Lesson 3
Time (2): Simultaneity, In Progress, Sequence
- 1 〜か〜ないかのうちに ~ka ~nai ka no uchi ni the moment ~ (almost the same instant) One thing has barely happened and the next already has: 「横になるかならないかのうちに寝た」.
- 2 〜つつある ~tsutsu aru is in the process of changing (formal) A change is gradually moving forward (news language) — 「増えつつある」= is on the rise.
- 3 〜つつ ~tsutsu while doing (written ながら) The written, formal 「〜ながら」— 「相談しつつ進める」= move ahead while consulting.
- 4 〜（よ）うとしている ~(y)ō to shite iru is about to (a change is on the verge) The moment just before a change — 「日が沈もうとしている」= the sun is about to set.
- 5 〜た上で ~ta ue de after (carefully) doing The serious 「〜てから」— 「相談した上で決める」= consult first, and only then decide.
- 6 〜上で ~ue de in doing / in terms of What matters when doing something — 「日本で働く上で大切なこと」= what is important in working in Japan.
Lesson check
All 6 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
🔒
「アラームが＿、弟は止めてまた寝てしまった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Rang or not — that very instant.
Vた + か + Vない + かのうちに = the very moment it rang (instant verb 鳴る). 鳴りつつ is 'while', but the alarm and the brother are different subjects.
「日本では、働く外国人の数が＿。」(news) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:News-style 'is gradually increasing'.
Vます + つつある = a change in progress (増える is a change verb). ようとしている is only for instant events, not a gradual change like 増える.
「先輩に＿、仕事のやり方を覚えていった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Consulting and learning at the same time.
Vます + つつ = written 'while' (same person, two actions together). 相談した上で would need a deliberate decision after it, not a gradual 覚えていった.
「決勝戦が今、＿。」(TV) — which says 'is about to start now'?
💡 Hint:The moment just before, dramatic TV tone.
Volitional + としている = an instant event (始まる) on the verge. 始まりつつある is wrong — 始まる is not a gradual change.
「日本で＿、敬語はとても大切だ。」— which says 'in working / for working'?
💡 Hint:大切 follows — not 'after doing' but 'in doing'.
Dictionary form + 上で = 'in / for doing', followed by 大切・必要. 働いた上で = 'after working, then decide' — wrong meaning here.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint:What kind of verb does つつある take?
つつある takes only change verbs (減る・なる・回復する); for an action verb like 食べる it is 食べている.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint:What may follow か〜ないかのうちに?
After か〜ないかのうちに only a completed fact may come; an invitation like 帰りましょう is not allowed. The other three follow their rules.
Telling a friend 'we watched a movie and then ate' — which one?
💡 Hint:A small everyday matter, with a friend.
For a small everyday sequence plain てから is right. た上で is only for careful preparation + decision — 映画を見た上で食事した is wrong.
Your score: /8