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JLPT N4Grammar Patterns

ところ— About To / In the Middle / Just Finished (Timing)

ところ (literally 'place/point') used as a grammatical marker of the exact stage of an action, via three verb-tense combinations.

Grammar path · 練習

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A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 82 · GRAMMAR PATTERNS

Structure · 形

するところ (about to) | しているところ (in the middle) | したところ (just finished)

Examples · 例文

  • 今から出かけるところです。

    Ima kara dekakeru tokoro desu.

    I'm just about to go out.

    出かける (dictionary form) + ところ = about to do it

  • 宿題をしているところに電話が来た。

    Shukudai o shite iru tokoro ni denwa ga kita.

    The phone rang just as I was doing my homework.

    しているところに = right while doing it (interruption)

  • 今、仕事が終わったところです。

    Ima, shigoto ga owatta tokoro desu.

    I've just finished work.

    終わった (past form) + ところ = just finished it

Usage notes · 注意

  • Three timing patterns: するところ (about to), しているところ (mid-action), したところ (just completed).
  • 〜ているところに = right at that moment, something (else) happens (interruption nuance).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ところ is tested against.

vsているところ (this set, mid-action)

The dictionary-form するところ = ABOUT to start; したところ = JUST finished. Only the ている middle form means the action is currently underway.

vsたばかり

したところ = the action finished a moment ago (objective, just now); たばかり = it finished recently in the speaker's feeling (possibly hours or days earlier), stressing 'only just'.

More grammar patterns

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