N3 Topic-Based Conversation — Business Email & Phone Etiquette
An eight-lesson N3 course on polite business communication in Japanese (keigo): email openings and closings, requests and apologies, replying and forwarding, answering and transferring calls, taking and leaving messages, making appointments by phone, handling complaints, and follow-up emails.
Who this course is for
This course is designed for self-learners and JLPT candidates preparing for N3, with emphasis on topic-conversation, conversation, business through structured lessons and guided practice. Study 8 step-by-step lessons with free interactive quizzes on Minna Nihongo. Ideal if you want exam-style review, daily study habits, and measurable progress without a classroom schedule.
Lessons
- Keigo Basics for Work — Learn the three types of keigo (respectful, humble and polite language) and choose the right form for clients and colleagues.
- Business Email: Openings and Closings — Write the standard opening and closing lines of a Japanese business email, and learn the parts of an email from subject line to signature.
- Requests and Apologies by Email — Make polite requests by email, soften them with set phrases, and apologise properly for mistakes such as sending the wrong file.
- Answering and Transferring Calls — Answer a business call politely, confirm the caller's name and company, and transfer the call or offer to call back.
- Taking and Leaving Messages — Take a message accurately over the phone, repeat it back to confirm, and promise a call-back using polite business phrases.
- Making Appointments by Phone — Ask for someone's availability, propose or change a date, and confirm a visit using polite business phone phrases.
- Apologising and Handling Complaints — Respond calmly to an unhappy client by phone, use sincere apology phrases, explain the situation and promise concrete action.
- Follow-up and Confirmation Emails — Write a thank-you and confirmation email after a meeting, attach minutes, and ask for confirmation with polite set phrases.
Sample vocabulary from this course
- 敬語（けいご） (敬語): honorific language, polite speech
- 依頼（いらい） (依頼): request
- 宛先（あてさき） (宛先): addressee, destination address
- 取り次ぐ（とりつぐ） (取り次ぐ): to connect a call, to pass on (a message)
- 伝言（でんごん） (伝言): message (left for someone)
- 尊敬語（そんけいご） (尊敬語): respectful language (for others' actions)
- お伝えする（おつたえする） (お伝えする): to convey, to tell (humble)
- お詫び（おわび） (お詫び): apology
- 件名（けんめい） (件名): subject line
- 電話に出る（でんわにでる） (電話に出る): to answer the phone
- 謙譲語（けんじょうご） (謙譲語): humble language (for one's own actions)
- 謝る（あやまる） (謝る): to apologise
- 担当者（たんとうしゃ） (担当者): person in charge
- 本文（ほんぶん） (本文): body (of an email)
- 繰り返す（くりかえす） (繰り返す): to repeat
- 署名（しょめい） (署名): signature
- 丁寧語（ていねいご） (丁寧語): polite language (です・ます)
- 席を外す（せきをはずす） (席を外す): to step away from one's desk
- 電話番号（でんわばんごう） (電話番号): phone number
- 誤り（あやまり） (誤り): mistake, error
- お客様（おきゃくさま） (お客様): customer, client (polite)
- 訂正（ていせい） (訂正): correction
- 添付（てんぷ） (添付): attachment, attaching
- 承ります（うけたまわります） (承ります): we will take / accept (humble)
- 少々お待ちください（しょうしょうおまちください） (少々お待ちください): please wait a moment (polite)
- 上司（じょうし） (上司): boss, superior
- 都合（つごう） (都合): convenience, availability
- 再送（さいそう） (再送): resending
- 復唱（ふくしょう） (復唱): repeating back (to confirm)
- 挨拶（あいさつ） (挨拶): greeting
- お名前（おなまえ） (お名前): name (polite)
- 戻り次第（もどりしだい） (戻り次第): as soon as (someone) returns
- 結び（むすび） (結び): closing (of a letter or email)
- 取引先（とりひきさき） (取引先): business partner, client company
- 恐縮ですが（きょうしゅくですが） (恐縮ですが): I'm sorry to trouble you, but
- 申し訳ございません（もうしわけございません） (申し訳ございません): I am very sorry
- 社外（しゃがい） (社外): outside the company
- お世話になっております（おせわになっております） (お世話になっております): thank you for your continued support (standard business greeting)
- あいにく: unfortunately, at a bad time
- 会社名（かいしゃめい） (会社名): company name
Sample kanji from this course
- 敬 けい: respect (敬語)
- 伝 つた: convey (伝える)
- 取 と: take (取り次ぐ)
- 依 い: rely on (依頼)
- 宛 あて: address, to address (宛先)
- 件 けん: matter (件名)
- 次 つ: next (取り次ぐ)
- 言 ごん: word, say (伝言)
- 頼 らい: request, rely (依頼)
- 語 ご: language, word
- 名 めい: name
- 番 ばん: number (電話番号)
- 上 じょう: above, superior (上司)
- 担 たん: bear, carry (担当)
- 詫 わ: apologise (お詫び)
- 謝 しゃ: apologise, thank (謝る)
- 号 ごう: number (電話番号)
- 司 し: manage (上司)
- 署 しょ: sign (署名)
- 当 とう: hit, correspond (担当)
- 誤 ご: mistake (誤り)
- 客 きゃく: guest, customer (お客様)
- 添 てん: add, attach (添付)
- 席 せき: seat