JLPT N5 · Before, after and when · 51 of 60

When with とき

～とき ~ toki When; at the time

とき (toki) means "when" or "at the time": 子どものとき, when I was a child. It follows a noun with の, an adjective, or a verb.

Level: JLPT N5, beginner
Type: Before, after and when
English links: time clauses, when, subject and verb, future in time clauses

What it means

とき is a noun that means "time". You put a description in front of it, and it becomes "when...". 子どものとき is "the time of being a child", so "when I was a child".

How you join it depends on the word before it. A noun takes の: 子どものとき. A な-adjective takes な: 暇なとき, when I am free. An い-adjective and a verb join directly: 寒いとき, 行くとき. Verbs use the plain form, not the ます form.

The main tense goes at the end of the sentence, so 子どものとき works for the past with no change: 子どものとき、大阪に住んでいました.

With verbs, the form before とき can show order. 東京に行くとき means on the way, before you arrive. 東京に行ったとき means after you got there. It is a fine point, but a useful one.

How to build it

Pattern	How it works
Noun + のとき noun + no toki	子どものとき, 休みのとき.
な-adjective + なとき na-adjective + na toki	暇なとき, 元気なとき.
い-adjective + とき i-adjective + toki	寒いとき, 忙しいとき.
Verb (plain form) + とき verb (plain form) + toki	行くとき (before you arrive), 行ったとき (after you arrive).

Examples

子どものとき、よく川で泳ぎました。 kodomo no toki, yoku kawa de oyogimashita. When I was a child, I often swam in the river.
暇なとき、何をしますか。 hima na toki, nani o shimasu ka. What do you do when you are free?
寒いとき、温かいお茶を飲みます。 samui toki, atatakai ocha o nomimasu. When it is cold, I drink hot tea.
わからないとき、先生に聞いてください。 wakaranai toki, sensei ni kiite kudasai. When you don't understand, please ask the teacher.
東京に行ったとき、友達に会いました。 toukyou ni itta toki, tomodachi ni aimashita. When I went to Tokyo, I met a friend.

How English says it

"When" starts a clause with a full subject and verb: "when I was a child", "when it is cold". Japanese needs only 子どものとき, with no "I" and no verb.

The "when" clause can go first, with a comma, or last, with no comma: "When I am free, I read." "I read when I am free."

For the future, the "when" clause uses the present simple: "When I go to Tokyo, I will visit my friend." Not "when I will go".

Why it can make English hard

Japanese builds "when" from a noun alone, so students often write "When child, I lived in Osaka." The subject and "was" go missing.
The past sits only at the end in Japanese, so a "when" clause about the past may stay in the present: "When I am a child, I played baseball."
With the future, many students use "will" in both parts: "When I will go to Tokyo, I will visit my friend."

Mistakes you will hear

When child, I lived in Osaka. When I was a child, I lived in Osaka. English needs a subject and a verb after "when".
When I am a child, I played baseball. When I was a child, I played baseball. Both parts need the past.
When I will go to Tokyo, I will visit my friend. When I go to Tokyo, I will visit my friend. Use the present simple after "when" for the future.
When I free, I read manga. When I am free, I read manga. 暇なとき has no verb. English needs "am".

In the classroom

Childhood memories: students write three sentences that start "When I was a child, I...". Two are true and one is false. Classmates guess the false one.
Put 子どものとき on the board and build the English one word at a time: when, I, was, a child. Students see that three new words appear.
Ask "What do you do when...?" questions: when you are tired, when it rains, when you are hungry. Students answer in full sentences, and you listen for "am", "is" and "are".

Practice

Try each one, then open it to check.

1. Fill the gap: 学生＿とき、テニスをしていました。 (When I was a student, I played tennis.)

Answer: の

A noun takes の before とき.
2. Fill the gap: 静か＿とき、本を読みます。 (When it is quiet, I read a book.)

Answer: な

A な-adjective takes な before とき.
3. Translate: 疲れたとき、早く寝ます。

Answer: When I am tired, I go to bed early.

English needs "I am" in the "when" clause. Japanese needs no subject.
4. A student writes "When I will be eighteen, I will learn to drive." Fix it.

Answer: When I am eighteen, I will learn to drive.

Use the present simple after "when" for the future.