JLPT N2Written, reportsCareful speech

たところwhen I did, I found

You asked, checked or tried something, and this is what came of it: the report-style "when I did, I found". It is not たところだ at the end of a sentence ("have just"), and not たところで ("even if").

駅えき員いんに尋たずねたところ、次つぎの快かい速そくはこの駅えきを通つう過かするとのことだった。

When I asked a member of the station staff, I was told that the next rapid train doesn't stop at this station.

How to form it

Verb in the た-form + ところ、+ what you found

聞きいたところ, 調しらべたところ. Often with てみる: 聞きいてみたところ.

Before it: Usually something done to find out: 聞きく, 調しらべる, 確かく認にんする, 問とい合あわせる, 試ためす.
After it: What you learned or what happened, usually in the past tense. Often と分わかった or とのことだった.
Where you'll meet it: Reports, work email, the news, and careful speech to a customer or a meeting. Not everyday talk.

In use

市し役やく所しょに問とい合あわせたところ、申しん請せいには本ほん人にん確かく認にん書しょ類るいが必ひつ要ようだと分わかった。

When I contacted the city office, I learned that the application needs proof of identity.

記き録ろくを確かく認にんしたところ、送そう信しん時じ刻こくは午ご後ご三さん時じ十じゅう二に分ふんだった。

When I checked the records, the time it was sent was 3:12 p.m.

撮さつ影えい場ば所しょの照しょう明めいを変かえてみたところ、写しゃ真しんが以い前ぜんより鮮せん明めいになった。

When we tried changing the lighting where we were shooting, the photos came out sharper than before.

Two things to know

With friends it is たら

調しらべてみたら、原げん因いんはすぐ分わかった。

When I looked into it, I found the cause straight away.

How you would tell a friend.

調しらべてみたところ、原げん因いんはすぐ分わかった。

When I looked into it, I found the cause straight away.

How a report puts it, or a careful explanation.

The meaning is the same.

What follows is what you found

It can't be the next thing you chose to do. That takes the て-form.

Not said: 説せつ明めい書しょを読よんだところ、設せっ定ていを変かえた。

(When I read the manual, I changed the settings.)

説せつ明めい書しょを読よんで、設せっ定ていを変かえた.

Close neighbours

たところだN4

At the end of a sentence: "have just done". Nothing was found.

ちょうど晩ばんご飯はんを食たべたところです。

I've just had dinner.

たところでN1

With で: "even if you did". It hasn't happened, and it wouldn't help.

どうせ急いそいだところで、最さい終しゅう電でん車しゃには間まに合あわない。

Even if we hurry, we won't make the last train anyway.

と～た・たら～たN3

The everyday way to tell the same thing: たら in conversation, と in stories.

店みせに入はいったら、知しり合あいがレジに立たっていた。

When I went into the shop, someone I knew was behind the till.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

医い者しゃに診みてもらったところ、ただの風邪かぜだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

With が, たところが says the result went against what you hoped. It is rarer, and bookish.

新あたらしい設せっ定ていを試ためしたところが、かえって処しょ理り速そく度どが落おちた。

I tried the new settings, only to find that processing got slower.

More sentences

説せつ明めい書しょどおりに再さい設せっ定ていしたところ、エラーが表ひょう示じされなくなった。

After I reset it as the manual says, the error stopped appearing.

念ねんのため契けい約やく書しょを読よみ直なおしたところ、更こう新しん条じょう件けんに変へん更こうはなかった。

When I reread the contract to be sure, the renewal terms had not changed.

専せん門もん家かに確かく認にんしたところ、この資し料りょうだけでは結けつ論ろんを出だせないとの回かい答とうだった。

When we checked with a specialist, the answer was that no conclusion can be drawn from these materials alone.

別べつの経けい路ろを試ためしたところ、いつもより十じゅっ分ぷん早はやく着ついた。

When I tried a different route, I arrived ten minutes earlier than usual.

試ためしに窓まどを少すこし開あけたところ、室しつ温おんがすぐに下さがった。

When I tried opening the window a little, the room temperature quickly fell.