JLPT N3EverydayBad timing

最さい中ちゅうだ・最さい中ちゅうにright in the middle of

You are right in the middle of something. Mostly it is said when something else cuts in at that moment, or to tell someone you can't stop now.

食しょく事じの最さい中ちゅうに、仕し事ごとの電でん話わがかかってきた。

A work call came right in the middle of the meal.

今いま、報ほう告こく書しょを書かいている最さい中ちゅうです。

I'm right in the middle of writing the report.

Verb

Verb in ている + 最さい中ちゅうに／最さい中ちゅうだ

話はなしている最さい中ちゅうに. It mostly stays ている when the sentence is about the past.

Noun

Noun + の + 最さい中ちゅうに／最さい中ちゅうだ

会かい議ぎの最さい中ちゅうに, 試し験けんの最さい中ちゅうだ.

Before it: Something a person is busy doing, or an event under way: 話はなしている, 運うん転てんしている, 会かい議ぎ, 食しょく事じ, 試し験けん.
After it: With に, usually what cut in: a call, a visitor, a power outage. With だ, the sentence ends there: that is where things stand.
Tone: The timing is bad, or at least striking: of all moments.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike.

In use

母ははと話はなしている最さい中ちゅうに、宅たく配はい便びんが来きた。

A delivery came while I was right in the middle of talking with my mother.

発はっ表ぴょうの最さい中ちゅうに、マイクの音おとが出でなくなった。

Right in the middle of the presentation, the microphone went dead.

彼かれに電でん話わしたら、ちょうど運うん転てんしている最さい中ちゅうだった。

When I called him, he was right in the middle of driving.

Two things to know

最さい中ちゅう or ているところ?

今いま、晩ばんご飯はんを作つくっているところです。

I'm making dinner at the moment.

Where things stand. A plain report.

今いま、晩ばんご飯はんを作つくっている最さい中ちゅうです。

I'm right in the middle of making dinner.

In the thick of it. Often a way to say this isn't a good moment.

It needs a middle

A state such as living somewhere or being married has no middle to be caught in. That takes 間あいだに.

Not said: 日本にほんに住すんでいる最さい中ちゅうに、富ふ士じ山さんに登のぼった。

(I climbed Mount Fuji while I was living in Japan.)

Living there is a state: 日本にほんに住すんでいる間あいだに.

Close neighbours

ている間あいだにN4

Any time within the stretch, and what happens then can be something you planned.

子こ供どもが寝ねている間あいだに、夕ゆう食しょくの準じゅん備びをした。

I got dinner ready while the children were asleep.

中ちゅうN4

The plain "during", straight onto a noun: 会かい議ぎ中ちゅう. It is what signs and schedules say.

会かい議ぎ中ちゅうに停てい電でんしました。

The power went out during the meeting.

ところに・ところへN3

Something arrives while you are busy. It can also be the moment just before or just after; 最さい中ちゅう is only the middle.

私わたしたちが昼ちゅう食しょくを食たべているところへ、宅たく配はい便びんが届とどいた。

A delivery arrived while we were eating lunch.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

シャワーを（　　）最さい中ちゅうに、お湯ゆが出でなくなった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

真まっ最さい中ちゅう is the same with more force: the very thick of it.

今いま、引ひっ越こしの真まっ最さい中ちゅうです。

We're right in the thick of moving.

More sentences

会かい議ぎの最さい中ちゅうに、突とつ然ぜん警けい報ほうが鳴なった。

An alarm suddenly went off right in the middle of the meeting.

授じゅ業ぎょうの最さい中ちゅうに、校こう内ない放ほう送そうが流ながれた。

A school announcement came on right in the middle of class.

重じゅう要ような場ば面めんを撮さつ影えいしている最さい中ちゅうに、電でん池ちが切きれた。

The battery died while we were right in the middle of filming an important scene.

ただいまデータを更こう新しんしている最さい中ちゅうです。

We are in the middle of updating the data right now.

Compared with similar forms

About to, in the middle of, just did