In this workshop you will practice polite Japanese phrases that mean “It’s OK, take your time” and “Please take your time.” These expressions are useful when someone is late, when you want to invite someone to begin, or when you want to reassure someone that there is no rush. You will first learn the meaning of each recorded line, then use the recordings in three speaking tasks. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so check your answers with the keys provided.
What the phrases mean and when to use them
The recordings in this workshop are polite ways to tell someone that they do not need to hurry. «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいです。» means “It’s OK, take your time.” Use it when someone seems worried about being slow or late. «ゆっくりでいいですよ。» means “Please take your time” or “It’s fine to take your time.” It is a gentle, polite way to give someone permission to continue at their own pace. «ゆっくりどうぞ。» also means “Please take your time” or “Go ahead, take your time.” It can be used when you want to invite someone to start. «ごゆっくり。» means “Please take your time” or “Enjoy your time.” It sounds warm and welcoming. These lines are not commands to hurry; they do the opposite. They tell the other person that waiting is fine.
A short late-arrival exchange
The following recorded exchange shows one common scene: one person arrives late and the other person responds kindly. «すみません、遅れました。» means “Sorry, I’m late.” The speaker is the person who arrived late. «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。» means “It’s OK, please take your time.” The other speaker uses this to reassure the late person. «ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。» means “Thank you. May I start, then?” The late speaker thanks the other person and asks permission to begin. «はい、ゆっくりどうぞ。» means “Yes, please take your time.” The other speaker gives permission and repeats the reassuring phrase. In this scene, the order is: apology, reassurance, thanks and request to start, then permission. When you practice, keep that order even if you swap who reads which part.
How to practice without audio assessment
You can practice these lines alone or with a partner. If you are alone, play the recording and repeat after it, then read the other role yourself. If you have a partner, one person can read the late-arrival role and the other can read the reassuring role. You can swap roles, but do not change the order of the exchange: the apology comes first, then the reassurance, then the thanks and request, then the permission. Listen for the polite tone. These phrases are not about speed; they are about making the other person feel comfortable. When you check your answers, compare your chosen line with the answer key and say the correct line aloud once more.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいです。
It’s OK, take your time.
Daijōbu desu, yukkuri de ii desu.
ゆっくりでいいですよ。
Please take your time. / It’s fine to take your time.
Yukkuri de ii desu yo.
ゆっくりどうぞ。
Please take your time. / Go ahead, take your time.
Yukkuri dōzo.
ごゆっくり。
Please take your time. / Enjoy your time.
Go-yukkuri.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
すみません、遅れました。
Sorry, I’m late.大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。
It’s OK, please take your time.ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。
Thank you. May I start, then?はい、ゆっくりどうぞ。
Yes, please take your time.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: late arrival
You will practice a short polite exchange between two people. One person has arrived late and apologizes. The other person reassures them. Then the late person asks to start, and the other person gives permission.
Your task: Read the exchange aloud in order. Use the recordings as your model. The first line is «すみません、遅れました。». The second line is «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。». The third line is «ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。». The fourth line is «はい、ゆっくりどうぞ。». If you have a partner, one person reads the first and third lines, and the other reads the second and fourth lines. Then swap roles and read the whole exchange again in the same order.
Choose the right reply
Imagine someone says «すみません、遅れました。» to you. You want to reply politely and tell them not to worry about being late. You will choose between two recorded replies.
Your task: Someone says «すみません、遅れました。». Which reply fits best: «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。» or «ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。»? Say your chosen line aloud. Then check the answer key below. After that, imagine the same person then says «ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。». Which reply fits best: «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。» or «はい、ゆっくりどうぞ。»? Say your chosen line aloud and check again.
Recall and role swap
Now you will recall the exchange without looking at the lines first. One person is the late arrival, and the other is the person who reassures them. You will say the lines from memory, then swap roles.
Your task: With a partner, take the late-arrival role first. Say the apology line from memory. Your partner says the reassurance line. Then you say the thanks and request line. Your partner says the permission line. After that, swap roles and repeat the same order. If you are alone, say both roles yourself in order.
Common questions
Can I use these phrases when someone is late?
Yes. «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいです。» and «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。» are both suitable when someone has arrived late and you want to reassure them. «すみません、遅れました。» is the apology line for the person who is late, and «大丈夫です、ゆっくりでいいですよ。» is a polite reply that tells them it is okay and they can take their time.
What should I say if someone asks to start?
If someone says «ありがとうございます。じゃ、始めてもいいですか。», they are thanking you and asking permission to start. A suitable polite reply is «はい、ゆっくりどうぞ。», which gives permission and tells them to take their time. You can also use «ゆっくりどうぞ。» when you want to invite someone to begin at their own pace, but «ごゆっくり。» is better for a guest who is staying or relaxing.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: say it s ok take your timeChecked September 2026
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