Verb ておきます (To do in advance)
Core / Preparation & Maintenance
👀 Layer A: Visual Guide
📝 Quick Summary
This grammar point expresses doing an action in advance to prepare for a future event. It can also mean “to leave something in its current state” for a specific reason.
Structure: [Verb て-form] + おきます。
Example 1: りょこうの まえに きっぷを かって おきます (I will buy tickets in advance before the trip).
Example 2: まどを あけて おきます (I will leave the window open).
🔍 Layer B: Deepening
💡 Raya’s Hack
The “Just in Case” Mindset
When should you use te-okimasu? Ask yourself: “Am I doing this for my future self?”
1. Preparation: Studying before a test, booking a hotel, cooking food in advance.
2. State Maintenance: Keeping a heater on for someone else, leaving a door unlocked.
In casual conversation, 〜ておく becomes 〜とく.
Example: Kattoku (I’ll buy it in advance) vs Katte oku. Mastering this contraction makes you sound like a pro!
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
Scene: Joy accidentally spills coffee and tells Ken his “plan”.
Joy: 「コーヒーを こぼして おきました。」
(Koohii o koboshite okimashita.)
❌ Wrong Nuance!
Why?
Te-okimasu is for intentional actions that are helpful or necessary. Spilling coffee is an accident. Using te-okimasu here makes it sound like Joy spilled the coffee on purpose to prepare for something! For accidents, always use te-shimaimashita.
Correct: 「こぼして しまいました。」 (I accidentally spilled it.)
🔥 Layer C: Practice Loop
Master the art of preparation! (Hiragana and English only)
Level 1: Conjugation
Q1. To buy in advance (かう)
Q2. To study in advance (べんきょう する)
Q3. To clean in advance (そうじ する)
Q4. To leave open (あける)
Q5. To reserve in advance (よやく する)
Level 2: Full Sentences
Q6. I will buy drinks in advance before the party.
Q7. I will study in advance before the exam.
Q8. Please leave the window open. (あける)
Q9. I will book the restaurant in advance. (よやく する)
Q10. I will clean the room in advance before the guest comes. (そうじ する)
