How to Say ‘Tanaka is in a meeting right now.’ in Japanese
田中はただいま会議中です。
tanaka wa tadaima kaigi chuu desu
[tah-NAH-kah wah tah-DAH-ee-mah KAI-gee CHOO dess]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Notice there's no さん after 田中. When speaking to an outsider, staff refer to their own colleagues, even their boss, by bare family name, since you don't raise up your own side in front of a client.
Phrase Breakdown
田中はただいま
tanaka wa tadaima
Tanaka, right now
You drop さん when talking about your own colleague to outsiders. ただいま is a formal 'at the moment'.
山田はただいま外出中です。
Yamada is out at the moment.
Words in this phrase
田中
tanaka
[tah-NAH-kah]
Tanaka (surname)
A very common Japanese family name.
田中さんは会社員です。
Mr. Tanaka is an office worker.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker; as for
Marks 'today' as the topic. Written は but pronounced 'wa.'
本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for giving me your time today.
ただいま
tadaima
[tah-DAH-ee-mah]
right now; at the moment
Polite word for 'currently', often used by staff.
ただいま準備中です。
We are preparing right now.
会議中です。
kaigi chuu desu
is in a meeting
'kaigi-chū desu', with a long 'ū' in chū.
今、会議中です。
I'm in a meeting now.
Words in this phrase
会議
kaigi
[KAI-gee]
meeting
A formal meeting or conference, common at work.
会議は十時からです。
The meeting is from ten.
中
chuu
[CHOO]
in the middle of; under way
Suffix meaning something is ongoing.
会議中です。
A meeting is in progress.
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.
少し伺いたいです。
I would like to ask a little.
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