aspect N4 common casualpolitewritten
〜るところだ — about to ~
〜るところだ ・ るところだ
Builds on ところ
Meaning
- be about to ~ / be just on the point of ~ing — the moment right before an action starts
Key sentence
今から出かけるところです。
I'm just about to head out now.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | V-る + ところ(だ) | 始める → 始めるところだ |
Examples
ちょうどご飯を食べるところだったんだ。
I was just about to eat, actually.
電話しようとするところに、彼女が来た。
Just as I was about to call, she showed up.
危ない！車にひかれるところだった。
That was close! I was almost run over by a car.
Easily confused with
〜たところ The ところ timeline by verb form: 〜るところ = about to (before), 〜ているところ = in the middle of (during), 〜たところ = have just (after). るところだ sits at the start line. 〜ているところ るところだ is the instant before the action begins; ているところ is already underway. 出かけるところ = about to leave; 出かけているところ would mean in the process of leaving.
Notes
- In the past (〜るところだった) it often means 'almost ~ed (but didn't)' — ひかれるところだった (was almost run over). The action was imminent but never actually happened.
See 〜るところだ in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜るところだ the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.