Japanese Grammar Bank

HOW TO SAY WHEN IN JAPANESE

Learning how to express “when” in Japanese is essential for any student of the language.

While the question word “when” is いつ, there are several other words and phrases that are used to talk about when you did something.

WHEN IN JAPANESE WITH 時に

時に toki ni

This phrase is used to describe a specific time or event that occurred in the past.

You can add it to the casual form of a verb, or the regular form of adjectives (with their い or な kept on).

For nouns, you add の in between the noun and 時に.

PATTERN

Verb / Adjective / Noun (+ の) + 時に

Here are some handy examples for you.

JAPANESEROMAJIENGLISH
私は暇な時に映画を見ます。Watashi wa hima na toki ni eiga wo mimasu.I watch movies when I’m free.
雨が降る時には車で出かけません。Ame ga furu toki ni wa kuruma de dekakemasen.I don’t go out by car when it’s raining.
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会社に遅れないように、いつも早く起きる時には眠りが浅いです。Kaisha ni okurenai you ni, itsumo hayaku okiru toki ni wa nemuri ga asai desu.When I wake up early to make sure I don’t get late for work, my sleep is usually shallow.
昼食の時にはいつも音楽を聞きます。Chuu-shoku no toki ni wa itsumo ongaku wo kikimasu.I always listen to music during lunchtime.
試験前は一晩中勉強する時にはコーヒーを飲みます。Shiken mae wa hitobanjuu benkyou suru toki ni wa kouhii wo nomimasu.I drink coffee when I study all night before exams.
旅行に行く時には、常にカメラを持っています。Ryokou ni iku toki ni wa, tsuneni kamera wo motteimasu.I always bring my camera when I go on a trip.
娘が寝た後に、私は本を読む時には静かにしています。Musume ga neta ato ni, watashi wa hon wo yomu toki ni wa shizuka ni shiteimasu.I stay quiet when I read a book after my daughter has gone to bed.
朝食を食べる時には、テレビを見ません。Choushoku wo taberu toki ni wa, terebi wo mimasen.I don’t watch TV when I have breakfast.
夜遅くに外出する時には、いつも携帯電話を持っています。Yoru osoku ni gaishutsu suru toki ni wa, itsumo keitai denwa wo motteimasu.I always bring my cellphone when I go out late at night.
元気のない時には、音楽を聞いたり、友達と話をすることが大切です。Genki no nai toki ni wa, ongaku wo kiitari, tomodachi to hanashi wo suru koto ga taisetsu desu.It’s important to listen to music or talk with friends when you’re feeling down.

WHEN IN JAPANESE WITH 頃

頃 koro

頃 is used to describe a broader time than 時に which is for specific times.

This is used for things like “when I was young” or “around this time last year”.

As with 時に, you should put a の in between a noun and 頃.

PATTERN

Noun + の + 頃

Let’s see how that works in action.

JAPANESEROMAJIENGLISH
夏の頃、海に行きます。Natsu no koro, umi ni ikimasu.In the summer, I go to the beach.
小学校の頃、よく遊んだ。Shougakkou no koro, yoku asonda.When I was in elementary school, I used to play a lot.
昔の人は冬の頃、雪かきをした。Mukashi no hito wa fuyu no koro, yuki kaki wo shita.In the past, people used to shovel snow during the winter season.
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若い頃、大学の卒業式では感極まって涙が止まらなかった。Wakai koro, daigaku no sotsugyoushiki de wa kanagokumatte namida ga tomaranakatta.When I was young, I couldn’t stop crying at my college graduation ceremony.
子供の頃、よく公園で遊んだ。Kodomo no koro, yoku kouen de asonda.When I was a child, I often played at the park.
始めた頃、ドラムの演奏に苦戦した。Hajimeta koro, doramu no ensou ni kusen shita.When I started, I struggled with drumming performances.
付き合ったばっかりの頃、毎日のようにデートをしていた。Tsukiatte bakka ri no koro, mainichi no you ni deeto o shite ita.When we had just started dating, we went on dates almost every day.
思った頃と違って、社会人になってからの毎日はとても忙しい。Omotta koro to chigatte, shakaijin ni natte kara no mainichi wa totemo isogashii.When I thought about it, it was different. Every day since becoming a working adult has been very busy.
出した頃、運転免許の試験に一発合格できた。Dashita koro, unten menkyo no shiken ni ippatsu goukaku dekita.When I took the driving license exam, I passed it in one go.
若い頃、初めての一人暮らしで困ったことがたくさんあった。Wakai koro, hajimete no hitorigurashi de komatta koto ga takusan atta.When I was young, I had a lot of trouble living on my own for the first time.

WHEN IN JAPANESE WITH 時代

時代 jidai

The word 時代 means “era” or “period.” This is used to describe a specific historical period or era.

It can also be used to describe things like “my school days”.

Here are some useful examples for you to learn.

JAPANESEROMAJIENGLISH
私はがくせい時代に走るのが大嫌いでした。Watashi wa gakusei jidai ni hashiru no ga daikirai deshita.When I was a student, I really hated running.
高校時代はサッカーをしていました。Koukou jidai wa sakkaa o shite imashita.I played football when I was in high school.
明治時代には日本が近代化した。Meiji jidai ni wa Nihon ga kindai-ka shita.Japan modernised during the Meiji era.
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私が生まれた時代はまだアナログ時代でした。Watashi ga umareta jidai wa mada anarogu jidai deshita.When I was born, it was still the analogue era.
携帯電話が普及し始めた時代はとても革新的でした。Keitai denwa ga fukyuu shihajimeta jidai wa totemo kakushinteki deshita.When mobile phones began to spread, it was a very innovative time.
インターネットが登場した時代は、情報が爆発的に増えました。Intaanetto ga toujou shita jidai wa, jouhou ga bakuhatsuteki ni fuemashita.When the Internet appeared, the amount of information exploded.
あの時代の音楽は今でも人気があります。Ano jidai no ongaku wa ima demo ninki ga arimasu.The music of that time is still popular today.
戦後の時代には、日本経済が急成長しました。Sengo no jidai ni wa, Nihon keizai ga kyuuseichou shimashita.In the post-war era, the Japanese economy grew rapidly.
私が子供の頃の時代には、まだ黒白テレビが普通でした。Watashi ga kodomo no koro no jidai ni wa, mada kuroshiro terebi ga futsuu deshita.When I was a child, black-and-white TV was still common.
ロックが全盛期だった時代は、とてもエネルギッシュでした。Rokku ga zenseiki datta jidai wa, totemo enerugisshu deshita.When rock was at its peak, it was very energetic.

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FAQs

How many ways to say ‘when’ in Japanese?

There are 3 ways: 時に toki ni, 頃 koro and 時代 jidai.

When is 時に used?

時に is used to describe a specific time or event that occurred in the past.

When is 頃 used?

頃 is used to describe a broader time than 時に, which is for specific times.

When is 時代 used?

時代 means “era” or “period” and used to describe a specific historical period or era.

What is the grammar for nouns with 時に?

For nouns, you add の in between the noun and 時に.

Where can I find more Japanese resources?

Our Japanese Grammar Bank has some fantastic free resources for you to check out.

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