JLPT N5 grammar · Conjunctions & Questions
〜とき: meaning, usage and examples
〜とき means: when… (at the time of...).
How to form it
＜Verb/Adj plain＞ + とき / Noun + の + とき
Examples
この薬は、頭が痛いとき飲んでください。
Take this medicine when you have a headache.
子供のとき、よく川で遊びました。
When I was a child, I often played in the river.
ひまなとき、よく映画を見ます。
When I’m free, I often watch movies.
日本に行ったとき、すしを食べました。
When I went to Japan, I ate sushi.
When to use it
Expresses 'when / at the time of'. Can refer to past, present, or future moments.
Nuance
The tense of the verb before とき matters: 行くとき (when I go = before arrival) vs. 行ったとき (when I went = after arriving).
Compare
たら (when/if: completed condition) vs. とき (point in time when something happens).
Tip: 子供のとき (when I was a child) uses の because 子供 is a noun.
More in Conjunctions & Questions
- [Person/Animal] と: with [Person/Animal]
- [Noun] と [Noun]: [Noun] and [Noun] (a complete list)
- ~や~: things like... and... (an incomplete list)
- [Noun] の [Noun]: (particle indicating possession or modification)
- が/けど: but... (conjunction)
- ~から: because... (reason)
- どんな [Noun]: what kind of [Noun]?
- どうですか: how about, how... (asking for an opinion or impression)
- 何 (なん/なに): what
- どこ(へ/に)も/何も/だれも + (Negative): not…anywhere / not...anything / no one
- どこか/何か/だれか/いつか: somewhere/something/someone/sometime
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜とき mean?
When… (at the time of...). Example: この薬は、頭が痛いとき飲んでください。 (Take this medicine when you have a headache.)
How do you form 〜とき?
＜Verb/Adj plain＞ + とき / Noun + の + とき. 子供のとき (when I was a child) uses の because 子供 is a noun.