taking someone's time, so it works well before asking for a repeat explanation. It sounds more considerate than jumping straight into the request.

🇯🇵 いいよ is casual and friendly. A boss or senior coworker might say it to you, but you'd usually answer upward with something more polite like はい、お願いします rather than いいよ.

💬 この must come before a noun: この書類, この人, この方法. If you want to say "this" by itself, use これ instead.

💬 開いて is the て-form of 開く. This form is what you use for step-by-step instructions and requests, like 見て "look" or 書いて "write".

🇯🇵 はい is often used like "okay" or "I'm following," not just "yes." In a workplace explanation, saying はい shows you're listening and ready for the next step.

💬 In 次に, に helps turn 次 into "next" as a step in a sequence. You'll see the same feel in instructions like 最後に "finally."

💬 次に is a handy signpost for ordered steps: "next," as in instructions or explanations. Similar sequencing words are まず "first" and 最後に "finally."

💬 何をしますか literally means "what will I do?" or "what should I do?" depending on context. In a step-by-step explanation, it naturally comes across as "what do I do next?"

💬 ここに means "here" in the sense of "to/at this place," because に adds the idea of location or destination. Compare ここ "here" with ここに書いてください "please write here."

💬 書いて comes from 書く. This て form is used for requests and linked actions, like 見て from 見る or 待って from 待つ.

💬 This is the て form of 書く. You use this shape for soft commands and step-by-step instructions, like 押して or 聞いて.

💬 も means "also" and replaces は or を rather than stacking after them in simple sentences. For example, 名前も書いて is "write your name too."

🇯🇵 なるほど is very common when someone is explaining something and you want to show you're following. It sounds natural with coworkers, but avoid using it upward too often with a boss or client because it can sound slightly like you're judging their explanation.

💬 分かります is polite non-past, and in Japanese that often covers both "I understand" and "I will understand." In this kind of exchange it often means "got it" or "I understand now," not just a general ability.

💬 よかった literally means something like "it was good," but very often it means "that's good" or "I'm glad." You'll hear it when a problem is solved or someone finally understands.

💬 この must be followed by a noun: このボタン, この画面, このあと. If you want to say "this" by itself, use これ.

💬 押して comes from 押す. Verbs ending in す make the request/linking form with して, like 話す → 話して.

💬 This is the て form of 押す, often used for instructions like "press it, then...". You'll hear this shape constantly in workplace explanations: 開いて, 入れて, 見て.

💬 保存 is the noun form, and adding する turns many action nouns into verbs: 保存する, 確認する, コピーする. This pattern is very common in office and tech Japanese.

💬 保存する is a noun-plus-する verb: 保存 + する. You can reuse this pattern with lots of work words, like 連絡する "contact" or 共有する "share."

💬 あと often means "after" when it follows a plain-form verb phrase, as in 保存したあと. You can swap in other actions: 食べたあと "after eating," 見たあと "after looking."

💬 保存した is the plain past form of 保存する. Before あと, Japanese uses this plain past shape even when English would say "after saving."

💬 With あと, the action before it usually appears in plain past form: 保存したあと, 終わったあと, 読んだあと. That pattern is the normal way to say "after doing ...".

💬 で often marks the tool or method used to do something: メールで "by email," 日本語で "in Japanese," パソコンで "on/by computer."

💬 Here で means "by means of" or "via." It marks how something is done: メールで送る "send by email," 電話で聞く "ask by phone."

💬 送ります is the polite form of 送る. In conversation, this polite non-past can mean either "I send" or "I will send," depending on context.

💬 Adding か to a polite verb makes a question: 送りますか "Will you send it?" / "Shall I send it?" Context decides who will do the action.

🇯🇵 そうそう is a casual, friendly way to say "yes, exactly" while someone is talking. It's natural with coworkers you're comfortable with, but a plain はい、そうです is safer in more formal situations.

💬 たら after a past-form verb often means "if/when that happens." So 迷ったら is literally "if you got stuck," but naturally means "if you get stuck."

💬 聞く can mean both "hear/listen" and "ask," so context matters. In office help phrases like 聞いてね, it usually means "ask me," not "listen."

💬 聞いて is the て form of 聞く. In this shape it can mean "ask" or "listen," and the rest of the sentence tells you which one.

🇯🇵 Sentence-ending ね makes a line sound warmer and less abrupt. In workplace speech, it often turns a direct instruction into something more supportive or friendly.

🇯🇵 聞いてね is a warm, encouraging way to tell someone to ask if they need help. It fits a friendly coworker or senior helping a junior, but to someone above you it would usually sound too casual.