Happy Washing Machine

Happy Washing Machine

Once upon a time, there was an old man and his wife. He was 80-years-old, and his wife was 75. The man had borrowed some money from several banks over time. His wife had washed their clothes at a coin laundry twice a week and got tired of going there.

One day, the man borrowed $1,500 from a bank. And the next day, she bought a washing machine at an appliance store. After three days, a new machine was installed in their small apartment. The wife was very excited about it.


His wife wanted to use the machine as soon as possible. However, she realized that the machine had too many functions. She was not able to understand anything written in the manual.


They called the store and asked for help, and a person from the store came to explain how to use the basic functions while ignoring the other complicated buttons and icons. She understood the basic functions. At the time, there were several cheep and simple washing machines available at the store but they had already bought this one.


In the following week, the old man received a bill from the store asking for an extra fee. Next month, the man received the second notice from the bank demanding the money be paid within the following 10 business days. Unfortunately, he was unable to meet the deadline.


The bank took quick and severe action against him. They then took the machine away from their apartment. After losing the washing machine, the old man began to go to more banks to borrow more and more money, and the wife began to go to the coin laundry to wash their clothes again.


After six month, they went into the bankruptcy. They had no money left for food. Finally, both the old man and his wife passed away at the same time and went to heaven. They shouted, "OMG! Sorry! Please, forgive us our sins. Please, let us stay here. Don't kick us out!" 
They lived happily in heaven ever after!





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I changed the title from "The Washing Machine" into "Happy Washing Machine."

Suggested titles from Hello Talk members (Thanks, everyone!)
Levin: Washing Machine of Happiness
Robert: My Happiness, The Washing Machine
ジェイビ : My Lovely Washing Machine, The Killer Washing Machine
Jo: The Washing Machine That Made Me Smile, The Washing Machine That Always Makes Me Smile
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しあわせの洗濯機

ある時、年老いた男とその妻が居た。彼は80歳、妻は75であった。男は時折、複数の銀行から金を借りに行った。妻は週二回コインランドリーに衣類を洗濯に行った。妻はその事に疲れて居た。

ある日、男は銀行から1,500ドル借り入れた。翌日、妻は電器店で、洗濯機を注文した。三日後、彼らの小さなアパートに洗濯機が届き、妻はうれしくて興奮した。しかし、妻はその洗濯機の機能の複雑さに直面した。マニュアルに書かれていることも、チンプンカンプンだった。「どげんしたらよか? なんもわからん!」彼女は嘆いた。


彼らは電器店に電話で相談した。翌日、店の人が来て、基本的な機能だけ使って、他の複雑なボタンやアイコン表示を無視する方法を教えてくれた。彼女は最小限の機能を理解した。当時、その店では、低価格でシンプルな洗濯機も販売していたが、後の祭りだった。「うち、なして、こげなもの買うたんやろか?」妻は溜息をついた。


翌週、男宛に店からの追加費用の請求書が届いた。翌月は、銀行から、2回めの催促状が届き、10営業日以内の返済を求められた。だが、男は期限までに支払う事が出来なかった。銀行は即行で厳しい対応に出て、彼らのアパートから洗濯機を持って行ってしまった。


洗濯機を失ってから、男はさらに多くの銀行から次々と借金を重ね、妻は、またコインランドリーに通い出した。半年後、彼らは破産し、食べて行けなくなった。結局、2人は一緒に死に、天国に旅立ち、叫んだ。「神様、御免なさい!私達の罪を赦して!此処に住まわせて下さい!此処から追い出さないで!」それ以来、二人は天国で、幸せに暮らしましたとさ! メデタシメデタシ!



The Washing Machine - Words and phrases
洗濯機:Vocabulary


ある時、年老いた男とその妻が居た。彼は80歳、妻は75であった。男は時折、複数の銀行から金を借りていた。妻は週二回コインランドリーに衣類を洗濯に行った。妻はその事に疲れて居た。


洗濯機(せんたくき): a washing machine (If it’s difficult to say “せんたくき,” you can say “せんたっき” especially when speaking fast.)

