Lesson 150: に際して・に あたって・た上で・る上で

N2 · Lesson 150 · 18 min — Formal phrases for exams and interviews: upon ~, do ~ first then ~, in doing ~

Last lesson, Rin was squeezed between the JLPT and a petition, so busy that it was "勉強べんきょうどころではない". This lesson teaches four formal patterns you hear most at exam sites and workplaces: に際さいして and に あたって (upon ~), た上うえで (do ~ first, then ~), and る上うえで (in doing ~). Let's start with the comic!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use に際さいして for the formal "upon ~ / at the time of ~": 試験しけんに 際さいして、注意事項ちゅういじこうを 読よんで ください
• Use に あたって / に あたり for "upon ~ (an important moment)", like the opening line of an interview or a speech
• Use た上うえで for "do ~ properly first, then ~": よく 考かんがえた 上うえで、お答こたえします
• Use る上うえで for "in doing ~", and tell it apart from た上うえで, which differs by just one verb form

Exam Done, Interview Next

Last lesson, Rin was swamped by the exam and the petition. Today: the N2 exam first, then the interview at the travel agency! In Lesson 140, Manager Tanuki finally learned Rin's name. What about this time? (際さいして = upon, 面接めんせつ = interview, 君きみ = you, 一番いちばん 上うえ = the very top)

に際さいして / に あたって = the formal "upon ~"; た上うえで = do ~ properly first, then ~; る上うえで = in doing ~. (The 「一番いちばん 上うえ」 in panel 4 means "the very top". That 上うえ looks just like the one in today's 上うえで, but the meaning is different!) When will the interview result come?

Lesson words: exams and interviews

• 〜に 際さいして (ni saishite): upon ~, at the time of ~ (formal)
• 〜に あたって／に あたり (ni atatte / ni atari): upon ~, on the occasion of ~ (an important moment)
• 〜た 上うえで (ta ue de): do ~ first, and then ~
• 〜る 上うえで (ru ue de): in doing ~, when it comes to ~
• 試験しけん (shiken): exam
• 会場かいじょう (kaijō): venue, exam site
• 注意事項ちゅういじこう (chūi jikō): notes, points to be careful about
• 受験票じゅけんひょう (jukenhyō): exam admission ticket
• 面接めんせつ (mensetsu): interview
• 入社にゅうしゃ (nyūsha): joining a company, starting work
• 書類しょるい (shorui): documents, papers
• 履歴書りれきしょ (rirekisho): resume (CV)
• 部長ぶちょう (buchō): department manager
• 君きみ (kimi): you (from a superior to a junior)
• 質問しつもん (shitsumon): question
• 相談そうだん (sōdan): talking something over, consultation
• 確認かくにん (kakunin): checking, confirmation
• 開店かいてん (kaiten): (new shop) opening
• 契約書けいやくしょ (keiyakusho): contract
• 内容ないよう (naiyō): content, details
• 申もうし込こむ (mōshikomu): to apply, to sign up
• 報告ほうこく (hōkoku): report, reporting back
• 進すすめる (susumeru): to move forward, to carry on (work, a plan)
• 計算けいさん (keisan): calculation
• 間まに合あう (ma ni au): to be in time, to make it

Grammar 1 / 4: に際さいして

Noun / verb dictionary form + に際さいして = upon ~: used for formal, one-time occasions like exams, departures and starting a job. 試験しけんに 際さいして、注意事項ちゅういじこうを 読よんで ください = At exam time, please read the notes.

• Form: N / V dictionary form + に際さいして: Attach a noun directly: 試験しけんに 際さいして. With a verb, use the dictionary form: 出発しゅっぱつするに 際さいして. Never use the た-form.
• Meaning: upon ~: It means the same as 〜際さい（に）, which you learned before, but it is more formal and more like written language. Announcements, notices and briefings love it.
• Only for special occasions: Use it for one-time big things: exams, departures, entering school, starting a job, contracts... For small daily things like eating, brushing teeth or going to school, 〜前まえに or 〜とき is enough.
• Other forms: More formal writing: に 際さいし (入社にゅうしゃに 際さいし、〜). Before a noun: に 際さいしての + noun (試験しけんに 際さいしての 注意事項ちゅういじこう = the notes for the exam).

• 試験しけんに 際さいして、受験票じゅけんひょうを 机つくえの 上うえに 置おいて ください。 — At exam time, please put your admission ticket on the desk.
• 出発しゅっぱつに 際さいして、パスポートを もう 一度いちど 確認かくにんしましょう。 — On leaving, let's check the passport once more.
• 日本にほんを 出発しゅっぱつするに 際さいして、家族かぞくと 写真しゃしんを 撮とった。 — On leaving Japan, I took a photo with my family.
• 入社にゅうしゃに 際さいし、写真しゃしんを 二枚にまい 出だして ください。 — When you start work, please hand in two photos.
• これは 面接めんせつに 際さいしての 注意事項ちゅういじこうです。 — These are the notes for the interview.

Grammar 2 / 4: に あたって

Noun / verb dictionary form + に あたって (に あたり) = upon ~ (an important moment): when you start or welcome something important, you prepare, show your resolve or say a few words. 面接めんせつを 始はじめるに あたって、質問しつもんを します = As we begin the interview, I'll ask you a few questions first.

