Meaning & usage
とき means when or at the time, and points to the moment or period in which the main action happens. It follows a plain form clause such as 行くとき, 行ったとき, 忙しいとき or 静かなとき, with past or nonpast showing whether that time is before or after. After a noun it needs の, as in 高校のとき or 子供のとき, and attaching 時 directly to a noun sounds like a formal suffix. It is neutral and common in both speech and writing.
Example sentences 6
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バスで行く時もあれば車で行く時もある。
Sometimes I go by bus and sometimes by car.
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時間のあるときは何をしていますか。
What do you do in your free time?
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行きたいときに行きなさい。
Go when you want.
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その時あなたは学校にいましたか。
Were you at school at that time?
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ひなたにいる時は何かかぶっていなさいよ。
Cover your head when you are in the sun.
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この本は、高校の時に読んだよ。
I read this book when I was in high school.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 25 past exam questions.
And 20 more tests.
