ホーム → 文法 → DoJG main menu → 基本 → Basic Page 490
Noun
A dependent noun which indicates the time when someone/something will do/does/did something or the time when someone/something will be/is/was in some state. | At the time when; when |
【Related Expression: たら; と4】 |
(ksa). 私は日本にいた時(に)お茶を習った・習いました。
I learned the tea ceremony when I was in Japan.
(ksb). 浩は試験の時(に)風邪を引いた・引きました。
Hiroshi caught a cold at the exam time.
(i){V/Adjective い} informal | 時 | |
{話す /話した}時 | When someone talks/talked | |
{高い /高かった}時 | When something is/was expensive | |
(ii)Adjective な stem | {なだった}時 | |
{静かな/静かだった}時 | When something is/was quiet | |
(iii)N | {のだった}時 | |
{先生の/先生だった}時 | When someone is/was a teacher |
(a). 松本さんは朝ご飯を食べる時いつもテレビを見る。
Mr. Matsumoto always watches TV when he eats his breakfast.
(b). テリーはジュースが安い時に沢山買っておいた。
Terry bought a lot of juice when it was cheap.
(c). 僕は静かな時しか本を読まない。
I read only when it's quiet.
(d). 私が大学生だった時妹はまだ三つだった。
When I was a college student, my sister was only three.
(e). これは出発の時に渡します。
I'll give this to you at the time of your departure.
1. 時, by itself, means 'time', but when it is used as a dependent noun with a modifying phrase or clause, it means 'at the time when' or 'when'.
2. The clause preceding 時 is a type of relative clause; therefore, the basic rules for relative clauses apply to this construction. (⇨ Relative Clause) The following two rules are particularly important:
(A) If the subject of the 時 clause is different from that of the main clause, it is marked by が. Compare (1) with Key Sentence (A):
(B) The predicate form is usually informal except that だ after Adjective な stem and Noun changes to な and の, respectively.
3. The particle に after 時 is optional. With に, time is emphasized and sometimes comes under focus. Compare the two sentences in (2).
4. If Sentence2 in Sentence1時Sentence2 is in the past tense and Sentence1 expresses a state, the tense of Sentence1 can be either past or nonpast, as in (3).
5. When Sentence1 in Sentence1時Sentence2 expresses an action, the meaning of the sentence changes depending on the tenses of Sentence1 and Sentence2.
(A) When the verb in Sentence1 is not a movement verb:
(B) When the verb in Sentence1 is a movement verb:
(C) When the action in Sentence1 and the action in Sentence2 take place simultaneously or concurrently:
【Related Expressions】
Unlike when-clauses in English, 時 clauses do not indicate condition. In other words, 時 clauses are genuine time clauses. In order to indicate condition as expressed in when-clauses, conjunctions like たら and と are used. (⇨ たら; と4) Thus, if [1] expresses a condition which causes the hearer surprise, 時 cannot be used.
[1]
In this case, tara or to must be used, as in [2].
[2]