although (it is a certain time/condition) (ところを) – Japanese Grammar ところを (tokoro o)

Q: What JLPT level is ところを?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use ところを in a sentence?

Attach ところを to the appropriate verb or noun form. Although (it is a certain time/condition)

Q: Is ところを formal or casual Japanese?

ところを is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

ところを

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

tokoro o

although (it is a certain time/condition)

とりわけ toriwake 嫌いがある kirai ga aru といえども to ie domo までもない / までもなく made mo nai/naku いずれにしても / いずれにしろ / いずれにせよ izure ni shitemo / izure ni shiro / izure ni seyo た弾みに /た拍子に ta hazumi ni / ta hyoushi ni ときたら tokitara だろうに darou ni てしかるべきだ te shikaru beki da 始末だ shimatsu da いかに ikani に忍びない ni shinobinai とは towa というか〜というか to iu ka~to iu ka を踏まえて o fumaete の至り no itari ほどのことではない hodo no koto dewa nai びる / びて / びた biru / bite / bita まじき majiki かたわら katawara とりわけ toriwake 嫌いがある kirai ga aru といえども to ie domo までもない / までもなく made mo nai/naku いずれにしても / いずれにしろ / いずれにせよ izure ni shitemo / izure ni shiro / izure ni seyo た弾みに /た拍子に ta hazumi ni / ta hyoushi ni ときたら tokitara だろうに darou ni てしかるべきだ te shikaru beki da 始末だ shimatsu da いかに ikani に忍びない ni shinobinai とは towa というか〜というか to iu ka~to iu ka を踏まえて o fumaete の至り no itari ほどのことではない hodo no koto dewa nai びる / びて / びた biru / bite / bita まじき majiki かたわら katawara

🃏 Flashcard

ところを

tokoro o

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although (it is a certain time/condition)

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading tokoro o

Post ID 51405

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

although (it is a certain time/condition)

📖 How to use it

Used to describe an action or event that happens during a specific time or condition, often with a sense of interruption or unexpectedness.

Attaches to Attach to the present progressive form of a verb (e.g., 寝ているところを, 話しているところを) or to the past form たところ (e.g., 寝たところを, but note that たところ is less common and usually means 'just after'), or to a noun + の (e.g., 休みのところを).

This pattern expresses that an action takes place at the very moment or state described by the preceding clause, and the main clause often involves an interruption, a request, or an unexpected event. It has a nuance of 'even though it was that time/condition' or 'while I was in the middle of...'. For example, 電話しているところを邪魔された means 'I was interrupted while I was on the phone.' The pattern is commonly used to apologize for bothering someone, to describe an interruption, or to note that something happened despite the timing being inconvenient.

It is a written and somewhat formal pattern. In daily conversation, you might hear it in set phrases like お休みのところをすみません (Sorry to bother you while you're resting), but it's more typical in announcements, news, or careful speech. The を can be followed by verbs like 邪魔する (to disturb), 見つかる (to be found), 呼び出す (to call out), etc., which indicate that the action happens while the state is ongoing.

Note that the meaning is not 'place' but 'time/occasion'. The noun ところ literally means 'place', but here it refers to a point in time. This can be confusing, but context makes it clear.

寝ているところを写真に撮られて、とても恥ずかしかった。

Nete iru tokoro o shashin ni torarete, totemo hazukashikatta.

I was embarrassed because someone took a photo of me while I was sleeping.

お忙しいところをわざわざ来ていただいて、ありがとうございます。

Oisogashii tokoro o wazawaza kite itadaite, arigatou gozaimasu.

Thank you for taking the trouble to come even though you are busy.

重要な話をしているところを邪魔されて、腹が立った。

Juuyou na hanashi o shite iru tokoro o jama sarete, hara ga tatta.

I got angry because I was interrupted while I was in the middle of an important discussion.

Not ところにところに means 'just at the moment when' (e.g., 出かけようとしたところに雨が降った - it started raining just as I was about to leave), while ところを focuses on the action done during that state, often implying an interruption or being affected by an outside action. ところに often introduces an event that coincides, whereas ところを introduces something that affects the subject.

Register This pattern is formal and mainly used in written Japanese, announcements, or polite speech; it is less common in casual conversation.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ところを

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ところを three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ところを. 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

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ときたら

when it comes to; concerning ~

ともあろうものが

of all people... (surprise)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ところを mean? ▼

Although (it is a certain time/condition)

What JLPT level is ところを? ▼

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 ところを in a sentence? ▼

Attach ところを (tokoro o) 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 ところを formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ところを 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 ところを 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.