ところに・
ところ is a moment in an action: about to, in the middle, just done. Here something arrives at that moment (に, へ), or someone is seen, caught or helped in it (を).
something arrives
A delivery arrived while we were eating lunch.
someone is caught
His boss caught him taking the documents out.
How to form it
Verb (dictionary form／ている／た-form) + ところに・ところへ・ところを
The verb form picks the moment, as with ところだ: 出かけるところ (about to), 食べているところ (in the middle), 終わったところ (just done). ている is the most common.
- ところに・ところへ
- Before something that comes: 来る, 入ってくる, 届く, 電話がかかってくる. The two mean the same here.
- ところを
- Before seeing, catching, helping or interrupting: 見る, 見られる, 見つかる, 撮られる, 助けてもらう, 起こされる.
- Tone
- Just then, of all moments. With を, often a moment you would rather nobody saw.
In use
The department manager came in just as the meeting had ended.
Just as I was about to go out, a client phoned.
A friend saw me crying.
A station attendant helped me when I was stuck on my own.
You've come at just the right moment. Give me a hand.
A set phrase: いいところ is "a good moment".
Which particle?
Mostly it is the particle the next verb takes anyway. 来る and 届く take に or へ, as with a place. 見る and 助ける take を, as with a thing. One to learn whole: ところを見つかる, to be caught in the act.
Not said: 晩ご飯を
(The phone rang while we were having dinner.)
A call comes in, so 食べているところに.
Close neighbours
A polite opener in emails and on the phone: "I know you are busy, but…". Here ところ follows an adjective or a noun.
Thank you for dealing with this when you are so busy.
ところだN4
The same three moments at the end of a sentence: where things stand now.
I'm in the middle of dinner.
最中にN3
Only the middle of something, with more "of all moments" in it.
A work call came right in the middle of the meal.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
授業中に
Choose an answer to see why.
2What was I doing when the phone rang?
ちょうど
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
After a person, のところ is simply where they are.
When I don't understand, I go and ask the teacher.
More sentences
A friend came over just as I was about to take a bath.
A police officer caught the man climbing over the wall.
A passer-by helped a woman who had collapsed in the street.