ある時(あるとき):Once upon a time
年(とし):a year(s)
老いる(おいる):to get old
男(おとこ):a man
年老いた男: an old man
妻(つま): wife
その妻:his wife (“その” refers to the old man in this context.)
彼(かれ): he / his / him
80歳(はちじゅっさい): 80 years old
75(ななじゅうご): 75
75であった:was 75
時折(ときおり): from time to time
複数(ふくすう):several, more than one
銀行(ぎんこう): a bank(s)
金(かね): money
借りる(かりる):to borrow money or a thing(s)
借りていた:(The man) borrowed (money from several banks from time to time.) (This expression is in the past progress tense in Japanese. However, if you translate it, you probably use the simple past tense in English, don’t you? You will not say, “The man was borrowing money from several banks from time to time,” do you?)
金を借りる(かねをかりる): to borrow money from someone or a bank
週二回(しゅうにかい): twice a week
コインランドリーに行く: to go to a coin laundry
衣類を洗濯する(いるいをせんたくする): to wash clothes
洗濯に行く(せんたくにいく): to go somewhere to wash clothes
その事(そのこと): the events, the activities (something which has already been mentioned before)
疲れる(つかれる): to get tired
妻はその事に疲れていた:The wife got tired of it (Again, this phrase is in the past progress tense. Please, review my explanation above.)


ある日、男は銀行から1,500ドル借り入れた。翌日、妻は電器店で、洗濯機を注文した。三日後、彼らの小さなアパートに洗濯機が届き、妻はうれしくて興奮した。


ある日(あるひ):One day, ....

男(おとこ):the man
銀行(ぎんこう):a bank
1,500ドル(せんごひゃくどる):1,500 dollars
借りる(かりる):to borrow money or a thing from someone, your friend for example, or a financial institution
入れる(いれる):to put something into a container
借り入れる(かりいれる):to borrow (this phrase is often used for financial transactions with banks)
翌日(よくじつ):the next day
妻(つま):wife (We assume that “妻” means “his wife” from the context. Therefore, “彼の(かれの):his” can be omitted.)
電器店(でんきてん):an appliance shop ( Do not breakdown this word into three kanji such as “電,” “器” and “店.”)
洗濯機(せんたくき):a washing machine
注文(ちゅうもん):an order
注文する:to order, to place an order (adding “する” following a noun often makes a verb. For example, “購入(こうにゅう):a purchase” becomes “購入する:to purchase something.”)
洗濯機を注文する:to order a washing machine
電気店で洗濯機を注文する:to order a washing machine at an appliance store
三日(みっか):the third day of a month
三日後(みっかご):three days later
三日間(みっかかん):for three days
彼ら(かれら):they / their / them
小さなアパート(ちいさなあぱーと):a small apartment (Please, do not breakdown this phrase into small and stupid parts such as “小さ” + “な” + “アパート.” Also, please, forget the stupid grammar terms such as “な-adjective” and “い-adjective.” If you continue to stick to the grammar charts and formulas, I will be shocked, will cry, and will run away to the lodge on the mountain.)
届く(とどく):something arrives to your place, something is delivered to your place.
洗濯機が届く:a washing machine is delivered to your home
嬉しい(うれしい):your are happy
興奮(こうふん):an excitement
興奮する:to be excited
嬉しくて興奮した:(The wife) was happy and so excited


しかし、妻はその洗濯機の機能の複雑さに直面した。マニュアルに書かれていることも、チンプンカンプンだった。「どないしたらええの、ぜんぜんわからんでぇ!」彼女は嘆いた。


しかし:However, ...

