時(とき)

時(とき) is one of the most fundamental words in Japanese, used both as a noun meaning "time" and as a grammatical structure meaning "when."

GRAMMAR (when ~):

• Verb (plain form) + 時(とき): 食(た)べる時(とき) (when eating)
• Noun + の + 時(とき): 子供(こども)の時(とき) (when I was a child)
• い-adjective + 時(とき): 暑(あつ)い時(とき) (when it's hot)
• な-adjective + な + 時(とき): 暇(ひま)な時(とき) (when free)

TENSE IN とき CLAUSES:

• Past tense before 時(とき) indicates the action is completed before the main clause: 日本(にほん)に行(い)った時(とき) (when I went/had gone to Japan)
• Non-past before 時(とき) indicates the action is not yet completed: 日本(にほん)に行(い)く時(とき) (when I go/before going to Japan)

Common expressions

• その時(とき): at that time
• あの時(とき): back then
• 時(とき)には: sometimes
• いい時(とき)に: at a good time

Similar words

• 時間(じかん): time (duration or clock time)
• 時期(じき): period, season
• 時代(じだい): era, age