connective N2 common politewritten
際に — on the occasion of
際に ・ さいに
Builds on 際
Meaning
- on the occasion of ~ / when ~ / at the time of ~ — a formal 'when,' for notable or official occasions
Key sentence
ご来店の際には、会員証をお持ちください。
When you visit the store, please bring your membership card.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (+の) / Verb (plain) | N + の際に; V(plain) + 際に | 出発の際に / 申し込む際に |
When: Formal and written — common in announcements, manuals, and polite notices. In ordinary conversation, とき is the natural choice.
Examples
契約を結ぶ際には、内容をよく確認してください。
When concluding the contract, please check the details carefully.
非常の際には、こちらの出口をご利用ください。
In case of emergency, please use this exit.
Easily confused with
とき とき is the neutral, everyday 'when,' usable anywhere. 際に means the same but is markedly formal, reserved for official or notable occasions. 〜場合 際に refers to an actual occasion when you do something ('when you apply'). 場合 sets up a hypothetical condition ('in the case that ~ happens'), closer to 'if' than 'when.'
See 際に in real sentences
Jengo shows 際に the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.