GI08 · About to: 〜ところ

Before you start

The sentences use words you already know, up to the intermediate level, in kanji with furigana, and assume elementary grammar.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• GI01say something is excessive
• GI02say whether something is easy or hard to do
• GI03say what you do something for
• GI04say what you do to avoid something
• GI05pass on what you've heard
• GI06say what seems to be so
• GI07say something has just happened

What you learn

〜る ところです／〜た ところです

• ところabout to / just now

ところです marks the point of an action: with the dictionary form, about to start (たべる ところです, I'm just about to eat); with the た-form, just finished (おきた ところです, I've just this moment got up). 〜た ところ is «right now»; 〜た ばかり (GI07) can be less recent.

• 今いま 昼ひるご飯はんを 食たべる ところです。ima hirugohan o taberu tokoro desu.I'm just about to have lunch.
• 今いま 電話でんわを する ところです。ima denwa o suru tokoro desu.I'm just about to make a call.
• 今いま 起おきた ところです。ima okita tokoro desu.I've just this moment got up.
• 今いま 手紙てがみを 書かく ところです。ima tegami o kaku tokoro desu.I'm just about to write the letter.
• 今いま 荷物にもつを 送おくった ところです。ima nimotsu o okutta tokoro desu.I've just this moment sent the parcel.
• 今いま 薬くすりを 飲のむ ところです。ima kusuri o nomu tokoro desu.I'm just about to take the medicine.

Practice

A short text with words and grammar you already know; kanji carry their reading above. Read it and answer.