Breakdown of beranda no kagi ga sukosi hen datta node, kanrigaisya ni kite moraimasita.
Questions & Answers about beranda no kagi ga sukosi hen datta node, kanrigaisya ni kite moraimasita.
What does 鍵 mean here: key or lock?
It can be either. In Japanese, 鍵 is often used for both key and lock, depending on context.
In this sentence, the lock is probably the more natural reading:
ベランダの鍵が少し変だった = the balcony lock was a little strange / not working quite right.
If the actual metal key itself was bent or odd, key could also make sense, but many learners should be aware that Japanese does not always separate key and lock as clearly as English does.
Why is it ベランダの鍵?
Why is there a が after 鍵 instead of は?
Here, が marks the thing that had the condition.
- 鍵が少し変だった = the lock was a little strange
This is a straightforward description of what was wrong.
If you used は, it would sound more like you are making 鍵 the topic, possibly with contrast:
- ベランダの鍵は少し変でした = As for the balcony lock, it was a little strange
That is also possible, but が is very natural when introducing the problem itself.
Why is it 変だった?
Because 変 is a na-adjective.
With na-adjectives, the plain past form uses だった:
- 変だ = is strange
- 変だった = was strange
So:
- 鍵が変だった = the lock was strange
This is different from i-adjectives, which change differently:
- 高い → 高かった
- 変 → 変だった
What does 少し add here?
少し means a little or slightly.
So 少し変だった means:
- a little strange
- a bit odd
- not quite right
In real-life Japanese, this often softens the statement. It may not mean only a tiny problem in a strict mathematical sense. It can simply mean the speaker is describing the issue in a mild, non-dramatic way.
What nuance does ので have here?
ので gives the reason: because / since.
So:
- 鍵が少し変だったので = because the lock was a little strange
Compared with から, ので usually sounds:
- a little softer
- more explanatory
- a bit more objective or polite
So this sentence has a natural explaining the situation feel:
- The balcony lock seemed a little off, so I had the management company come over.
How does 来てもらいました work?
This is the pattern:
- て-form + もらう
It means to receive the favor/benefit of someone doing something.
So:
- 来て = come
- もらいました = received the favor (polite past)
Together:
- 来てもらいました = I had them come / I got them to come / they came for me at my request
It does not just mean they came. It implies that the speaker arranged it, requested it, or benefited from that action.
Why is 管理会社 followed by に?
With てもらう, the person or group who does the action is often marked with に.
So:
- 管理会社に来てもらいました
- literally: I received the favor of the management company coming
In natural English:
- I had the management company come over
- I got the management company to come
- I asked the management company to come by
So に marks who performed the action for the speaker.
Who exactly came? The whole management company?
Literally, the sentence says the management company came, but in real usage it means someone from the management company, such as:
- a staff member
- a building manager
- a repair person they sent
Japanese often uses the organization name even when only one representative actually comes.
Does 来て mean just come, or more like come over?
Does this sentence mean the speaker contacted the management company?
Yes, that is strongly implied, but it is not stated directly.
The sentence specifically says the speaker had the management company come. That means the speaker must have arranged it somehow, probably by calling or messaging them, but the method of contact is not mentioned.
So the sentence is about the result:
- the lock seemed odd
- therefore the management company came over
Not about the exact way the speaker reached them.
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