Lesson 2
Time (1): On the Occasion Of
- 1 〜際（に） ~sai (ni) when / at the time of (formal) The formal 「とき」— 「お降りの際」= when getting off; the word of notices, guides and office language.
- 2 〜に際して ~ni saishite on the occasion of (formal) At the time of a big, special occasion — 「開店に際して」= on the occasion of opening the shop.
- 3 〜にあたって ~ni atatte when about to / upon (starting) When about to start something important — 「入社にあたって」= upon joining the company.
- 4 〜に先立って ~ni sakidatte prior to / ahead of Preparation done before a big event — 「開店に先立って」= ahead of the opening.
- 5 〜て以来 ~te irai ever since (and still) From that moment right up to now, the same state — 「日本に来て以来」= ever since I came to Japan.
- 6 〜てこのかた ~te konokata ever since (written, wistful) The same meaning as 「以来」with an old-fashioned, wistful taste — 「生まれてこのかた」= ever since I was born.
- 7 〜折（に） ~ori (ni) when / on the occasion (polite) A polite, soft 「とき」— 「来日の折には」= when you get the chance to come to Japan.
Lesson check
All 7 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
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「お帰り＿、忘れ物にご注意ください。」(station announcement) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The 'when' of notices and announcements.
N の際は = formal 'when' followed by an instruction; にあたって is only for starting an undertaking.
「新しい店を開く＿、しっかり準備をした。」— which says 'when about to start'?
💡 Hint:A positive undertaking + preparation.
Dictionary form + にあたって = about to start something important. 折に is for soft invitations, 際は for instructions.
「日本に来＿、一度も国に帰っていない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:What follows is 'not once up to now'.
V-て以来 = ever since, continuously. The other three mark a moment, not a span.
「工事＿、近所の人に説明をした。」— which says 'ahead of the construction'?
💡 Hint:Before a big event, as its preparation.
N に先立って = prior to (a preparatory step). に際して means 'on that occasion', not 'before'.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint:What kind of event does にあたって take?
にあたって takes only positive undertakings; for something like 入院 use に際して.
「来日の＿は、ぜひご連絡ください。」(letter) — which gives a soft invitation in a letter?
💡 Hint:The feeling of 'when the chance arises'.
折に = polite, soft 'when you get the chance' (letters). 際に is stiff; 以来 is a span; にあたって takes no の.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint:How far back must the event be for 以来?
以来 is not used for the very recent past (昨日).
Talking to a friend about dinner — how do you say 'when eating'?
💡 Hint:Everyday matter, with a friend.
際・に際して・折 are all formal; with a friend about everyday things it is plain とき — the whole point of this lesson.
Your score: /8