I’m going to do a formal presentation in English in front of a Japanese audience. I want to ask at appropriate times, whether they understand me. How do I say it in Japanese?
Answer by Japanese teacher
(1) Koko made yoroshii deshooka. ここまでよろしいでしょうか。
Is it OK so far?
(2) Koko made owakari itadaketa deshooka. ここまでお
Do you understand so far?
(3) Koko madede gofumeena ten wa arimasu deshooka. ここまでで、ご
Are there any points you’re not sure of?
Explanation
If you are learning Japanese, you may have heard your teacher used “wakarimasuka” or “wakarimashitaka” (do you understand) from time to time. If you are thinking of using the same expression to ask your audience whether they understand you, then you may unintentionally cause a misunderstanding.
This is because “wakarimasuka” or “wakarimashitaka” is often used in a senior-to-junior or teacher-to-student situation. It is not suitable when you are talking to a superior, customer, or someone who is older than you. Doing a presentation in front of an audience is similar to when you’re talking to a superior. Using “wakarimasuka” or “wakarimashitaka” here will cause the listener to think that you doubt his/her ability to understand the content of your presentation.
To avoid misunderstanding, it is best to use a more indirect or subtle way of asking.
