Sorosoro dekakeyō-ka? (Shall we leave soon?)

Situation 1: At the office. Mr. Mita and Mr. Sere are going to visit BN Co.

三田： あ、もう２時だね。そろそろ出かけようか。

セレ： まだ早いよ。BN社なら、15分ぐらいで着くよ。

Mita: A, mō niji-da-ne. Sorosoro dekakeyō-ka?

Sere: Mada hayai-yo. BN-sha-nara, jūgofun-gurai-de tsuku-yo.

Mita: Oh, it's almost 2 o'clock. Shall we leave soon?

Sere: It's still early. We can get to BN Co. in around 15 minutes.

Today we will introduce the proper use of そろそろ, an adverb that shows time and movement. そろそろ means "soon," "before long" or "almost," and shows that a good time to start something or a particular time is approaching. Examples: そろそろ田中(たなか) さんが来(く)るころだ (It's almost time for Mr. Tanaka to come); この会社(かいしゃ)に入(はい)って、そろそろ10年(じゅ うねん)になる (It's nearly 10 years since I started at this company). そろそろ is often used to urge or ask the listener, or remind yourself, to do something. Examples: 暗(くら)くなってきたから、そろそろ帰(かえ)りましょう (It's getting dark, so we should go home soon); コンサート が始(はじ)まるよ。そろそろ席(せき)に戻(もど)らない？ (The concert is about to start. Why don't we get back to our seats?); そろそろ来年(らいねん)の手帳(てちょう)を買(か)わ なくちゃ (I had better buy a schedule book for next year soon). そろそろ also has the function of softening straight expressions. For example, when you want to announce that you are going to leave someone's house or an office, just saying 失礼(しつれい)します (I'm leaving) can seem rather abrupt, unlike そろそろ失礼します (It's getting to be time for me to leave).

Situation 2: Ms. Gray meets Ms. Takahashi, one of her friends. Ms. Takahashi is walking slowly and Ms. Gray asks why.

高橋： 先週転んで、足をねんざしちゃったの。

グレイ： そう。だから、そろそろ歩いていたのね。

Takahashi: Senshū koronde, ashi-o nenza-shichatta-no.

Gray: Sō. Dakara, sorosoro aruite-ita-no-ne.

Takahashi: I fell over last week and sprained my ankle.

Gray: Ah, so that's why you were walking slowly.

そろそろ(と) means "slowly," "quietly" or "gingerly," and expresses the way that someone or something moves. Example: 音(おと)を立(た)てないようにそろそろと部屋(へや)を出(で)た (I left the room carefully so as not to make a noise.).

Bonus Dialogue: Ms. Tamachi and her mother, who lives in another town, are talking over the phone. (Go Ayano is a young actor who is popular with women.)

母(はは)： お父(とう)さん、この前(まえ)、ぎっくり腰(ごし)に なっちゃったのよ。

娘(むすめ)： ええっ、やだ！　だいじょうぶなの？

母： うん、今(いま)はもうよくなってきたの。でも、まだ 気(き)をつけてそろそろと歩(ある)いているのよ。

娘： もういい年(とし)なんだから、気(き)をつけなくちゃ。 お父さん、定年退職(ていねんたいしょく)して、そろそろ5年(ごねん)になるかな？

母： うん、そうね。ところで、あなたはそろそろ30歳 (さんじゅっさい)でしょう？何(なに)かいい話(はなし)はないの？ そろそろ孫(まご)の顔(かお)が見(み)たいと思 (おも)っているのよ。

娘： 今、仕事(しごと)がおもしろくて、結婚(けっこん)なんて考(かんが)えてないの。それより、そろそろ綾野剛 (あやのごう)の出るドラマが始(はじ)まる時間(じかん)じゃないの？

母： あ、ほんとだ。じゃ、また、電話(でんわ)するね。 [電話を切(き)る]

娘： [ひとりごと] こういうときはドラマの話をして、話題 (わだい)をそらすのが一番(いちばん)ね。

Mother: Some days ago, your dad slipped a disk.

Daughter: What? No! Is he alright?

Mother: Yeah, he's getting better. But he's walking slowly, taking care of himself.

Daughter: He's old enough that he certainly should be careful. It's been almost five years since he retired from the company, right?

Mother: Mm, you're right. By the way, you're nearly 30 now, aren't you? Do you have any good news for us? We want to see our grandchild's face before too long.

Daughter: Now I'm enjoying working, and I'm not thinking about marriage. Anyway, that TV drama starring Go Ayano is about to start, isn't it?

Mother: Oh, that's true. Well, I'll speak to you again soon. [She hangs up the phone]

Daughter: [to herself] In these kinds of situations, talking about dramas is the best way to change the topic.