JLPT N5Everyday

ときwhen; at the time of

とき says when something happens: when I was a child, when it's cold, when you go to bed. It is a noun meaning "time", so words join it the way they join any noun.

子こ供どものとき、京きょう都とに住すんでいました。

When I was a child, I lived in Kyoto.

寝ねるとき、電でん気きを消けしてください。

Please turn off the light when you go to bed.

暇ひまなときは、図と書しょ館かんへ行いきます。

When I have free time, I go to the library.

Verb

plain form + とき

行いくとき, 行いったとき, 行いかないとき. The plain form, not ます.

い-adjective

adjective + とき

寒さむいとき

な-adjective

adjective + な + とき

暇ひまなとき

Noun

noun + の + とき

子こ供どものとき. とき is also written 時とき.

When I was a student, when it's cold

学がく生せいのとき、毎まい日にち自じ転てん車しゃで学がっ校こうへ行いきました。

When I was a student, I went to school by bicycle every day.

寒さむいときは、温あたたかいお茶ちゃを飲のみます。

When it is cold, I drink hot tea.

A noun or an adjective before とき usually stays as it is, even when the sentence is in the past: 学がく生せいのとき, 若わかいとき.

行いくとき or 行いったとき?

A verb before とき doesn't show past or future. The end of the sentence does that. The verb shows whether its own action is finished when the main one happens.

日本にほんへ行いくとき、カメラを買かいました。

I bought a camera when I was going to Japan.

Not there yet. You bought it before you left, or on the way.

日本にほんへ行いったとき、カメラを買かいました。

I bought a camera when I went to Japan.

Already there. You bought it in Japan.

Dictionary form: not finished, so before or during. た: finished.

So た before とき can turn up in a sentence about the future, or about every morning.

来らい月げつ、大おお阪さかへ行いったとき、友とも達だちに会あいます。

Next month, when I'm in Osaka, I'll see a friend.

Next month hasn't come. By then you will have arrived, so 行いった.

朝あさ起おきたとき、窓まどを開あけます。

When I wake up in the morning, I open the window.

First you are up, then the window.

When something happens in the middle of an action, it is ているとき.

料りょう理りをしているとき、電でん話わが鳴なりました。

The phone rang while I was cooking.

Asking "when" is いつ

English uses "when" to ask and to tell. Japanese asks with いつ and tells with とき.

いつ日本にほんへ来きましたか。

When did you come to Japan?

Asking.

日本にほんへ来きたとき、日本にほん語ごが分わかりませんでした。

When I came to Japan, I didn't understand Japanese.

Telling.

ときは and ときに

ときは sets up a kind of occasion, often "whenever". ときに points to the moment something is done. Plain とき can do either job.

出でかけないときは、家いえで映えい画がを見みます。

When I do not go out, I watch movies at home.

昨日きのう、帰かえるときに、駅えきで先せん生せいに会あいました。

Yesterday, when I was going home, I met my teacher at the station.

Close neighbours

たらN4

For one thing that will follow another, "when" is usually たら: once the first is done, the second happens.

駅えきに着ついたら、電でん話わしてください。

Please call when you arrive at the station.

ながらN5

One person doing two things at once.

テレビを見みながら、夕ゆう飯はんを食たべました。

I ate dinner while watching television.

ころN4

A looser "when": around that time. Common for a time of life.

若わかいころは毎まい週しゅう山やまに登のぼっていました。

When I was young, I used to go mountain climbing every week.

際さい（に）N2

The formal とき of notices, forms and announcements.

お降おりの際さいは、足あし元もとにご注ちゅう意いください。

Please watch your step when you get off.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

うちを（　　）とき、「行いってきます」と言いいます。

Choose an answer to see why.

2A friend says this. Where will she buy the kimono?

来らい年ねん、日本にほんへ行いったとき、着き物ものを買かいます。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

雨あめ（　　）ときは、バスで行いきます。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

そのとき

With その or あの, it is "then" or "at that time".

そのとき、私わたしは東とう京きょうにいました。

At that time, I was in Tokyo.

More sentences

来らい月げつ、大おお阪さかへ行いくとき、東とう京きょう駅えきで弁べん当とうを買かいます。

Next month, when I go to Osaka, I'll buy a boxed lunch at Tokyo Station.

電でん車しゃを待まっているとき、友とも達だちからメッセージが来きました。

While I was waiting for the train, a message came from a friend.

体たい調ちょうがよくないときは、無む理りをしないでください。

When you are not feeling well, please do not push yourself.

Compared with similar forms

When, while, before, after