Meaning
Used to indicate the time when an action happens.
Formation
- とき is preceded by a modifying form: Vる / Vた / Aい / Aな / Nの
- Vるとき is before or during, Vたとき is after
When to use it
- Core use
- When something happens
Example
子どものときよく川で遊びました
When I was a child, I often played by the river.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.