Neru mae ni, ha o migakimasu

You can also express time relations by using the short forms and conjunctions. Here are some examples:

short affirmative (present or past) + toki, tokini = when doing …
short affirmative + maeni = before doing …
short past (ta-form) + ato = after doing …

…toki (ni)

Kaisha ni iku tokini, konbini ni yorimasu.
Oyogu tokini googuru o tsukemasu.
Onsen ni hairu toki, hadaka ni narimasu.
Daigakusei datta toki, arubaito mo shimashita.

…mae (ni)

Onsen ni hairu maeni, karada o araimasu.
Kaisha ni iku maeni, undou o shimasu.
Oyogu maeni, sutorecchi o shimasu.

…ato (ni)

Hon o yonda atoni, tomodachi to aimasu.
Jimu ni itta atoni, tomodachi to aimasu.
Karada o aratta atoni, onsen ni hairimasu.
Undou o shita atoni, kaisha ni ikimasu.
Sutorecchi o shita atoni, oyogimasu.

The first action must be completed before the second action takes place. Therefore, the first action is expressed using the ta-form, which indicates completion. By using the ta-form, you clearly convey that the first action has already been finished before the second action begins. This helps to establish a clear sequence of events, making the order and relationship between actions easy to understand.

Exercise

Questions

Change the sentences using “…atoni”. The meanings of the sentences must be the same.

  1. Shigoto e iku maeni, shawaa o abimasu. (Before I go to work, I take shower.)
  2. Neru maeni, mizu o nomimasu. (Before I sleep, I drink water.)
  3. Yasai o itameru maeni, niku o itamemasu. (Before I stir fry vegetables, I stir fry meat.)

Answers

  1. Shawaa o abita atoni, shigoto e ikimasu.
  2. Mizu o nonda atoni, nemasu.
  3. Niku o itameta atoni, yasai o itamemasu.