~ところに・~ところへ
Meanings
- At the time of ~; just as ~
- When ~; while ~; timing around ~
- Unexpected event or action occurring at that moment
- Toward; to a place (in directional use with ~へ)
About this pattern
Explanation
~ところに and ~ところへ are used to situate actions in time or place and to show what happens around that moment. - ~ところに is for events that occur at the exact moment or during a short period when something is in progress. It often conveys a sense of timing, sometimes with a slight surprise or a new development right after the preceding situation. - ~ところへ is used to indicate movement toward a place or direction toward something, emphasizing reaching or approaching a destination, and can also mark the moment of arrival or encounter. These forms help you describe what happened just as or just after something else, or describe someone’s movement toward a location. Commonly used with actions in progress (ている/ていた) or with verbs of motion, and with nouns when indicating location.
Learn in context
Example sentences
A phone call rang just as we were eating.
Just as I was about to go out, it began to rain.
As I was heading toward school, a friend came to meet me.
As I was about to come home, a cat jumped out in front of me.
Keep studying
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