妻(つま):the wife, his wife(in this context)
その洗濯機(そのせんたくき):that washing machine (which had just been delivered to their apartment)
機能(きのう):the function(s)
複雑(ふくざつ):complicated, not easy to understand
複雑さ:the degree of how it is complicated
直面(ちょくめん):facing a bad situation, problem, difficulty, etc.
直面する:to face a problem
機能の複雑さに直面する:to face the complicated functions, to be surprised to see many functions which are too complicated and difficult to understand
マニュアル:a manual(s) of a product
書く(かく):to write
書かれている(かかれている):it is written
マニュアルに書かれている:the information is on the manual
マニュアルに書かれていること:the information which is written on the manual, the information on the manual
チンプンカンプン:the situation that you do not understand anything about it (spoken and casual expression)
「どないしたらええの」:”What should I do?” “How can I do it?” (Kansai accent)
「ぜんぜんわからんでぇ!」:I don’t understand anything!”(Kansai accent)
彼女(かのじょ):she / her
嘆く(なげく):to sigh, to say something when you are disappointed


彼らは電器店に電話で相談した。翌日、店の人が来て、基本的な機能だけ使って、他の複雑なボタンやアイコン表示を無視する方法を教えてくれた。彼女は最小限の機能を理解した。


彼ら(かれら):they / their / them

電器店(でんきてん):an appliance store
電話(でんわ):a telephone
相談する(そうだんする):to consult or discuss with someone who might be able to help you or solve your problem
電器店に相談する:to discuss with someone from the appliance store
電話で相談する:to discuss with someone on the phone
翌日(よくじつ):the next day
店(みせ):a shop, store or restaurant
人(ひと):a person
店の人:a person from the shop, a representative, an employee or a manager of the shop
来る(くる):someone comes
店の人が来て(みせのひとがきて):A person from the shop came, and ....
基本的(きほんてき):the basic
機能(きのう):the function(s)
基本的な機能:the basic function(s)
基本的な機能だけ:the basic functions only
使う(つかう):to use
基本的な機能だけ使って:to use the basic functions only, and/so/then .....
他(た):other
複雑(ふくざつ):complicated
ボタンやアイコン:buttons and icons
表示(ひょうじ):a sign or information
アイコン表示(あいこんひょうじ):an icon or icons on the screen
複雑なボタンやアイコン表示:The buttons and icons on the screen which are complicated and difficult to understand
無視(むし):ignoring
無視する:to ignore
方法(ほうほう):a method, they way how to do something
無視する方法:how to ignore it
教える(おしえる):to teach, to instruct, to give a lecture
教えてくれた:someone taught it to you (so you will probably thank him or her. If you taught something to someone, you do not use this expression. The person who learned from you will use this phrase because he or she will thank you.)
彼女(かのじょ):she / her
最小限(さいしょうげん):the minimum
最大限(さいだいげん):the maximum
最小限の機能:the minimum functions which you really need to use
理解(りかい):understanding
理解する:to understand, to get the main idea


当時、その店では、低価格でシンプルな洗濯機も販売していたが、後の祭りだった。「うち、なんでこんなん買うたんやろ?」妻は溜息をついた。


当時(とうじ): the time which has already mentioned before (when they purchased the expensive washing machine)

その店(そのみせ): the shop which has already mentioned before (where they bought the washing machine)
低価格(ていかかく): low price, cheap
シンプル:simple
洗濯機(せんたくき):a washing machine
低価格でシンプルな洗濯機:a cheap and simple washing machine
販売(はんばい):a sale, selling
販売する:to sell
販売していた:it was sold, it was available
低価格な洗濯機も販売している:cheap washing machines are also available
シンプルな洗濯機も販売している:simple washing machines are also available
販売していたが:it was available but .....
後(あと):later
祭り(まつり):a festival
後の祭り!:It’s too late! (Idiomatic expression)(It was too late for them to think about cheap and simple washing machines because they had already purchased the expensive and complicated one already. Too late to regret about it.)
うち:I / my / me (Kansai accent)
なんで?:why? (Kansai accent)
こんなん:such a thing (with negative feeling)
買うた(こうた):bought, purchased (Kansai accent)
買うたんやろ:Did I buy? (Kansai accent)
うち、なんで、こんなん買うたんやろ?:Why did I buy such a thing? (Kansai accent with the negative feeling)
妻(つま):wife
溜息(ためいき):a sigh
溜息をつく:to sigh


