Using 〜ところ Form in Japanese
The 〜ところ form is a crucial grammatical structure in Japanese that expresses different stages of an action. It helps indicate whether an action is about to happen, is in progress, or has just been completed. This blog post will cover the formation of 〜ところ for all three verb groups, its various uses, and provide example sentences, things to keep in mind, exercises, and a conclusion.
Formation of 〜ところ Form
Group 1 (Ichidan Verbs)
For ichidan (一段) verbs, remove る from the dictionary form and add the appropriate auxiliary:
- Before the action: 〜るところ
- During the action: 〜ているところ
- After the action: 〜たところ
Example:
- 食べる (taberu – to eat)
- Before: 食べるところ (taberu tokoro)
- During: 食べているところ (tabete iru tokoro)
- After: 食べたところ (tabeta tokoro)
Group 2 (Godan Verbs)
For godan (五段) verbs, use the same rules as ichidan verbs but conjugate accordingly:
- Before the action: Dictionary form + ところ
- During the action: て-form + いるところ
- After the action: た-form + ところ
Example:
- 読む (yomu – to read)
- Before: 読むところ (yomu tokoro)
- During: 読んでいるところ (yonde iru tokoro)
- After: 読んだところ (yonda tokoro)
Group 3 (Irregular Verbs)
For irregular verbs like する and くる:
- する (suru – to do)
- Before: するところ (suru tokoro)
- During: しているところ (shite iru tokoro)
- After: したところ (shita tokoro)
- くる (kuru – to come)
- Before: くるところ (kuru tokoro)
- During: きているところ (kite iru tokoro)
- After: きたところ (kita tokoro)
Usage of 〜ところ
Situations where 〜ところ is used:
| Situation | Form Used | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Right before an action | るところ | 今から寝るところです。 (I’m just about to sleep.) |
| In the middle of an action | ているところ | ちょうど宿題をしているところです。 (I am in the middle of doing my homework.) |
| Just after an action | たところ | ちょうどご飯を食べたところです。 (I just finished eating.) |
| To indicate an important moment | る・ている・たところ | 試験を受けるところだった。(I was just about to take the exam.) |
| When explaining a sequence of events | たところ | 先生に聞いたところ、すぐに答えがわかった。(When I asked the teacher, I immediately understood the answer.) |
Example Sentences
- 電車が出発するところです。
Densha ga shuppatsu suru tokoro desu.
(The train is about to depart.) - 彼は今、電話しているところです。
Kare wa ima, denwa shite iru tokoro desu.
(He is on the phone right now.) - ちょうど昼ご飯を食べたところです。
Choudo hirugohan o tabeta tokoro desu.
(I just finished eating lunch.) - 飛行機が今にも飛ぶところです。
Hikouki ga ima ni mo tobu tokoro desu.
(The airplane is just about to take off.) - 友達と話しているところでした。
Tomodachi to hanashite iru tokoro deshita.
(I was in the middle of talking with my friend.) - 彼に聞いたところ、すぐに答えてくれました。
Kare ni kiita tokoro, sugu ni kotaete kuremashita.
(When I asked him, he answered immediately.) - ちょうど今、家を出るところです。
Choudo ima, ie o deru tokoro desu.
(I am just about to leave home.) - 映画を見ているところです。
Eiga o mite iru tokoro desu.
(I am in the middle of watching a movie.) - 買い物が終わったところです。
Kaimono ga owatta tokoro desu.
(I just finished shopping.) - 勉強するところだったのに、友達が来ました。
Benkyou suru tokoro datta noni, tomodachi ga kimashita.
(I was about to study, but my friend came.)
Things to Keep in Mind
- 〜ところ emphasizes timing rather than the state of an action.
- Be careful not to confuse たところ with たばかり; たところ emphasizes immediate completion.
- ているところ is often used to explain ongoing actions.
- This form is frequently used with words like ちょうど (exactly, just), 今 (now), まさに (precisely).
Fill in the Blanks
- ちょうど今、映画を＿＿＿＿ところです。
- 飛行機が＿＿＿＿ところでした。
- 彼は電話を＿＿＿＿ところです。
- 今、家を＿＿＿＿ところです。
- 私は宿題を＿＿＿＿ところだった。
- 友達が来たので、ちょうど出かける＿＿＿＿だった。
- 先生に聞いた＿＿＿＿、すぐに理解しました。
- 彼はまだ寝る＿＿＿＿ではありません。
- ちょうどレポートを＿＿＿＿ところでした。
- 仕事が終わった＿＿＿＿です。
Answers
- 見ている
- 飛ぶ
- している
- 出る
- する
- ところ
- ところ
- ところ
- 書く
- ところ
Conclusion
The 〜ところ form is an essential grammar point that helps clarify the timing of an action. Whether something is about to happen, currently happening, or has just happened, understanding how to use 〜ところ correctly will significantly improve your Japanese fluency. Keep practicing, and soon this structure will become second nature in your conversations!
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Vikas Kumar is a multilingual educator, language specialist, and book author, and the founder of My Language Classes, an independent language learning platform dedicated to structured, clarity-driven language education.
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