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【注意書き掲載テスト】A. Time expressions (vol. 2)

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1. 時とき vs. 時ときに (L.11 #3)

X 時とき（に） is used to indicate a time when someone does something or something happens. Since 時とき is a noun, X is a noun modification phrase and ends in the same forms as all other noun modification phrases.

  1. 日本にほんでは、家いえを出でる時とき（に）、「行いってきます」と言いいます。(In Japan, you say “行いってきます” when you leave your house.)
  2. 日本にほんでは、家いえに帰かえった時とき（に）、「ただいま」と言いいます。(In Japan, you say “ただいま” when you get home.)
  3. 日本にほんにいる時とき（に）、台たい風ふうが来きました。(There was a typhoon (lit. A typhoon came) when I was in Japan.)
  4. 私わたしは試し験けんの時とき（に）、いつも緊きん張ちょうします。(I always get nervous when there’s a test.)

時とき is usually used with no particle, but in some situations, に is attached. Although the difference is very subtle and doesn’t change the core meaning of the sentence, 時ときに can indicate that the 時とき clause is under focus. In (5), for example, the 時とき clauses are under focus. In this case, 時とき with に sounds very natural.

  1. A: どんな時ときに緊きん張ちょうしますか。(In what kind of situations do you get nervous?)

    B: 私わたしは試し験けんの時ときに緊きん張ちょうします。(I get nervous when there’s a test.)

(6) provides an additional example in which 時ときに is natural.

  1. 困こまった時ときに助たすけてくれる友達ともだちが本当ほんとうの友達ともだちです。(A real friend is a friend who helps you when you are in trouble.)

Because 時とき is a noun, X 時とき can also be used in other places where nouns appear, as in (7) – (9).

  1. 私わたしはおいしい物ものを食たべている時ときが一いち番ばんしあわせです。(I’m happiest when I’m eating something delicious.)
  2. 日本にほんのおふろに入はいる時ときの正ただしいマナーを教おしえてください。 (Please teach me the correct manners for when you take a Japanese-style bath.)
  3. 初はじめてライブを聞きいた時ときから私わたしはこの歌手かしゅのファンです。 (I’ve been a fan of this singer since the time when I first listened to her live performance.)

2. V-te から (L.11 #6) vs. 後あとで (L.12 #2)

Both V-te から and V-plain.past 後あとで (hereafter V-past 後あとで) mean “after V-ing; after 〜 has V-ed,” and in some situations they can be used interchangeably, as in (1).

  1. a. 私わたしたちは映画えいがを｛見みてから／見みた後あとで｝カフェでコーヒーを飲のみました。(We had some coffee at a café after watching the movie.)

    b. 私わたしは友達ともだちが｛帰かえってから／帰かえった後あとで｝母ははに電話でんわしました。(I called my mother after my friends had left.)

The basic difference is that V-te から is commonly used when an action is taken (or an event takes place) after another action or event with no or little time between the first action/event and the second one, while V-past 後で simply indicates that an action is taken (or an event takes place) after another one.

V-te から is typically used when the first action or event triggers the second one, as in (2), or when the first action or event is essential to the second action, as in (3). V-past 後あとで cannot be used in such situations.

  1. <At a test site> 私わたしが「始はじめてください」と｛言いってから／× 言いった後あとで｝始はじめてください。(Please begin after I say, “Please begin.”)
  2. この肉にくはよく｛焼やいてから／× 焼やいた後あとで｝食たべてください。(Please grill this meat thoroughly before you eat it. (lit. As for this meat, please eat it after grilling it thoroughly.))

One restriction for V-te から is that it cannot be used when it represents an action and the main clause represents an event, as in (4). In this case, V-past 後あとで should be used.

  1. 宿題しゅくだいを｛?? してから／した後あとで｝母ははから電話でんわがありました。(I had a phone call from my mother after I finished my homework.)

Another note is that V-te から can also mean “since (the time when) X V-ed,” but V-past 後あとで cannot. Thus, in (5), V-te から can be used, but V-past 後あとで cannot.

  1. 足あしのけがを｛してから／× した後あとで｝速はやく走はしれなくなりました。(I haven’t been able to run fast since I hurt my leg.)

3. ながら (L.13 #4) vs. 間あいだ(に) (L.16 #6)

Both ながら and 間あいだ are translated into “while” in English, but the uses of these two expressions are quite different. First, the types of words that occur before ながら and 間あいだ and their forms are as follows:


Second, in V1ながらV2, the subject of V1 and that of V2 must be the same, while there is no such restriction in S1間あいだ（に）S2, as in (1) and (2).

  1. × 母ははがそうじをしながら、私わたしは料理りょうりしていました。
  2. 母ははがそうじをしている間あいだ、私わたしは料理りょうりしていました。(I was cooking while my mother was cleaning.)

Third, in V1ながらV2, V1 and V2 represent actions that are taken simultaneously or concurrently, as in (3) and (4).

  1. いつもスマホで音楽おんがくを聞ききながらそうじをします。(I always listen to music on my smartphone while I clean.)
  2. 兄は働はたらきながら大だい学がく院いんで勉強べんきょうしています。(My older brother is working through graduate school (lit. works while he is studying at graduate school).)

On the other hand, 間あいだ（に） indicates the period during which someone does something or something happens, as in (5) – (8). (For the difference between 間あいだ and 間あいだ（に）, see L.17 #4.)

  1. 日本にほんにいる間あいだに日本中にほんじゅうを旅行りょこうしたいです。(I’d like to travel all over Japan while I’m there (lit., in Japan).)
  2. ルームメートがゲームをしている間あいだ、私わたしは日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうをしていました。(I was stdying Japanese while my roommate played video games.)
  3. 毎朝まいあさすずしい間あいだにジョギングをします。(I jog while it’s cool every morning.)
  4. 面めん接せつの間あいだ、あまり緊張きんちょうしませんでした。(I didn’t get very nervous during the interview.)
【注意書き掲載テスト】A. Time expressions (vol. 2)