Calling in sick: practice chat in English, Japanese, Korean and Spanish
You message your manager that you cannot come in. Six short lines in English, Japanese, Korean and Spanish, with a translation toggle and a button that opens any version in the editor. A practice tool, not a lesson.
The dialogue
About this dialogue
You message your manager that you cannot come in. It is a intermediate-level exchange of six lines between Manager and Ben, opening with "Hi Ben, is everything okay?" and ending with "Thank you. I will update you tomorrow.".
You can switch between the four versions without losing your place. The longest English line is "No, thank you. I will rest and check email later.", so give it extra time when you read it aloud.
How to practise it
Play both parts. Read Manager's lines in one voice and Ben's in another, and when you are comfortable swap the roles. Pause on "I am sorry to hear that. Do you need anything?" until you can say it without looking.
Then open the version you want in the editor, change a few words so the chat is about your own day, and export it as a picture to keep. Writing a variation of a line beats reading it again.
Key phrases in four languages
"Not really. I am sick and cannot come in today." is "あまり良くありません。体調が悪くて、今日は出社できません。" in Japanese, "별로 안 좋아요. 몸이 아파서 오늘 출근을 못 해요." in Korean and "No mucho. Estoy enfermo y hoy no puedo ir a trabajar." in Spanish. "No, thank you. I will rest and check email later." is "いいえ、大丈夫です。休んで、後でメールを確認します。" in Japanese, "아니요, 괜찮습니다. 쉬면서 나중에 메일을 확인할게요." in Korean and "No, gracias. Descansaré y revisaré el correo más tarde." in Spanish. "Thank you. I will update you tomorrow." is "ありがとうございます。明日またご連絡します。" in Japanese, "감사합니다. 내일 다시 연락드릴게요." in Korean and "Gracias. Te aviso mañana." in Spanish.
Tips
- Say each line out loud twice, once at normal speed and once slowly, before moving to the next.
- Guess what "Not really. I am sick and cannot come in today." means in the other language before you look at the translation.
- Swap the place or the item in line 4 for something from your own day and say it aloud.
- If a line sounds strange to you, check it with a teacher; the translations are unreviewed practice material.
Questions
Are the translations checked by a teacher?
No. The Japanese, Korean and Spanish lines were written by the ChatsRat team for practice and have not been reviewed by a native-speaker teacher. They are natural, polite everyday phrasing, but check anything important with a teacher or a native speaker before you teach or publish it.
Is this a language course?
No. It is a practice tool: a short, realistic chat you can read, say aloud and adapt. It does not track progress or teach grammar. Use it next to a course, a teacher or a tutor.
How do I open the Japanese, Korean or Spanish version in the editor?
Use the language buttons on the page, then press the open button under the chat. The editor loads that version of the six lines in a free look, and the first four messages are available on the Free plan.
Can I make my own version?
Yes. Open any version, edit the lines and names, and export it as a labelled mock-up. Do not use a practice chat to pass off an invented conversation as a real one.
Invented conversation. The people and the situation are made up for practice. Do not present a simulated chat as a real one. See the Acceptable Use policy. Exports on the Free plan carry a visible ChatsRat watermark; Plans list what changes on paid plans.
ChatsRat is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any messaging app. App names describe a style only.