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We use the word とき - toki to describe when something happens or happened. |
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sentence A とき (time reference), sentence B
(main event)
When A, B. |
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Sentence A always ends in short form, either in the past or present
tense. |
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You can decide which tense to use in A by doing a
simple thought experiment.
Place yourself at the time the main event
B takes
place, and imagine how you would describe the event in A.
If A is current or yet to happen, use the present
tense in A.
If A has already taken place, use the past.* The
grammar of the toki temporal clauses in reality has
more twists and quirks than are shown here, but this should
be a good enough start. |
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The present tense in A:
If, at the time the main event
B takes place, A is current or is still "in the future," use the
present tense in A. |
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| チベットに行く時、ビザを取ります。 |
(A) going to Tibet /when/, (B)
having the visa issued
I will get the visa issued when I go to Tibet. |
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chibetto-ni iku toki, biza-o torimasu. |
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Note that as long as event A occurs
after event B, the clause A gets the present
tense (iku),
irrespective of the tense in clause
B (torimasu
or torimashita).
In the example below, the whole sequence of events has been
shifted to the past:
at the time you applied for the visa (=B), the
departure (=A) was yet to be realized.
The temporal order between the two events is exactly the
same as in the example above,
hence the present tense of
iku.
Note especially that we use the present tense in
A,
even if the two events took place in the past. |
| チベットに行く時、ビザを取りました。 |
I had the visa issued when I was going to go
to Tibet. |
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chibetto-ni iku toki, biza-o torimashita. |
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Observe more examples of this tense
combination |
| 寝る時、コンタクトを取ります。 |
I take out the lenses [=B], and then go to
bed [=A].
I take out the contact lenses when I go to sleep. |
| neru toki, kontakuto-o torimasu. |
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| 出かける時、ドアに鍵をかけました。 |
I locked the door [=B], and then went out
[=A].
I locked the door when I went out. |
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dekakeru toki, doa-ni kagi-o kakemashita. |
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Clause A also gets the present tense, when the state
of A holds when event B takes place.
* 7 |
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| さびしい時、友達に電話します。 |
(A) feeling lonely /when/, (B)
make phone calls
I call up friends when I am lonely. |
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sabishii toki, tomodachi-ni
denwa-shimasu. |
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Note that na-adjectives get na,
and nouns get no before toki. |
| 寒い時、頭が痛くなります。 |
I get a headache when it is cold. |
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samui toki, atama-ga itaku narimasu. |
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| 元気な時、公園を走ります。 |
I jog in the park when I feel fit. |
| genkina toki, kooen-o hashirimasu. |
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| 犬が病気の時、病院に連れて行きました。 |
I took the dog to a vet when it was sick. |
| inu-ga byooki-no toki, byooin-ni tsurete-ikimashita. |
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*7
If A is a verbal idea (action) and describes an
ongoing event during which B takes or took place,
the verb in
A is in the -te iru form.
In the example below, the phone call event (= B) occurs in
the middle of TV viewing (=A). |
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| テレビを見ている時、友達から電話がありました。 |
(A) watching TV /when/, (B)
phone call
A phone call came when I was watching TV. |
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terebi-o mite iru toki, tomodachi-kara denwa-ga
arimashita. |
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Note in this connection that it is wrong to
use the following sentence pattern,
because itte iru
does not describe an ongoing event but is a description of
the result of "going,"
that is, being in a faraway place after going (see Lesson
7). |
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沖縄に行っている時、飛行機に乗りました。 |
I went by plane when I was going to Okinawa. |
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okinawa-ni itte iru toki,
hikooki-ni norimashita. |
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The past tense in A:
If, at the time of the main event
B, A is
already "in the past," use the past tense in A.
Note that we use the past tense even when the two events are
yet to take place; it is the order of the two that matters.
In the example below, you will have already arrived in China
(=A) at the time you buy tea (=B). |
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(A) going to China /when/, (B)
buying oolong tea |
| 中国に行った時、ウーロン茶を買います。 |
I will buy oolong tea when I go to China. |
| chuugoku-ni itta toki, uuron chaa o kaimasu. |
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| 中国に行った時、ウーロン茶を買いました。 |
I bought oolong tea when I went to China. |
| chuugoku-ni itta toki, uuron chaa o kaimashita. |
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| 疲れた時、ゆっくりお風呂に入ります。 |
I get tired [=A], and then take a bath
[=B].)
I take a long bath when I have gotten tired. |
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tsukareta toki, yukkuri ofuro-ni hairimasu. |
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| 宿題を忘れた時、泣いてしまいました。 |
I found out about the homework [=A] and then
cried [=B].
I cried when I had forgotten to bring the homework. |
| shukudai-o wasureta toki, naite-shimai-mashita. |
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