翌週、男宛に店からの追加費用の請求書が届いた。翌月は、銀行から、2回目の催促状が届き、10営業日以内の返済を求められた。だが、男は期限までに支払う事が出来なかった。


翌週(よくしゅう):the next week

男(おとこ):the man
宛(あて):to someone’s address
男宛(おとこあて):to the man’s address
店(みせ): a shop, store
店から: from the shop
追加(ついか): an addition
費用(ひよう): cost, fee
追加費用: extra fee
請求(せいきゅう): a request
書(しょ): a document
請求書: a bill
店からの請求書: a bill from the shop
追加費用の請求書: a bill which is requesting for an extra fee
届く(とどく): to arrive, to be delivered to your home, office, etc
請求書が届いた: You received a bill (literally, “A bill was delivered to you.”)
男宛に届いた: The man received it (literally, “It was delivered to the man.”)
翌月(よくげつ): the next month
銀行(ぎんこう):a bank
銀行から: from the bank
2回目(にかいめ): the second time
催促(さいそく): a reminder for the payment
催促状(さいそくじょう): a reminder letter for the payment
2回目の催促状: a demand letter
2回目の催促状が届き: (The man ) received the demand letter, and/then/so .......
営業日(えいぎょうび): business day
10営業日(じゅうえいぎょうび): ten business days
以内(いない): within
10営業日以内: within the following ten business days
返済(へんさい): a repay
求める(もとめる): to request
返済を求める: to demand the money be repaid
だが: However, ..
期限(きげん): the due date, the deadline
期限まで: until/before the due date
支払い(しはらい): a payment
支払う(しはらう): to pay
期限までに支払う: to meet the deadline for the payment
出来る(できる): You can do it, it can be done
出来ない: you cannot do it, it can not be done
出来なかった: you could not do it, you failed to do it


銀行は即座に厳しい対応に出て、彼らのアパートから洗濯機を持って行ってしまった。


銀行(ぎんこう): a bank

即座に(そくざに): immediately, right away
厳しい(きびしい): severe
対応(たいおう): a response, an action against an event, a reaction
出る(でる): to get out
即座に厳しい対応に出る: to take a quick and severe action against somebody
彼ら(かれら): they / their / them
アパート: an apartment
彼らのアパート: their apartment
洗濯機(せんたくき): a washing machine
持って行く(もっていく): to take something to somewhere else
持って行ってしまう: someone takes it away from you so you will no longer have it


洗濯機を失ってから、男はさらに多くの銀行から次々と借金を重ね、妻は、またコインランドリーに通い出した。半年後、彼らは破産し、食べて行けなくなった。


洗濯機(せんたくき): a washing machine

失う(うしなう): to lose
洗濯機を失う: to lose the washing machine
失ってから(うしなってから): after losing it
男(おとこ): the man
さらに: further, moreover
多く(おおく): many
銀行(ぎんこう): a bank(s)
さらに多くの銀行: more banks
銀行から: from the bank
次々(つぎつぎ): more and more, again and again, repeatedly
借金(しゃっきん): borrowing money, a loan, a debt
重ねる(かさねる): to pile up
借金を重ねる: to borrow more and more money (literally, “to pile up your debt”)
妻(つま): his wife
また: again
コインランドリー: a coin laundry service where you can wash your clothes with an automatic washing machine for some coins
通う(かよう): to go to the same place regularly
出す(だす): to get something out from a container
通い出す: to begin regularly going to the same place
半年後(はんとしご): six months later (literally, “a half year later”)
彼ら(かれら): they / their / them
破産(はさん): bankruptcy
破産する: to go bankrupt
食べる(たべる): to eat
行く(いく): to go to somewhere
食べて行く: to live (to eat and go on)
食べて行ける: you can live because you have money for food
食べて行けない: you can not live because you no longer have money for food, you have no money left for food
食べて行けなくなった: you went into the situation that you can no longer live because you have no money

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