“〜tokoro wo”: Just As 〜 (Caught/Interrupted by Another) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「いたずらしているところを見つかった」「お忙しいところを、すみません」 — caught in the act, or a polite ‘sorry to intrude while you're …'.

「サボっているところを見つかった」 — caught in the act

While doing something (especially something you shouldn't), you're suddenly caught by someone — 「授業をサボっているところを、先生に見つかった (caught skipping class by the teacher).」 「〜ところを」 = while ～, the scene of ～ (seen／dealt with by another). It describes “a scene in progress,” followed by an action another does regarding that scene (see, catch, help, interrupt). This guide clarifies its core, the courtesy use 「お忙しいところを,」 and separating it from 「ところに.」

Core: the scene of ～ in progress, (seen／dealt with by) another

「verb (dictionary／ている／た) ＋ ところを」 means “while ～, the scene of ～” — describing a scene in progress, followed by an action another does regarding that scene (see, catch, help, interrupt, often passive):

• こっそり抜け出そうとしたところを、警備員に呼び止められた (just as I tried to slip out, I was stopped by a guard).
• 泣いているところを、友達に見られてしまった (while crying, I was seen by a friend).
• 溺れかけていたところを、通りがかりの人に助けられた (just as I was about to drown, I was saved by a passerby).

Feel: the core is “(someone is in) the scene of ～, and (another) did ～ regarding that scene” — the first-half is “a state／scene in progress” (skipping class, crying, drowning), the latter an action another does regarding that scene (見つかる／見られる／助けられる／呼び止められる), often passive. There's also the courtesy use 「お忙しいところを、ありがとうございます (thank you (for doing ～) amid your busyness).」 In English: “while ～ (was ～'d), just as ～.”

Attachment rules

Example sentences

• いたずらをしているところを、母に叱られた。(While up to mischief, I was scolded by my mother.)
• 危うく転びそうになったところを、彼が支えてくれた。(Just as I nearly fell, he steadied me.)
• 二人が会っているところを、誰かに目撃されたらしい。(The two meeting was apparently witnessed by someone.)
• お休みのところを、お邪魔して申し訳ありません。(I'm sorry to intrude during your rest.)
• 犯人が逃走しようとしたところを、取り押さえた。(Just as the culprit tried to flee, he was subdued.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① The core is ‘the scene of ～ in progress, another does something (regarding that scene),' the latter clause often passive. This is 「ところを」's core feel. The first-half is “someone is in the state／scene of ～” (skipping class, crying, drowning, fleeing), and the latter is “an action another does regarding that scene” — see, catch, help, interrupt, scold, and the latter clause is often passive (be seen, be caught, be saved): サボっているところを、見つかった (skipping class, got caught), 溺れかけていたところを、助けられた (about to drown, was saved). It depicts “(while in some scene) was ～'d by another.” Test: to say “(someone) while ～, was (seen／caught／helped) by another” → ところを (the latter mostly another's action on the scene, often passive).

② The courtesy use: 「お忙しいところを」 = amid your busyness (a greeting). This is a very common fixed courtesy of 「ところを.」 「お忙しいところを」「お休みのところを」「お急ぎのところを」 = “amid your busyness／rest／haste (still ～),” a fixed greeting opener for thanks, apology: お忙しいところを、お集まりいただき、ありがとうございます (thank you for gathering amid your busyness), お休みのところを、恐れ入ります (sorry to disturb during your rest). It's used to considerately acknowledge that the other is in some (busy／resting) state, yet you're troubling them. Test: for thanks, apology, when saying “amid your busyness／rest (still ～)” → お忙しい／お休みのところを.

③ Separate it from 「ところに」 — ところを takes ‘another's action on the scene' (transitive), ところに takes ‘something happening' (intransitive／an event). This most needs distinction. 「〜ところを」 = the scene of ～, (seen／dealt with by) another (the latter another's action on the scene, mostly transitive, often passive): 寝ているところを、起こされた (while sleeping, was woken — another's transitive act “wake (起こす)” on the scene “I sleep,” passive 起こされた). Its latter is “another's action on ‘my scene.'” 「〜ところに」 = just when ～, (something happens) (the latter an event's occurrence, someone's arrival, mostly intransitive, see 〈ところに〉): 寝ているところに、電話がかかってきた (just when sleeping, a call came in — the event “a call comes”). Its latter is “(right then) something happened, someone came.” Difference: 「ところを」 takes ‘another's action on this scene' (transitive, often passive: 見つかる／起こされる); 「ところに」 takes ‘an event's occurrence／someone's arrival' (intransitive: 電話が来る／人が来る, see 〈ところに〉). Test: the latter is “another (regarding this scene) did ～” (was seen／woken) → ところを; the latter is “(right then) something happened／someone came” → ところに.

④ Separate it from 「ところで」 — ところで is ‘even if ～' or a topic switch, entirely different from ところを. Don't mix 「ところで.」 「〜ところを」 = the scene of ～ (seen／dealt with by another) (this lesson). 「〜たところで」 = even if ～ (in vain) (a concessive hypothesis, see 〈ところで〉): 今さら謝ったところで、遅い (even apologizing now is too late). 「ところで」 (sentence head) = by the way, incidentally (a topic switch): ところで、話は変わりますが (by the way, changing the subject). Difference: 「ところを」 = the scene of ～ (seen by another, this lesson); 「たところで」 = even if ～ (concessive, see 〈ところで〉); 「ところで」 (head) = by the way (topic switch). Test: this lesson's 「ところを」 is “the scene of ～ seen by another,” entirely different from 「ところで (even if ～／by the way)” — don't mix.

