間に / ところ / たばかり

JLPT N4 Japanese self-study　·　~12 min　·　While ~ / in the middle of ~ / just did ~

'While watching TV, the phone rang.' 'I'm right in the middle of eating.' 'I just arrived.' Japanese has precise expressions for WHEN something happens relative to something else.

What you'll learn

• 〜ている間に: while doing ~ (something else happens)
• 〜ているところ: right in the middle of ~
• 〜たところ / たばかり: just finished (immediate vs recent)

How to study “間に / ところ / たばかり”

“間に / ところ / たばかり” (While ~ / in the middle of ~ / just did ~) is a JLPT N4 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 12 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.