Grammar › Timing & Sequence
たところ — “when I did X, (then)…”
Reports what you found out or what happened right after doing something
Past plain verb + ところ introduces a discovery or result that came right after an action — “when I did X, it turned out that…”. It's neutral and reads like a small narrative beat, common in reports of trying something and finding out the result.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Past plain + ところ | 電話してみたところ、誰も出なかった — When I tried calling, no one picked up |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 調べたところ、原因がわかりました。 | しらべたところ、げんいんがわかりました。 shirabetatokoro、geningawakarimashita。 | When I looked into it, I found the cause. |
| 店員に聞いたところ、もう売り切れだった。 | てんいんにきいたところ、もううりきれだった。 teninnikiitatokoro、mouurikiredatta。 | When I asked the clerk, it turned out to already be sold out. |
| 応募したところ、すぐに返事が来た。 | おうぼしたところ、すぐにへんじがきた。 ouboshitatokoro、sugunihenjigakita。 | When I applied, a reply came right away. |
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Watch out
たところ reports a one-off discovery right after an action — don't confuse it with ところだ (I'm just about to / just did), which describes a moment in an ongoing action rather than a result found out afterward.