…したとき
…shita toki
In Japanese, 'when' can be expressed as …したとき (…shita toki). Wiktionary also lists …した時 (…shita toki) and …したら (…shitara).
Meaning: as soon as, at the time that (conj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| …したとき | …shita toki | |
| …した時 | …shita toki | literary |
| …したら | …shitara | colloquial |
These phrases are used as conjunctions to mean 'as soon as' or 'at the time that'. Related forms like いつ (when) or いつか (sometime) are used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word toki functions as a noun meaning 'time' or 'moment'.
Which one should you use?
…したとき focuses on the specific point in time when an event occurs. In contrast, …したら emphasizes a conditional 'if/when' relationship, implying that the second action follows the first.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
…したとき and its kanji variant …した時 are standard, while …したら is a more colloquial and conversational way to express 'when' or 'if'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the past tense verb form (ta-form) to indicate that the action in the 'when' clause is completed or has already occurred at the time of the main event.
How do you pronounce it?
…shita toki
Did you know?
- The phrase …したら can be used as a polite way to give a suggestion. Instead of saying 'do this', a speaker might say 'when you do this…', effectively hiding a command inside a time-based clause.
- In formal writing, とき is often replaced by 際 (sai). This version of 'when' is so formal that it is rarely heard in casual conversation and is mostly found in business emails and public announcements.
- In Japanese, you can use the present tense before とき even if the event happened in the past. The overall tense of the sentence is decided only by the final verb, not the 'when' clause.
Examples in context
- いつ会議がありますか？When is the meeting?
- いつ来ますか？When will you come?
- いつか一緒に旅行しようね。Let's travel together someday.
- いつかは日本に行ってみたい。I want to go to Japan someday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “when” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