🔄 Compare: ところを／ところに／たところで／ところで

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜ところを」 = while ～, the scene of ～ (seen／dealt with by another) — three points: ① the core is “the scene of ～ in progress, another does something (regarding it)” — the first-half a state in progress (skipping class／crying／drowning), the latter another's action on the scene (見つかる／助けられる), often passive; ② the courtesy use 「お忙しいところを」 = amid your busyness (a fixed greeting opener); ③ separate it from 「ところに (something happens right then, intransitive, see 〈ところに〉)」 — ところを takes another's action on the scene (transitive, often passive). This pattern well depicts being suddenly caught in the act, walked in on — 「サボっているところを見つかった」 renders, vividly, that awkwardness of “doing (what you shouldn't), just then caught.” To say “while ～, was ～'d,” 「ところを」 is spot-on; for courtesy, 「お忙しいところを」 is also fitting.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: What's the difference between 「寝ているところを起こされた」 and 「寝ているところに電話が来た」? Both ‘while sleeping'?

The difference is ‘whether the latter is another's action on the scene (ところを) or an event's occurrence (ところに).' 「〜ところを」 = the scene of ～, (regarding it) by another (the latter another's action, mostly transitive, often passive): 「寝ているところを起こされた」 = “(my) scene of sleeping, (I) was woken (by another)” — the latter 「起こす (wake)」 is another's transitive act on the scene ‘my sleeping' (in the passive 「起こされた = was woken」). Its point is “(this scene of mine) was ～'d by another”: 勉強しているところを邪魔された (while studying, was disturbed), 逃げようところを捕まえられた (about to flee, was caught). 「〜ところに」 = just when ～, (something happens) (the latter an event's occurrence／someone's arrival, mostly intransitive, see 〈ところに〉): 「寝ているところに電話が来た」 = “when (I) was sleeping, a call came (by itself)” — the latter 「電話が来る (a call comes)」 is an event that occurred (right then) (intransitive, not another's act on “my sleeping”). Its point is “(right then) something happened”: 出かけようところに、客が来た (just as I was leaving, a guest came), 寝ているところに地震が起きた (while sleeping, an earthquake struck). Difference: 「ところを」 takes another's action on ‘this scene' (transitive, often passive, 起こされた／邪魔された); 「ところに」 takes an event's occurrence／someone's arrival (intransitive, 電話が来た／客が来た, see 〈ところに〉). Test: the latter is “another (regarding this scene) did something to me” (was woken／disturbed) → ところを; the latter is “(right then) something happened／someone came” → ところに. So “was woken” (another's action) uses 「ところを,」 “a call came” (an event) uses 「ところに.」

Q: What does 「お忙しいところを」 mean? Why 「を」?

「お忙しいところを」 = “amid your busyness (still ～),” a fixed courtesy opener for thanks, apology, requests. Its logic is an extension of 「ところを」 — “お忙しいところ (the scene／state of your being busy) ＋ を ＋ (the thing troubling the other)” — used to considerately acknowledge that the other is in some (busy／resting／hasty) state, yet you're troubling them, with apology and thanks: お忙しいところを、お集まりいただきありがとうございます (thank you for gathering amid your busyness), お忙しいところを恐縮ですが、ご確認をお願いします (sorry to trouble you amid your busyness, please confirm), お休みのところを、申し訳ありません (sorry to disturb during your rest). Similar are 「お休みのところを」 (amid your rest), 「お急ぎのところを」 (amid your haste), 「ご多忙のところを」 (amid your busyness, more solemn). Here 「を」 picks up the 「(in-some-state) ところ,」 followed by the content of “troubling／disturbing the other.” Test: for thanks, apology, requesting of another, to considerately say “amid your busyness／rest (still troubling you)” → お忙しい／お休みのところを ＋ (thanks／apology／request). It's a very practical fixed courtesy for business, polite settings.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「お急ぎの___を、少々お時間をいただけますか。」(troubling you while you're in a hurry)

(A) ところ　(B) とき　(C) 場合　(D) ほど

Q2. 「いたずらをしている___、先生に見つかった。」(caught by the teacher while up to mischief)

(A) ところを　(B) ことを　(C) ものを　(D) わけを

Q3. What's the most typical latter clause for 「ところを」?

(A) being witnessed/caught/interrupted by another (another's action on the subject)

(B) the subject's own plan

(C) a pure time statement

(D) a cause-effect conclusion

Q4. What does 「お忙しいところを、ありがとうございます」 mean?

(A) thank you (for sparing time) in your busy moment

(B) since you're busy, never mind

(C) please don't be so busy

(D) you're not busy at all

Q5. Which connection is correct?

(A) 寝ているところを撮られた。

(B) 寝るところを撮られたいる。

(C) 寝たいところを撮る。

(D) 寝ているをところ撮られた。

Answer Key

1. (A) ところ ── 「お〜のところを」 = (troubling you) while you're …, a polite preface.

2. (A) ところを ── caught by the teacher while up to mischief (witnessed).

3. (A) ── being witnessed/caught/interrupted by another (another's action on the subject).

4. (A) ── thank you (for sparing time) in your busy moment.

5. (A) 寝ているところを撮られた ── photographed while asleep (correct connection).