JLPT N5 grammar
とき (when) — Meaning & Examples
Used to express "when": にほんにいくとき (when I go to Japan). Present verb + とき = while about to do; past verb + とき = after having done.
When and If — とき and たら
とき (toki) — when / at the time
Structure: [Verb/Adjective] + とき + [Main clause]
にほんにいくとき、すしをたべたいです。
— When I go to Japan, I want to eat sushi.
こどものとき、ピアノをひきました。
— When I was a child, I played piano.
Present tense verb + とき = when you are about to do / while doing
Past tense verb + とき = after doing (the action has been completed)
いえをでるとき、かぎをわすれました。
— When I left the house, I forgot my key.
(leaving → forgetting happened then)
たら — if / when (conditional)
The たら conditional expresses "if A, then B":
あめがふったら、うちにいます。
— If it rains, I'll stay home.
にほんにいったら、おんせんにはいりたいです。
— When/If I go to Japan, I want to soak in an onsen.
たら is formed by adding ら to the past tense form:
たべました → たべたら
いきました → いったら
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on とき (when). Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. にほんごはむずかしいけど、たのしい (nihongo wa muzukashii kedo, tanoshii) — けど is closest in meaning and formality to?
- でも (more casual, starts new sentence)
- ので (because)
- が (similar meaning, more casual)
- とき (when)
Show answer
Answer: が (similar meaning, more casual)
けど (kedo) means "but," similar to が but more casual. にほんごはむずかしいけど、たのしい = Japanese is hard but fun (casual).
2. にほんにいくとき、すしをたべたいです (nihon ni iku toki, sushi o tabetai desu) — what does とき mean here?
- Before
- After
- When
- While hoping
Show answer
Answer: When
とき (toki) = when / at the time. にほんにいくとき、すしをたべたい = When I go to Japan, I want to eat sushi. Present tense before とき means "about to do/while doing"; past tense before とき means "after doing."
3. Which sentence correctly uses て-form to describe a reason for missing school?
- あたまがいたくて、がっこうをやすみました
- あたまがいたいで、がっこうをやすみました
- あたまがいたいとき、がっこうをやすみました
- あたまがいたいなら、がっこうをやすみました
Show answer
Answer: あたまがいたくて、がっこうをやすみました
い-adjective て-form: drop い, add くて: いたい → いたくて. あたまがいたくて、がっこうをやすみました = My head hurt, so I took the day off school. This て-form use expresses an informal cause-and-effect.
Practise とき (when) in the free app
This point is part of the “Connecting Sentences” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N5 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
Free on iPhone and Android · No ads
Related N5 grammar points
From the same lesson: Connecting Sentences
Frequently asked questions
What does とき (when) mean?
Used to express "when": にほんにいくとき (when I go to Japan). Present verb + とき = while about to do; past verb + とき = after having done.
Is とき (when) on the JLPT N5 test?
とき (when) is taught in the JLPT N5 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Connecting Sentences”), 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 とき (when)?
Open the “Connecting Sentences” 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 N5 mock exams, with no ads.