A2-13 / CEFR A2 / EPISODE 13

No Reply

Talking about waiting for a reply

SceneTina is worried because her messages have not been answered, and asks Frank for advice.

Tina looks at her phone while Frank talks beside her on a sofa at night. — Select the illustration to view it at full size in a new tab.

Narrator

Tina is frustrated. Someone she texted hasn't replied in three days. She's asking Frank what to do.

ティナはいらいらしている。メッセージした相手が3日返信してくれない。フランクに相談している。

Tina01

Ugh, the guy I texted hasn't replied in three days!

もう、メッセージした相手が3日も返信してくれないの！

Frank02

Maybe he's busy. Or he missed it.

忙しいのかも。見逃したのかも。

Tina03

I've sent three messages already!

もう3通も送ったのに！

Frank04

Three? What did you say?

3通？何て送ったの？

Tina05

Just "Hi," "How are you?" and "Are you busy?"

「やっほー」「元気？」「忙しいの？」って送っただけよ。

Frank06

Then give him time to reply. Don't send another one tonight.

じゃあ、返事をする時間をあげよう。今夜はもう送らないでおこう。

Tina07

Maybe you're right. I don't want to bother him.

…あなたが正しいのかも。困らせたくないし。

Frank08

If you still want to send something tomorrow, keep it short. Just one message.

明日になっても何か送りたければ、短くね。1通だけ。

Tina09

Fine. I'll stop checking my phone tonight.

わかった。今夜はもう携帯を見るのをやめるわ。

Frank10

Good. Let's go for a walk instead.

いいね。代わりに散歩しよう。

Tina11

Great! Wait — let me get my phone. Just in case he replies!

いいわね！待って——携帯を取ってくる。返信が来るかもしれないから！

Frank12

Leave the phone, Tina. I mean it.

携帯は置いて、ティナ。本気だよ。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“I don't want to bother him.”

Bother means to disturb or inconvenience someone. Tina does not want to keep contacting a person who has not replied and make them uncomfortable.

“give him time to reply” / “keep it short”

Give someone time to ... means to allow someone time to do something, and keep it short means to make it brief. Frank first advises waiting for a reply, and suggests that if Tina still wants to write tomorrow, she should send just one short message. He is not telling her she must send one the next day.

“Just in case he replies!”

Just in case ... means as a precaution, in case something happens. Here it explains why Tina wants to bring her phone: in case he replies. The humor is that she is already worrying about a reply right after promising to stop checking her phone tonight.

“I mean it.”

Literally "I mean it," this is a set phrase in conversation for stressing "I'm serious; I'm not joking." Tina has just promised not to check her phone, yet she tries to bring it along to wait for a reply, so Frank stops her: "Really, leave it."

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