Noken
es

N5 · Lesson 23

"When" and conditions

Say "when X happens" with とき and give a natural condition with と, plus how to give street directions.

Grammar

〜とき、〜 — "when"

V (dict./ない/た)・A-い・A-な[な]・N の + とき、S

とき turns a clause into a time frame: りるとき、カードが ります. Before とき the verb takes the plain form; -な adjectives keep な and nouns take の.

Examples

  • When I'm sleepy, I drink coffee.

  • When you're free, why don't you come over?

V (dict.) とき / V た とき — before or after

く とき / った とき

With the dictionary form, the main action happens before the subordinate one is complete (るとき、かばんを いました: I bought it before going back); with the た form, afterwards (ったとき: once I had arrived).

Examples

  • When I was in Paris, I bought this painting.

V (dict.) と、〜 — natural condition

V (dictionary form) と、S

と says a result follows automatically or naturally: この ボタンを すと、お りが ます (press this button and the change comes out). It is used for machines, directions and facts of nature.

Examples

  • Turn this and the volume goes up.

  • Go straight along this street and you'll reach the station.

N が A — describing what you notice

N が きい/さい…

When describing a situation as you perceive it, the subject takes が: さいです (the sound is low).

Examples

  • The size is small.

N を V — moving through a place

N を きます/ります/がります

を marks the space you move through with verbs of motion: きます (to walk along the street), ります (to cross the bridge), がります (to turn the corner).

Examples

  • Turn right at the second corner.

Vocabulary

WordReadingMeaning
to ask [the teacher]
to turn
to pull
to change
to knock [on a door]
for change to come out
to walk
to cross [a bridge]
to turn [right]
lonely
hot water
sound
size
breakdown, fault
street, road
crossing, intersection
traffic light
corner
bridge
car park, parking
building
many times
the ~th (ordinal)
Prince Shotoku (574–622)
Horyuji Temple (Nara)

See this lesson's vocabulary →

See also