• Form: N / V dictionary form + に あたって: Attach a noun directly: 入社にゅうしゃに あたって. With a verb, use the dictionary form: 始はじめるに あたって. More formal: に あたり.
• Meaning: at this important moment: The point is "facing something important": an interview, starting a job, studying abroad, opening a shop, starting new work. The tone looks forward and is careful.
• Second half: prep, resolve, speech: It often continues with "I prepared, I talked it over, I decided, I'll say a few words". At a shop opening or a new-year speech, the first line is often 「〜に あたって、ごあいさつ します」.
• How is it different from に際さいして?: Often you can swap them. But に際さいして can also be used for disasters and emergencies (災害さいがいに 際さいして = when a disaster happens). に あたって is only for important starts you welcome on purpose, not for accidents. Both take the dictionary form before them, never the た-form.

• 面接めんせつを 始はじめるに あたって、質問しつもんを します。 — As we begin the interview, I'll ask you a few questions first.
• 留学りゅうがくに あたって、家族かぞくと よく 相談そうだんした。 — Before going to study abroad, I talked it over well with my family.
• 新あたらしい 仕事しごとを 始はじめるに あたり、日本語にほんごを もっと 勉強べんきょうする ことに した。 — As I start a new job, I decided to study Japanese harder.
• 入社にゅうしゃに あたって、必要ひつような 書類しょるいを 出だして ください。 — As you start work, please hand in the necessary documents.
• ツアーを 作つくるに あたって、谷中やなかを よく 歩あるいた。 — When planning this guided tour, I walked around Yanaka many times.

Grammar 3 / 4: た上うえで

Verb た-form + 上うえで (noun + の 上うえで) = do ~ properly first, then ~: A is the preparation or basis you must finish before B. よく 考かんがえた 上うえで、お答こたえします = I'll answer after I think it over carefully.

• Form: verb た-form + 上うえで: The verb must be in the た-form: 考かんがえた 上うえで、読よんだ 上うえで、確認かくにんした 上うえで.
• Noun + の 上うえで: A する-verb noun can also use noun + の 上うえで: 相談そうだんの 上うえで (= 相談そうだんした 上うえで), 確認かくにんの 上うえで. You must keep の in the middle, and the next action follows (decide, reply...). Formal documents often drop で: 確認かくにんの 上うえ、相談そうだんの 上うえ.
• How is it different from てから?: 〜てから is only "order in time". た上うえで adds "A is the needed preparation or basis for B". So for a plain order like "sleep after eating", てから is enough.
• Where you see it: Contracts, applications, interviews, decisions: 読よんだ 上うえで サインする, 説明せつめいを 聞きいた 上うえで 申もうし込こむ. It sounds careful and professional.

• よく 考かんがえた 上うえで、お答こたえします。 — I'll answer after I think it over carefully.
• 契約書けいやくしょの 内容ないようを 確認かくにんした 上うえで、サインして ください。 — Please sign after you check the contract details.
• 家族かぞくと 相談そうだんの 上うえで、留学りゅうがくを 決きめました。 — After talking it over with my family, I decided to study abroad.
• 地図ちずで 道みちを 調しらべた 上うえで、出発しゅっぱつしましょう。 — Let's look up the route on a map first, then set out.
• 説明せつめいを 聞きいた 上うえで、申もうし込こむか どうか 決きめて ください。 — Please listen to the explanation, then decide whether to sign up.

Grammar 4 / 4: る上うえで

Verb dictionary form + 上うえで = in doing ~, in the course of ~: it is often followed by "important, necessary, troublesome". The noun version is N + の 上うえでは (judging by ~, on paper). 仕事しごとを する 上うえで、大切たいせつな ことは？ = In doing this job, what is most important?

• Form: V dictionary form + 上うえで: Use the dictionary form of the verb: する 上うえで、勉強べんきょうする 上うえで、生活せいかつする 上うえで.
• Second half: important, necessary, troublesome: It often continues with 大切たいせつだ・必要ひつようだ・困こまる. It is like saying "when you do this, here is what to watch out for". It does not take a feeling like "it was fun".
• Noun version: N + の 上うえでは = judging by ~: When a noun comes before る上うえで, use noun + の 上うえで(は), meaning "in terms of ~, judging by ~": 計算けいさんの 上うえでは、書類しょるいの 上うえでは = by the calculation, on paper it looks like this, and it hints that reality may be different. Example: 計算けいさんの 上うえでは、春はるまでに 間まに合あう (間まに合あう = be in time, it is in the vocab list) = By the calculation, we'll make it by spring. This is not the same as た上うえで in 「相談そうだんの 上うえで、決きめる」 (talk it over, then decide). Here は is often added, and the second half is not "the next action" but "the result when seen from this side".
• た上うえで vs る上うえで: They differ by just one form! た-form + 上うえで = do ~ first, then ~; dictionary form + 上うえで = in doing ~. 考かんがえた 上うえで (after thinking) ≠ 考かんがえる 上うえで (in thinking about it).

• 仕事しごとを する 上うえで、一番いちばん 大切たいせつな ことは 何なんですか。 — In doing this job, what is the most important thing?
• 日本語にほんごを 勉強べんきょうする 上うえで、漢字かんじは とても 大切たいせつだ。 — When you study Japanese, kanji are very important.
• 日本にほんで 生活せいかつする 上うえで、困こまった ことは ありますか。 — Have you had any trouble living in Japan?
• ガイドの 仕事しごとを する 上うえで、地図ちずは 大切たいせつだ。 — In working as a guide, a map is important.
• 計算けいさんの 上うえでは 大丈夫だいじょうぶだが、本当ほんとうに 間まに合あうか 心配しんぱいだ。 — On paper, it's fine by the calculation, but will we really make it? I'm worried.