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!

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!

Words and phrases

しあわせの洗濯機

しあわせの : happy (adjective)

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、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