because of ~ (ときている) – Japanese Grammar ときている (to kiteiru)

Q: What JLPT level is ときている?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use ときている in a sentence?

Attach ときている to the appropriate verb or noun form. Because of ~

Q: Is ときている formal or casual Japanese?

ときている is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

ときている

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

to kiteiru

because of ~

に ni あらかじめ arakajime ところを tokoro o ばそれまでだ /たらそれまでだ ba sore made da / tara sore made da にかまけて ni kamakete といったらない to ittara nai に即して ni sokushite までだ / までのことだ made da/no koto da だろうに darou ni たことにする /たことになる ta koto ni suru / ta koto ni naru なんという / なんと/ なんて nan to iu / nanto / nante を兼ねて o kanete とされる to sareru こととて koto tote いかにも ikani mo に値する ni atai suru の至り no itari に照らして ni terashite にとどまらず ni todomarazu に言わせれば ni iwasereba に ni あらかじめ arakajime ところを tokoro o ばそれまでだ /たらそれまでだ ba sore made da / tara sore made da にかまけて ni kamakete といったらない to ittara nai に即して ni sokushite までだ / までのことだ made da/no koto da だろうに darou ni たことにする /たことになる ta koto ni suru / ta koto ni naru なんという / なんと/ なんて nan to iu / nanto / nante を兼ねて o kanete とされる to sareru こととて koto tote いかにも ikani mo に値する ni atai suru の至り no itari に照らして ni terashite にとどまらず ni todomarazu に言わせれば ni iwasereba

🃏 Flashcard

ときている

to kiteiru

Tap to reveal usage

because of ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading to kiteiru

Post ID 51399

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

because of ~

📖 How to use it

This pattern expresses an additional point that compounds a situation, often with a tone of frustration or emphasis, meaning 'and on top of that ~' or 'and what's more ~'.

Attaches to Attaches to the plain present form of verbs (e.g., 言う), the plain form of adjectives (e.g., 安い), and to nouns with だ (e.g., 学生だ). The pattern is 〜と来ている, where と is a quotation particle and 来ている is the te-form of 来る plus いる. It does not attach to past tense forms.

This is a fixed expression used to add a reason or characteristic that makes a situation even more extreme or problematic. It carries a nuance of 'and on top of that' or 'and what's more', often implying that the speaker is a bit annoyed or resigned. It can be translated as 'and that's why' only in the sense that the added point leads to a conclusion, but it is not a simple causal connector.

It appears in both written and spoken Japanese, but is more common in formal or narrative contexts. In casual conversation, it might be used for emphasis.

For example: 雨が降った上に風も強い。 could be rephrased as 雨が降る**と来ている**上に風も強い。 but that is not typical. A correct example: 彼は遅刻する**と来ている**から、困る。 means 'He is late, and on top of that, it's a problem.' But careful: the pattern is usually used with a following statement that shows the consequence or evaluation. The と here is a quotation particle, not conditional.

彼は遅刻すると来ているから、会議は始められなかった。

Kare wa chikoku suru to kiteiru kara, kaigi wa hajimerarenakatta.

He is late, and on top of that, we couldn't start the meeting.

この町は交通が不便だと来ているので、車が必要だ。

Kono machi wa koutsuu ga fuben da to kiteiru node, kuruma ga hitsuyou da.

This town has inconvenient transportation, and on top of that, you need a car.

彼女は料理が上手だと来ているから、パーティーはいつも好評だ。

Kanojo wa ryouri ga jouzu da to kiteiru kara, paatii wa itsumo kouhyou da.

She is good at cooking, and on top of that, the parties are always well received.

Not から (kara) or ので (node) から and ので are general-purpose reason markers used in all registers. と来ている is a fixed expression that adds an additional point, not a simple reason marker. It is not equivalent to 'because' but rather 'and what's more'.

Register This is a somewhat formal expression, but it can appear in conversational Japanese when emphasizing an additional point. It is not limited to written language.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ときている

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ときている three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ときている. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns

← Previous

といわず〜といわず

both; not only A or B, but (overall) ~

とみると

as soon as one realizes ..., then ~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ときている mean? ▼

Because of ~

What JLPT level is ときている? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use ときている in a sentence? ▼

Attach ときている (to kiteiru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is ときている formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ときている is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember ときている long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.