N1 Contrast and Concession

~ところを: meaning, usage and examples

~ところを means: although... / when... (polite interruption or finding).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. お忙いそがしいところを、大変たいへん申もうし訳わけありません。

   I am very sorry to bother you when you are busy.

2. 犯人はんにんが家いえから出でてきたところを、警察けいさつが取とり押おさえた。

   The police captured the criminal just as he was coming out of the house.

3. お休やすみのところを、お電話でんわしてすみません。

   I am sorry to call you on your day off.

4. 授業じゅぎょう中ちゅうに居眠いねむりしているところを、先生せんせいに見みつかった。

   The teacher caught me dozing off in class.

When to use it

Two main uses. In polite phrases it means "at a time when you are (busy, resting)," to apologize or thank: お忙いそがしいところをすみません. With verbs like 見みつかる, 捕つかまえる, 助たすける it means "right at the moment when": 居眠いねむりしているところを先生せんせいに見みつかった (the teacher caught me dozing off).

Nuance

The polite use is a fixed formula in business and formal speech (お休やすみのところを, お足元あしもとの悪わるいところを). The second use describes someone being caught, seen or saved in the act, often with a passive verb. It is not used for a simple "when" in neutral sentences.

Compare

Compare のに: 忙いそがしいのに来きてくれた is neutral or a complaint. 忙いそがしいところをありがとう is a polite formula. Compare ところに / ところへ: 出でかけようとしたところに電話でんわが来きた means something arrived at that moment, while ところを makes the moment the object of an action.

Tip: Memorize the formulas お忙いそがしいところを and お休やすみのところを, and remember that ところを + 見みつかる / 見みられる means "caught in the act."