2008 年 2 月 7日
When something, then something else 時 。。。
時 (とき) connects two sentences and expresses the time when the state or action
described in the main sentence exists or occurs. As shown below, the forms
of verbs, い adjectives, な adjectives and nouns connected to とき are the same
as the forms when modifying nouns.
- としょかん で 本 を かりる 時、 カード が いります。- When you borrow books from the library,
you need a card.
- つかいかた が わからない 時、 私 に きいてください。- When you don't know how to use it,
ask me.
- からだ の ちょうし が わるい 時、 くすり を のみます。- When I'm not in good shape, I take
medicine.
- ひまな 時、 うち に あそび に きません。- Won't you come to my place when you are free.
- つま が びょうき の 時、 かいちゃ を やすみます。- When my wife is sick, I take a day off
work.
Note that the tense of adjective sentences and noun sentences which modify
時 is not affected by the tense of the main sentence.
- わかい 時、 あまり べんきょうしませんでした。- When I was young, I did not study much.
- こども の 時、 よく 川 で およぎました。- I used to swim in the river when I was a
child.
When the dictionary form of the predicate is put before 時, it indicates
the non-completion of the action, and when the た form of the predicate is
put before 時, it indicates the completion of the action.
- くに に かえる 時、 かばん を かいました。
- くに に かえった 時、 かばん を かいました。
In the first sentence, かえるindicates that at the time being referred to,
the action had not yet been completed, that the speaker had not reached his/her
country yet, and that he/she bought a bag somewhere on his/her way there.
In the second sentence, かえった indicates that the action was completed and the
speaker bought a bag after arriving in his/her country.