PURPOSE: To accurately indicate the conditions of a copying machine, by voicing a waiting state only when the waiting state continues for longer than a specified time, and voicing a next indication when the waiting state is reset.

CONSTITUTION: A copy switch which is not shown is turned on to start copying operation. At this time, when a copying machine is in a waiting state, an unshown timer in a sequence control circuit 6 is set. As the timer enters into a time-up state, a check on whether respective parts of the copying maching are in the waiting state or not is made and when so, a messsage "Wait a while" is read out of a voice storage element 16 to give the indication to an operator from a speaker 5 through a voice synthesizing element 15. Once the copying machine is released from the waiting state, a message "Copy is ready" is voiced from the speaker 5. Thus, the conditions of the copying machine are indicated accurately.