JLPT N5 grammar

〜時（とき）meaning and usage

Meaning

時（とき） identifies when something happens or holds true: “when” or “at the time of.”

How to form it

  • verb (dictionary form)/verb (ta-form)時
  • い-adjective時
  • な-adjective (stem)な時
  • nounの時

How it is used

“When” or “at the time of”. With verbs, the form shows the order: 「日本へ行く時」 is before or on the way there, 「日本へ行った時」 is after arriving. It is often written in kana as 「とき」.

Examples

  1. その時パレードが通り過ぎていった。

    At that time, a parade passed by.

  2. 子どもの時、よく川で泳ぎました。

    When I was a child, I often swam in the river.

  3. 暇な時に、また来てください。

    Please come again when you're free.

About the example Here, 時（とき） appears in その時, meaning “at that time.” It tells us when the parade passed by.