Do you know when you’re supposed to message if someone says: 「着く時に連絡してね (つくときに れんらくしてね)」? Should you message before arriving or after arriving?
The answer lies in the form of the verb used with 時 (とき). Understanding whether to use the dictionary form or the た-form is key to expressing timing accurately in Japanese.
Difference Between 時(とき) with Dictionary Form and た-Form
When using 時 (とき) with verbs in Japanese, the form of the verb (dictionary form or た-form) changes the timing or sequence of the action.
Dictionary Form + 時(とき)
This structure refers to an action that has not yet happened at the time of the main action. It indicates what should be done before or as the action happens.
e.g.
- 駅に着く時、連絡してね。(えきに つくとき、れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’re about to arrive at the station.”
・The action of arriving 着く (つく) has not yet occurred.
・The dictionary form of the verb indicates future tense in Japanese.
・You are expected to contact before or while arriving. - 帰る時に連絡してね。(かえるときに れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’re about to leave (work/home/etc.).”
・The dictionary form of the verb indicates future tense in Japanese.
・The action of leaving 帰る (かえる) has not yet occurred.
た-Form + 時(とき)
This structure refers to an action that has already happened at the time of the main action. It indicates what should be done after the action occurs.
- 駅に着いた時、連絡してね。
(えきに ついたとき、れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’ve arrived at the station.”
・The action of arriving 着いた (ついた) has already happened.
・The た-form of the verb indicates past tense.
・You are expected to contact after arrival. - 帰った時に連絡してね。(かえったときに れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’ve arrived home.”
・You are expected to contact after you get home.
・The action of returning home 帰った (かえった) has already happened.
・The た-form of the verb indicates past tense.
Comparing Example Situations :
Using Dictionary Form
- 駅に着く時、連絡してね。(えきに つくとき、れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’re about to arrive at the station.”
↓
You might send a message like:
- 「もうすぐ着きます。」 (もうすぐ つきます。)
ー “I’m almost there.” - 「あと５分くらいで着きます。」 (あと ごふんくらいで つきます。)
ー “I’ll arrive in about 5 minutes.”
- 「もうすぐ着きます。」 (もうすぐ つきます。)
- 帰る時に連絡してね。(かえるときに れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’re about to leave.”
↓
You might send a message like:- 「今から帰ります。」 (いまから かえります。)
ー “I’m heading home now.” - 「学校終わった。これから帰る。」(がっこう おわった。これから かえる。)
— “School’s over. I’m heading home now.”
- 「今から帰ります。」 (いまから かえります。)
Using た-Form
- 駅に着いた時、連絡してね。(えきに ついたとき、れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’ve arrived at the station.”
↓
You might send a message like:- 「着いたよ。」 (ついたよ。)
ー “I’ve arrived.”
- 「着いたよ。」 (ついたよ。)
- 帰った時に連絡してね。(かえったときに れんらくしてね。)
ー “Message me when you’ve arrived home.”
↓
You might send a message like:- 「ただいま帰りました。」 (ただいま かえりました。)
ー “I’m home now.” - 「今帰ったよ。」(いま かえったよ。)
— “I got home now.” - 「今帰ったところ。」(いま かえったところ。)
— “I just got back home.”
- 「ただいま帰りました。」 (ただいま かえりました。)
Key Difference
| Form | Action Timing | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary Form + 時(とき) | Action has not yet happened | “before or as you do X.“ |
| た-Form + 時(とき) | Action has already happened | “after you do X.“ |
Comparison with 前 (まえ) and 後 (あと)
The phrases 着く前 (つくまえ) and 着いた後 (ついたあと) offer additional ways to express timing, but they differ from 時 (とき):
- 着く前 (つくまえ): Refers to “before arriving.”
e.g.
・着く前に電話してね。(つくまえに でんわしてね。)
ー “Call me before you arrive.” - 着いた後 (ついたあと): Refers to “after arriving.”
e.g.
・着いた後に電話してね。(ついたあとに でんわしてね。)
ー “Call me after you arrive.”
These forms are straightforward and focus on actions that happen before or after a specific event, while 時 (とき)emphasizes the timing relative to the main action.
Intransitive Verbs with 時(とき)
At the last, let’s think about intransitive verbs used with 時(とき). The same principles apply as with transitive verbs. Let’s look at an example with the verb 降る (ふる) with 雨(あめ), 雨が降る(あめが ふる) meaning “to rain.”
e.g.
- 雨が降る時は匂いで分かります。
(あめが ふるときは においで わかります。)
— “I can tell by the smell when it’s about to rain.” - 雨が降った時は匂いで分かります。
(あめが ふったときは においで わかります。)
— “I can tell by the smell when it has rained.”
Explanation :
- 雨が降る時 (あめが ふるとき)
ーWhen it rains (or when it is about to rain).
Explanation: This uses the dictionary form 降る (ふる), which refers to a future or general occurrence. In this case, the speaker is expressing that they can detect the smell before or as it starts to rain. - 雨が降った時 (あめが ふったとき)
ーWhen it has rained.
Explanation: This uses the past tense 降った (ふった), indicating an event that has already occurred. Here, the speaker means that they can recognize the smell after it has rained.
Summary
| Form | Action Timing | Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary Form + 時(とき) | Before or as [SB does X] / [STH happens] | “Before or as you do X.“ “Before or as X happens.“ |
| た-Form + 時(とき) | After [SB has done X] / [STH has happened] | “After you do X.“ “After X has happened.“ |
| Dictionary Form + 前 (まえ) | An action occurs before X | “Before doing X.“ “Before X happens.“ |
| た-Form + 後 (あと) | An action occurs after X | “After doing X.“ “After X happens.“ |
- Dictionary Form + 時 (とき)
- For transitive verbs, it refers to before or as the subject (SB) does the action.
- For intransitive verbs, it refers to before or as the event happens.
Example: - 雨が降る時 (あめがふるとき) → When it’s about to rain (before or as the rain starts).
- 駅に着く時 (えきにつくとき) → When you’re about to arrive at the station.
- た-Form + 時 (とき)
- For transitive verbs, it refers to after the subject (SB) has done the action.
- For intransitive verbs, it refers to after the event has occurred.
Example: - 雨が降った時 (あめがふったとき) → When it has rained.
- 駅に着いた時 (えきについたとき) → When you’ve arrived at the station.
Conclusion
Understanding these verb forms with 時(とき), 前(まえ), and 後(あと) is key to expressing timing naturally in Japanese. For both transitive and intransitive verbs, the dictionary form refers to an action or event that happens before or as the main action, while the た-form refers to something that has already occurred.
Mastering these nuances will help you avoid common mistakes, like mixing up 着く前(つくまえ), 着く時(つくとき), 着いた時(ついたとき), and 着いた後(ついたあと). With this understanding, your Japanese will sound much clearer and more natural.