Japanese Verbs Twenty Two

In this Japanese Verbs Twenty Two, of our Learn Japanese series, we will look at how to express that something has just happened or is about to happen; as well as the idea that it would be better to do a particular thing.

For example, you want to say that you have just bought an umbrella:

First, put the verb into its plain past:

         to buy = kau = katta

Next add tokoro:

         just bought = katta tokoro

Finally add the rest of the words for your sentence:

       I just bought an umbrella.

   Watashi wa kasa o katta tokoro desu.

   

After the word list are a few examples:

He = 彼　かれ　to return = 帰る　= かえる　car = 車　=  くるま　

to clean = 掃除する　= そうじする

He has just arrived home.

　彼は帰ったところです。

They’ve just finished eating.

    彼らは食べたところです。

I just cleaned the car.　

    車を掃除したところです。

When using "...ta bakkari" instead of "…ta tokoro" the meaning is similar, but is less precise regarding time than "ta tokoro."

For example:                

  その傘を買ったところです。

  その傘を買ったばっかりです。

They both mean, I have just bought that umbrella.

However, "tokoro" is more exact regarding time and indicates that you had bought it a moment ago, or had just arrived home from buying it.

Whereas bakkari could mean that you bought it last week, but is still relatively new.

The plain form + tokoro is used to convey that something was just about to happen, almost happened or is about to happen.

After the below word list are a few examples:

Now = 今　= いま　Peter = ピーター　to telephone = 電話する　= でんわする　

umbrella = 傘　= かさ　to forget = 忘れる　わすれる  a meal = ご飯　= ごはん　

I was just about to call Peter.　

    ピーターに電話するところでした。(The deshita here puts it into the past "was.")

I am just about to call Peter.　

    今ピーターに電話するところです。

I almost forgot my umbrella.　

    私の傘を忘れるところでした。

(Now imagine you are watching a video of yourself and telling a friend what you are doing.)

I am just about to forget my umbrella.　

    私の傘を忘れるところです。

 I'm just about to eat (a meal).

　  今からご飯を食べるところです。

When you want to say that it would be a good idea, or would be better to do ...
Use "...ta hou ga ii."

For example, you want to say, "It would be better to go by train today."　

    

After the word list are a few examples:

There = そこ　to(direction) = へ that = それ　to say = 言う　= いう　

today = 今日　= きょう　train = 電車　= でんしゃ　

It’s better that he should go there.　

   彼はそこへ行ったほうがいいです。

That is better left unsaid.　

   それは言わないほうがいいです。

It would be better to go by train today.　

   今日電車で行ったほうがいいです。

You can also use the plain form + hou ga ii with no change in meaning

　今日電車で行くほうがいいです。

　今日電車で行ったほうがいいです。

They both mean, It would be better to go by train today.

Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

She = 彼女　= かのじょ　now = 今　= いま　office = 会社　= かいしゃ　

to leave = 出る　= でる　to arrive = 着く　= つく　station = 駅　= えき　

train = 列車　= れっしゃ　already = もう　work = 仕事　= しごと　

to finish = 終わる　= おわる　to telephone = 電話する　= でんわする　

a little more = もう少し　= もうすこし　with =で　school = 学校 = がっこう

to be late = 遅刻する　= ちこくする　one's house = 家　= いえ　

from = から　npow = 今　= いま　TV = テレビ　

to rest = 休む　= やすむ　to ask(can also mean "to hear") = 聞く　= きく　

tomorrow = 明日　= あした　umbrella = 傘　= かさ　

to take(to have and go) = 持っていく　= もっていく　

Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Twenty two is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 9 Japanese phrases.
2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.
   

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