Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 4: 13/18

ところだった ②Was just about to do something, Was in the middle of...

Structure

Verb［る］ + ところだった

Details

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About ところだった ②

When combined with the dictionary form of verbs, ところだった will indicate that something was about to happen, and will regularly be translated as 'was just about to do (A)', or 'was in the middle of (A)'. In many cases, ところだった will indicate either a positive or negative result that came about from 'not doing (A)'.

As this grammar pattern is a combination of ところ 'place', and the past tense of だ, だった; it will put emphasis of 'having been in the place or situation of (A)', before something happened that caused the expected result to change.

In cases where a positive result was narrowly missed out on, のに will often appear directly after ところだった. This can be interpreted as 'despite almost doing (A), (B)'.

Examples

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    絵(え)の具(ぐ)をつけてしまうところだった。

    I was just about to apply the paint.

    危(あや)うく期限(きげん)が切(き)れてしまうところだった。

    I was just about to narrowly miss the deadline.

    今(いま)から関西弁(かんさいべん)を教(おそ)わるところだったのに。

    I was just about to be taught the Kansai dialect.

    出掛(でか)けるところだったが、雨(あめ)が降(ふ)ってきたのでやめました。

    I was just about to go out, but because it started raining, I stopped.

    捕(つか)まえた犯人(はんにん)を危(あや)うく逃(のが)すところだった。

    The captured criminal was just about to barely escape.

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      ところだった ② – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

      • Ross_99

        Ross_99

        I’m quite confused with the phrase: “やっと馴れてきたところだったのに、仕事を辞めなければいけなくなった.”

        Having done “Verb［た］ + ところ + だ”, meaning “just finished doing”, shouldn’t “馴れてきたところだった” mean “had just gotten used to” ? Or is it an exception being that it’s a past progressive given the “てくる” (basically putting more emphasis on the fact that it’s progressive first, and only then that it’s in the past)?

      • wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

        wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

        I suppose I could see this being translated either way. Either, “despite finally (having been in the process of) getting used to it,” or, “despite having finally gotten used to it.” In fact, I think the first translation has the same flavor of being somewhat ambiguious. You could take it to mean I was used to it but still growing more so, or that I was fully and thoroughly accustomed to it, I think.

        The 馴れる spelling in reference to 仕事 here made me

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