Even worn-out stuffed animals brought in by customers are beautifully restored! This is a coverage video about a highly popular dry cleaning shop overflowing with orders.
Mori Hisako (森弥子)
本当にありがたいことに、２倍から３倍ほどのご依頼になっておりまして、年間１万体ほどご依頼がございます。
もり ひさこ さん：ほんとう に ありがたい こと に、 にばい から さんばい ほど の ごいらい に なっておりまして、 ねんかん いちまんたい ほど ごいらい が ございます。
Mori Hisako-san: Hontō ni arigataki koto ni, nibai kara sanbai hodo no goirai ni natte orimashite, nenkan ichimantai hodo goirai ga gozaimasu.
Mori Hisako: Very thankfully, our orders have increased to about two to three times as many, and we receive around 10,000 items a year.
On-screen text (テロップ)
（おととしから）２倍３倍ほど…
てろっぷ：（おととし から） にばい さんばい ほど…
Teroppu: (Ototoshi kara) nibai sanbai hodo…
On-screen text: (Since two years ago) about two to three times…
📖 Grammar Explanation
Let’s break down each sentence and analyze the grammar!
1. 森弥子さん：本当にありがたいことに、２倍から３倍ほどのご依頼になっておりまして、年間１万体ほどご依頼がございます。
- Adverb: 本当に (hontō ni) combines the noun “本当 (hontō – truth/reality)” with the adverbial particle “に (ni)”, functioning as an adverb meaning “truly/really”.
- Sentence-Modifying Phrase: ありがたいことに (arigataki koto ni) combines the I-adjective “ありがたい (arigataki – grateful/thankful)”, the nominalizer “こと (koto – thing/fact)”, and the particle “に (ni)”, forming a sentence-modifying expression meaning “thankfully / fortunately”.
- Quantity Phrase: ２倍から３倍ほど (nibai kara sanbai hodo) combines “２倍 (nibai – two times/double)”, the starting point particle “から (kara – from)”, “３倍 (sanbai – three times/triple)”, and the approximate quantity particle “ほど (hodo – about/around)”, creating a quantity phrase meaning “about two to three times”.
- Honorific Noun & Particle: のご依頼 (no goirai) attaches the possessive/modifying particle “の (no)” to “ご依頼 (goirai)”, which adds the honorific prefix “ご〜 (go~)” to the noun “依頼 (irai – request/order)”, politely referring to orders received from customers.
- Verb Tense & Form: になっておりまして (ni natte orimashite) combines the target particle “に (ni)”, the Te-form of “なる (naru – to become)”, the humble extra-modest continuous form “おります (orimasu – to be)” in Te-form “おりまして (orimashite)”, serving as a very humble and polite conjunction meaning “has become… and…”.
- Temporal Noun: 年間 (nenkan) is a temporal noun meaning “per year / annually”.
- Counter: １万体 (ichimantai) combines the number “１万 (ichiman – 10,000)” and the counter “体 (tai)”, which is specifically used for dolls, statues, stuffed animals, and human bodies.
- Particles: ほど (hodo) is an extent/approximation particle meaning “about / approximately”.
- Modality & Usage: ございます (gozaimasu) is the ultra-polite (Sonkeigo/Kenjōgo business level polite speech – Teineigo context) equivalent of “あります (arimasu – there is / to exist / to possess)”. Regardless of which specific particle precedes it (such as が, も, or no particle at all), “ございます (gozaimasu)” elevates the formal register of the sentence to show high deference toward the customer or listener. Here in “ご依頼がございます (goirai ga gozaimasu)”, it politely expresses “we have/receive orders”.
2. テロップ：（おととしから）２倍３倍ほど…
- Temporal Noun & Particle: おととしから (ototoshi kara) combines the temporal noun “おととし (ototoshi – the year before last)” and the starting point particle “から (kara – from/since)”, indicating “since two years ago”.
- Quantity Phrase: ２倍３倍ほど (nibai sanbai hodo) lists “２倍 (nibai)” and “３倍 (sanbai)” back-to-back with the particle “ほど (hodo – about/around)” to mean “about 2 to 3 times”.
Vocabulary List
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 本当に (hontō ni) | truly / really (adverb) |
| ありがたい (arigataki) | grateful / thankful (I-adjective) |
| こと (koto) | thing / fact (nominalizer) |
| ２倍 (nibai) | two times / double (noun / counter) |
| ３倍 (sanbai) | three times / triple (noun / counter) |
| ほど (hodo) | about / approximately (particle) |
| 依頼 (irai) | request / order (noun) |
| 年間 (nenkan) | annually / per year (noun) |
| １万 (ichiman) | 10,000 (number) |
| 体 (tai) | counter for dolls / stuffed animals (counter) |
| ございます (gozaimasu) | there is / to have (polite verb) |
| おととし (ototoshi) | the year before last (noun) |
Quick Quiz
Fill in the blanks ( ) to complete the natural conversation.
A: すみません、トイレを借りられますか。
B: はい、エレベーターの横に（ ）。
1: です
2: ございます
3: ある
🔑 Check the Correct Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: 2
📝 Dialogue Translation
A: Excuse me, may I use the restroom?
B: Yes, it is located right next to the elevator.
💡 Explanation
To politely express the presence or location of an object/facility in formal or business situations, “ございます (gozaimasu)” is used as the ultra-polite version of “あります (arimasu)”. Here, “エレベーターの横にございます (erebētā no yoko ni gozaimasu)” politely tells the customer where the restroom is. Therefore, Option 2 is the correct answer. Option 1 “です (desu)” is a copula (“is”) and cannot directly take the location particle “に (ni)” in this context without a noun. Option 3 “ある (aru)” is the casual form of “あります (arimasu)”, which is too informal for a polite response to a customer.
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