Voice Translation for School Meetings

Communicate with your child's teacher using real-time voice translation.

Parent-teacher meetings in Japan (三者面談, sansha mendan) can feel overwhelming if you're not fluent in Japanese. SayLy's voice translation bridges the gap — speak into your phone and let the teacher hear natural Japanese. You'll understand their feedback about your child too. Here are phrases you'll need.

Introductions

  • ○○の母（父）です。よろしくお願いします。

    ○○ no haha (chichi) desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

    I'm ○○'s mother (father). Nice to meet you.

  • いつもお世話になっております。

    Itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu.

    Thank you for always taking care of my child.

  • 日本語があまりできないので、翻訳アプリを使わせてください。

    Nihongo ga amari dekinai node, honyaku apuri wo tsukawasete kudasai.

    My Japanese isn't very good, so please let me use a translation app.

  • 今日はお時間をいただきありがとうございます。

    Kyou wa ojikan wo itadaki arigatou gozaimasu.

    Thank you for making time today.

Child's Progress

  • 子どもの成績はいかがでしょうか？

    Kodomo no seiseki wa ikaga deshou ka?

    How are my child's grades?

  • 学校で友達とうまくやっていますか？

    Gakkou de tomodachi to umaku yatte imasu ka?

    Is my child getting along with friends at school?

  • 授業にはちゃんとついていけていますか？

    Jugyou ni wa chanto tsuite ikete imasu ka?

    Is my child keeping up in class?

  • 何か家でサポートできることはありますか？

    Nanika ie de sapooto dekiru koto wa arimasu ka?

    Is there anything I can do to support at home?

  • 宿題の量は多いですか？

    Shukudai no ryou wa ooi desu ka?

    Is there a lot of homework?

Schedules & Events

  • 来月の行事予定を教えてください。

    Raigetsu no gyouji yotei wo oshiete kudasai.

    Please tell me about next month's events.

  • 運動会はいつですか？

    Undoukai wa itsu desu ka?

    When is the sports day?

  • 給食のアレルギー対応はありますか？

    Kyuushoku no arerugii taiou wa arimasu ka?

    Can you accommodate food allergies in school lunch?

  • お弁当を持たせる日はいつですか？

    Obentou wo motaseru hi wa itsu desu ka?

    Which days should I send a packed lunch?

Concerns

  • 子どもが最近元気がないようですが、何かありましたか？

    Kodomo ga saikin genki ga nai you desu ga, nanika arimashita ka?

    My child seems down lately — has something happened?

  • いじめの心配はありませんか？

    Ijime no shinpai wa arimasen ka?

    Are there any concerns about bullying?

  • 遅刻が多いと聞いたのですが。

    Chikoku ga ooi to kiita no desu ga.

    I heard my child has been late often.

  • 連絡帳でやり取りしてもいいですか？

    Renrakuchou de yaritori shite mo ii desu ka?

    Can we communicate through the contact notebook?

  • 何かあればすぐにご連絡ください。

    Nanika areba sugu ni go-renraku kudasai.

    Please contact me right away if anything comes up.

Cultural Tips

  • Always start with "いつもお世話になっております" when meeting your child's teacher. This phrase is expected and shows respect for the teacher's daily work with your child.
  • Japanese schools use a contact notebook (連絡帳, renrakuchou) for daily parent-teacher communication. Check it every day and respond when needed.
  • PTA participation is important in Japanese schools. Even if you can't understand everything, showing up and using a translation app demonstrates commitment.

FAQ

Can I bring a translation app to a parent-teacher meeting?

Absolutely. Most teachers appreciate the effort. Explain at the start that you'll be using SayLy, and they'll adjust their speaking pace accordingly.

What if I can't attend the meeting in person?

Ask the school if online participation is possible. Some schools offer phone calls or video meetings. SayLy works for phone calls too — see our phone call voice translation guide.

With SayLy, just type in your language and send natural Japanese. No memorization needed.

Download on the App Store

Free to use. No account needed.

Related Guides

Real-Time Face-to-Face Voice Translation

Voice Translation for Phone Calls

Voice Translation for Community Events

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