JLPT N4 grammar
～ておく — Meaning & Examples
"Do in advance/preparation." て-form + おく. 作っておく (tsukutte oku) = make beforehand. Casual contraction: ～とく.
～ておく — "Do in Preparation"
～ておく means doing something in advance / in preparation for later.
Form: て-form + おく
買っておく (katte oku) = buy in advance
作っておく (tsukutte oku) = make beforehand
やっておく (yatte oku) = do in advance
Examples:
パーティーのために、ケーキを作っておきます。(pātī no tame ni, kēki o tsukutte okimasu.)
= I'll make a cake in preparation for the party.
明日旅行に行くので、お金をアップしておきました。(ashita ryokō ni iku node, okane o appu shite okimashita.)
= I withdrew money since I'm going on a trip tomorrow.
スピーチの前に、メモを読んでおきましょう。(supīchi no mae ni, memo o yonde okimashō.)
= Let's read the memo before the speech.
In casual speech: ～ておく often shortens to ～とく.
読んでおいて (yonde oite) → 読んといて (yondoite) = read it in advance
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on ～ておく. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. "パーティーのために、ケーキを作っておきます" means?
- I am eating cake at the party
- I want to make a cake
- I have made a cake
- I will make a cake in advance for the party
Show answer
Answer: I will make a cake in advance for the party
～ておく = do in preparation/advance. 作っておきます = make in advance.
2. Casual contraction of "ておく" is?
- てもう (temou)
- てる (teru)
- とく (toku)
- てたら (tetara)
Show answer
Answer: とく (toku)
ておく → とく in casual speech. 読んでおいて → 読んといて = read it in advance.
Practise ～ておく in the free app
This point is part of the “Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did
Frequently asked questions
What does ～ておく mean?
"Do in advance/preparation." て-form + おく. 作っておく (tsukutte oku) = make beforehand. Casual contraction: ～とく.
Is ～ておく on the JLPT N4 test?
～ておく is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise ～ておく?
Open the “Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.