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Activities: "How to use とき (toki) in Japanese?"

By: Mayumi Ito

Activity 1: Complete the sentences

Complete each sentence by filling the blank with one of the words in the Word Bank. You can use each word only once. Don’t forget to change the form when necessary!

Word Bank
暑い transcribed atsuimeaning hot
起きる transcribed okirumeaning to get up
ひま transcribed himameaning free
4歳 transcribed yon saimeaning four years old
行く transcribed ikumeaning to go
着く transcribed tsukumeaning to arrive
  1. とき、あそびにきてください。
    ___ toki, asobi ni kite kudasai.
    When you are ___, please come for a visit.

  2. あした会社へとき、コンビニに寄ります。
    Ashita kaisha e ___ toki, konbini ni yorimasu.
    When I ___ to my office, I’ll stop by a convenience store.

  3. わたしがとき、弟が生まれました。
    Watashi ga ___ toki, otōto ga umaremashita.
    My younger brother was born when I was ___.

  4. 学校にとき、もうテストが始まっていました。
    Gakkō ni ___ toki, mō tesuto ga hajimatteimashita.
    When I ___ at school, the test had already started.

  5. ときは、エアコンをつけてもいいですよ。
    ___ toki wa, eakon o tsukete mo ii desu yo.
    When it’s ___, you may turn on the air conditioner.

  6. 日本人は朝とき、家族に「おはよう」と言います。
    Nihonjin wa asa ___ toki, kazoku ni “Ohayō” to iimasu.
    Japanese people say “Ohayō (Good morning)” to their family when they ___ in the morning.

Activity 2: Build sentences

Let’s build sentences using words given in the word bank! You have to use all the words without repeating any. Use the English sentences as your guide, but your Japanese sentences must sound natural.

  1. Do you listen to music when you study?
    Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
  2. I got lost when I was a child.
    Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
  3. Please turn off the light when you go to bed.
    Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
  4. When I went to Hawaii, I swam with dolphins.
    Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.

Activity 3: Select the correct word

Read each sentence, carefully consider the situation, and select the correct Japanese word in the [brackets]. It’s possible that both answers are correct!

  1. 風邪を[ | ]ときは、いつもの風邪薬をのみます。 Kaze o [ hiku | hiita ] toki wa, itsumo no kazegusuri o nomimasu. When I catch a cold, I take my usual cold medicine.

  2. レジでお金を[ | ]とき、財布がないことに気づきました。 Reji de okane o [ harau | haratta ] toki, saifu ga nai koto ni kizukimashita. When it was time to pay at the register, I realized that I didn’t have my wallet (with me).

  3. お金が[ | ] とき、姉が貸してくれました。 Okane ga [ hitsuyōna | hitsuyōdatta ] toki, ane ga kashite kuremashita. When I needed money, my elder sister lent it to me.

  4. アメリカへ[ | ] とき、友達が成田空港まで見送りにきてくれました。 Amerika e [ kaeru | kaetta ] toki, tomodachi ga Narita kūkō made miokuri ni kite kuremashita. When I returned to the U.S., my friends came to Narita Airport to send me off.

  5. 山道を[ | ]とき、急に雨が降ってきました。 Yamamichi o [ aruiteiru | aruiteita ] toki, kyūni ame ga futte kimashita. When we were walking along the mountain trail, it suddenly started raining.

  6. 宮島へ[ | ]とき、フェリーを使いました。 Miyajima e [ wataru | watatta ] toki, ferii o tsukaimashita. We used a ferry boat when we traveled to Miyajima.