JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 6

~ところです

Just about to, in the middle of, or just finished

You'll be able to pinpoint the exact stage of an action by attaching ところです to dictionary, ている, and た verb forms.

Illustration of the scene described by Mei is about to eat her meal.
Read it first

芽衣めいはご飯ごはんを食たべるところです。

mei wa gohan o taberu tokoro desu.

What do you think this sentence means?

Mei is about to eat her meal.

Why it means that

Locate an action just before, during, or just after

ところ identifies the exact stage of an action. The verb form before it distinguishes being about to start, being in the middle, and having just finished.

Example

今いま、ご飯ごはんを食たべているところです。

ima, gohan o tabete iru tokoro desu.

I am right in the middle of eating.

How it is built

Form and use ~ところです

食たべるところ is just before eating; 食たべているところ is during it; 食たべたところ is immediately afterward. Here ところ means a stage, not a physical place.

Verb dictionary / ている / た form+ところです
Examples

今いま、ご飯ごはんを食たべているところです。

ima, gohan o tabete iru tokoro desu.

I am right in the middle of eating.

今いま、ご飯ごはんを食たべたところです。

ima, gohan o tabeta tokoro desu.

I have just finished eating.

Examples

ちょうど今いまから出でかけるところです。

choudo ima kara dekakeru tokoro desu.

I'm just about to go out.

今いま、駅えきに向むかっているところです。

ima, eki ni mukatte iru tokoro desu.

I'm on my way to the station right now.

ちょうど今いま、家いえに着ついたところです。

choudo ima, ie ni tsuita tokoro desu.

I've just this moment arrived home.

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.