Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 9: 4/16

～た所(ところ)だJust finished doing, Was just doing

ところ can be contracted to とこ in casual conversations. In this use ところ means "stage/level/situation"

Structure

Verb［た］(1) + ところ + だ

(1) Verb［ていた］

Details

  • Register

    Standard

About たところだ

In a similar way to how ところ (sometimes shortened to とこ) means 'about to (A)', or 'on the verge of (A)', when following the non-past form of a verb, when following the auxiliary verb た, ところ will mean 'just did (A)'.

To use this structure, make the past tense of any verb, and then add ところ.

While this expresses 'just did (A)', ていた may be used when you would like to express that you were 'just doing (A)'.

Caution

When the kanji form of 所(ところ) is used, it is often referring to an actual physical location, rather than a situation/standpoint. However, this is something that native speakers will sometimes mistake. Therefore, seeing the kanji form and the hiragana form are both relatively common.

Related

Examples

--:--

    今(いま)食(た)べ終(お)わったところです。

    I just finished eating.

    服(ふく)を脱(ぬ)いでいたところに、母(はは)が部屋(へや)に入(はい)ってきた。

    My mom came into the room just as I was taking my clothes off.

    新(あたら)しいおもちゃを渡(わた)したところで壊(こわ)れた。

    Just after I gave the new toy (to someone), it broke.

    友達(ともだち)はたまたま友達(ともだち)に会(あ)う：「君(きみ)に会(あ)いたいと今(いま)思(おも)っていたところだわ！」

    Friend meets a friend by accident: 'I was just thinking that I want to see you!'

    改札(かいさつ)に入(はい)ったところで電車(でんしゃ)の扉(とびら)が閉(し)まった。

    Just as I (had) entered the ticket gate, the train doors closed.

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

たところだ – Grammar Discussion

Join the Discussion