Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘After doing’ (with Ta-form/Noun) or ‘In the process of / For the purpose of’ (with Dictionary form).
🎯 Primary Function
Connecting two clauses to show sequence or context/purpose.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Ta-form / Dictionary form) + 上で / Noun + の + 上で
Not typically used with i-adjectives.
Not typically used with na-adjectives.
V-nai form is rarely used with this pattern; usually focuses on positive prerequisite actions.
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in business emails, contracts, and formal speeches to show professional logical flow.
Informal Situations
Less common; ‘te kara’ or ‘toki’ are usually preferred in casual conversation.
Written Language
Very common in instruction manuals, reports, and academic writing.
Spoken Language
Used in polite or professional spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
Prerequisite Actions (V-ta)
Used to indicate that action B can only happen after action A is completed as a necessary preparation.
Example: 内容を確認した上で。
Conditions for Success (V-ru)
Used when talking about requirements, advice, or points to consider within a certain context or activity.
Example: 日本で働く上で。
Frequency
High (especially in business and formal writing)
Difficulty
JLPT N3 / N2
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
よく考えた上で、決めます。
Furigana: よくかんがえたうえで、きめます。
Romaji: Yoku kangaeta ue de, kimemasu.
English: I will decide after thinking it over carefully.
Example #2
実物を見た上で、買うかどうか決める。
Furigana: じつぶつをみたうえで、かうかどうかきめる。
Romaji: Jitsubutsu o mita ue de, kau ka dō ka kimeru.
English: I will decide whether to buy it or not after seeing the actual item.
Example #3
契約書の内容を確認した上で、署名してください。
Furigana: けいやくしょのないようをかくにんしたうえで、しょめいしてください。
Romaji: Keiyakusho no naiyō o kakunin shita ue de, shomei shite kudasai.
English: Please sign the contract after confirming its contents.
Example #4
両親と相談した上で、留学を決めました。
Furigana: りょうしんとそうだんしたうえで、りゅうがくをきめました。
Romaji: Ryōshin to sōdan shita ue de, ryūgaku o kimemashita.
English: I made the decision to study abroad after consulting with my parents.
Example #5
スケジュールを確認した上で、折り返しお電話します。
Furigana: スケジュールをかくにんしたうえで、おりかえしおでんわします。
Romaji: Sukejūru o kakunin shita ue de, orikaeshi o-denwa shimasu.
English: I will call you back after I have checked the schedule.
Example #6
日本で生活する上で、漢字は欠かせない。
Furigana: にほんでせいかつするうえで、かんじはかかせない。
Romaji: Nihon de seikatsu suru ue de, kanji wa kakasenai.
English: Kanji is indispensable for living in Japan.
Example #7
外国語を学ぶ上で、辞書は必要だ。
Furigana: がいこくごをまなぶうえで、じしょはひつようだ。
Romaji: Gaikokugo o manabu ue de, jisho wa hitsuyō da.
English: Dictionaries are necessary when learning a foreign language.
Example #8
この計画を進める上で、問題がいくつかある。
Furigana: このけいかくをすすめるうえで、もんだいがいくつかある。
Romaji: Kono keikaku o susumeru ue de, mondai ga ikutsuka aru.
English: There are several problems in proceeding with this plan.
Example #9
専門家の意見を聞いた上で、判断すべきだ。
Furigana: せんもんかのいけんをきいたうえで、はんだんすべきだ。
Romaji: Senmonka no iken o kiita ue de, handan subeki da.
English: One should make a judgment after listening to the opinions of experts.
Example #10
彼は仕事をする上で、とても重要な人だ。
Furigana: かれはしごとをするうえで、とてもじゅうようなひとだ。
Romaji: Kare wa shigoto o suru ue de, totemo jūyō na hito da.
English: He is a very important person in terms of work.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Intentional Prerequisite
Action A must be a conscious, intentional action. You cannot use natural phenomena (e.g., ‘after it rains’).
Example: よく考えた上で、決めます。
Specific Context/Scope
Focuses on what is important or necessary within a specific scope or field.
Example: 仕事をする上で。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using V-ta when you mean ‘in the process of’.
✅ V-ta + 上で / V-ru + 上で
The meaning changes completely based on the verb tense used. Using the wrong one can lead to confusion.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Formal / Polished.
Social Situations: Used when showing careful consideration or professional protocol.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese.
🔍 Subtle Differences
~てから (te kara) vs. ~た上で (ta ue de)
‘Te kara’ is a simple sequence. ‘Ta ue de’ implies that the first action is a necessary preparation or condition for the second.
When to use: Use ‘ta ue de’ for business or formal decisions.
~時に (toki ni) vs. ~る上で (ru ue de)
‘Toki ni’ is just time. ‘Ru ue de’ specifies a context where certain things are necessary or problematic.
When to use: Use ‘ru ue de’ when giving advice or stating requirements for a goal.
📝 Conjugation Notes
For ‘After’: Verb (Ta-form) + 上で or Noun + の + 上で. For ‘When/In the process of’: Verb (Dictionary form) + 上で.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The ‘de’ can sometimes be omitted in casual writing, but it is standard to include it for N3 level.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘ue’ (top/on). With Ta-form, you are standing ‘on top’ of a completed action. With Ru-form, you are ‘on’ the path of doing something.
Other Grammar
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