～ておく
Prepare ahead or leave something in a useful state
You'll be able to talk about preparing in advance or leaving something in a useful state.
父は旅行の前に車を調べておきます。
chichi wa ryokou no mae ni kuruma o shirabete okimasu.
What do you think this sentence means?
My father checks the car in advance of the trip.
Prepare for later
～ておく means doing something in advance for a later situation. It can also mean deliberately leaving a condition unchanged for now.
切符を買っておきます。
kippu o katte okimasu.
I will buy the tickets in advance.
Form and use ～ておく
Conjugate おく: おきます, おいた. Casual ておく becomes とく and でおく becomes どく. Use ～ておく to prepare in advance or leave something in a useful state. ～てある describes the state left by an earlier action.
切符を買っておきます。
kippu o katte okimasu.
I will buy the tickets in advance.
窓は開けておいてください。
mado wa akete oite kudasai.
Please leave the window open.
明日は朝早いので、今夜荷物を準備しておきます。
ashita wa asa hayai node, kon'ya nimotsu o junbi shite okimasu.
I have to be up early tomorrow, so I'll get my bags ready tonight.
人気の店なので、一週間前に席を予約しておきました。
ninki no mise na node, isshuukan mae ni seki o yoyaku shite okimashita.
It's a popular restaurant, so I booked a table a week in advance.
会議の前に、このメールを読んでおいてください。
kaigi no mae ni, kono meeru o yonde oite kudasai.
Please read this email before the meeting.
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