Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
To perform an action in preparation for a future event, or to perform an action and leave the result/state maintained.
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate the purpose of an action is preparatory or to specify that the resulting state of an action is to be preserved.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb Te-form (V-て) + おく (oku)
Not applicable. This pattern follows a verb.
Not applicable. This pattern follows a verb.
V-て + おかない (te okanai)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used in its polite form (V-ておきます) in business or formal correspondence.
Informal Situations
Very frequent, often contracted to V-とく (or V-どく for verbs like ‘飲む’ -> ‘飲んどく’).
Written Language
Common in instructions, diaries, and narrative dialogue. Less frequent in highly academic writing.
Spoken Language
Extremely common. The contraction (とく/どく) is ubiquitous.
💡 Common Applications
Preparation for Future Use (準備)
The action (baking) is completed with the clear intention of using the result (the cake) at a later time (the party).
Example: パーティーの前にケーキを焼いておきました。 (Pātī no mae ni kēki o yaite okimashita.)
Maintaining a State (維持/放置)
The action (opening the window) is done, and the resulting state (the window being open) is to be maintained.
Example: 窓は閉めないで、開けておいてください。 (Mado wa shimenaide, akete oite kudasai.)
Provisional Action/Trial (試し)
A temporary action (taking a memo) is done now to benefit a future action (reviewing).
Example: この単語は後で復習するために、メモしておこう。 (Kono tango wa ato de fukushū suru tame ni, memo shite okō.)
Frequency
High. Extremely common in daily conversation.
Difficulty
N4 / N3
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
切符を買っておいたから、大丈夫です。
Furigana: きっぷをかっておいたから、だいじょうぶです。
Romaji: Kippu o katte oita kara, daijōbu desu.
English: I bought the tickets in advance, so everything is fine.
Example #2
客が来る前に、部屋を掃除しておく。
Furigana: きゃくがくるまえに、へやをそうじしておく。
Romaji: Kyaku ga kuru mae ni, heya o sōji shite oku.
English: I will clean the room before my guests arrive.
Example #3
暑いから、窓を開けておいてください。
Furigana: あついから、まどをあけておいてください。
Romaji: Atsui kara, mado o akete oite kudasai.
English: Please leave the window open as it is hot.
Example #4
明日のプレゼンのために、テーマを調べておかなければならない。
Furigana: あしたのプレゼンのために、テーマをしらべておかなければならない。
Romaji: Ashita no purezen no tame ni, tēma o shirabete okanakereba naranai.
English: I need to research the topic for the presentation tomorrow.
Example #5
書類はテーブルに置いたままにしておきました。
Furigana: しょるいはテーブルにおいたままにしておきました。
Romaji: Shorui wa tēburu ni oita mama ni shite okimashita.
English: I left the documents on the table.
Example #6
ハサミを使ったら、引き出しに戻しておいてね。
Furigana: はさみをつかったら、ひきだしにもどしておいてね。
Romaji: Hasami o tsukattara, hikidashi ni modoshite oite ne.
English: After using the scissors, please put them back in the drawer.
Example #7
牛乳はまだ熱いから、冷やしておかなくちゃ。
Furigana: ぎゅうにゅうはまだあついから、ひやしておかなくちゃ。
Romaji: Gyūnyū wa mada atsui kara, hiyashite okanakucha.
English: The milk is still warm, so you need to cool it down.
Example #8
席を予約しておきましょうか。
Furigana: せきをよやくしておきましょうか。
Romaji: Seki o yoyaku shite okimashō ka.
English: Shall I reserve a seat in advance?
Example #9
会議を始める前に、資料を読んでおいた。
Furigana: かいぎをはじめるまえに、しりょうをよんでおいた。
Romaji: Kaigi o hajimeru mae ni, shiryō o yonde oita.
English: Before starting the meeting, I read the materials beforehand.
Example #10
車が洗わなければならないから、今週末に洗っておくよ。
Furigana: くるまがあらわなければならないから、こんしゅうまつにあらっておくよ。
Romaji: Kuruma ga arawanakereba naranai kara, konshūmatsu ni aratte oku yo.
English: The car needs washing, so I’ll wash it this weekend.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Purpose 1: Preparation (準備)
Use 準備 (junbi – preparation) to categorize this core meaning. The action is completed *now* so that the result is ready *later*.
Example: パーティーの準備をしておきます。 (Pātī no junbi o shite okimasu.)
Purpose 2: Maintenance of State (状態維持)
Use 放置 (hōchi – leave as is) or 維持 (iji – maintenance) to categorize this meaning. The action is done to create a state that must be preserved.
Example: ドアは開けておいてね。 (Doa wa akete oite ne.)
The essential contraction V-とく/V-どく
The informal contraction V-ておく → V-とく is essential for natural speech. Remember that ‘ん’ often replaces the ‘て’ sound when the preceding verb ends in a nasal sound (e.g., ‘ん’, ‘む’, ‘ぶ’). (e.g., 読んでおく → 読んどく).
Example: この本は読んどくよ。 (Kono hon wa yondoku yo.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ チケットを買うおく。
✅ チケットを買っておきました。
V-ておく requires the V-te form. Simply using the plain form (買う) followed by おく is incorrect.
❌ 週末に宿題をしておきます。(If the speaker means they will start the action on the weekend.)
✅ 後で片付けるつもりです。
V-ておく implies the action is finished now for future benefit. If the action is entirely in the future, use simple future tense or ‘つもり’ (intention).
❌ 窓を開けてください。 (Simple request to open)
✅ 窓を開けておいてください。
ておく is often mistaken for simple ‘て’ form followed by another verb. The ‘おく’ component is crucial for the nuance of preparation or maintenance.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: The plain form (ておく) is casual. The polite form (ておきます) is standard polite Japanese (Masu form). Keigo forms exist (e.g., して差し上げる).
Social Situations: Used heavily in planning, delegating tasks, giving instructions, and casual conversation about daily errands.
Regional Variations: The contraction ‘とく’ is widespread across Japan, though exact pronunciation may vary slightly.
🔍 Subtle Differences
V-ておく (te oku) vs. V-てある (te aru)
ておく implies the action was done by someone (often the speaker) with a specific future purpose. てある describes a resulting state due to a previous action, focusing on the state itself rather than the actor or the preparation.
When to use: Use V-ておく when emphasizing preparation. Use V-てある when simply describing a state that exists (e.g., The window is open).
V-ておく (te oku) vs. V-てしまう (te shimau)
ておく is preparation/maintenance. てしまう indicates completion, often with a nuance of regret or finality.
When to use: Use V-ておく for ‘doing in advance.’ Use V-てしまう for ‘doing completely’ or ‘accidentally doing.’
📝 Conjugation Notes
The contraction V-ておく -> V-とく (e.g., やっておく -> やっとく) and V-でおく -> V-どく (e.g., 飲んでおく -> 飲んどく) is crucial for natural spoken Japanese. The negative contracted form is V-とかなかった (e.g., 読んどかなかった).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
In the contracted form ‘とく,’ the ‘t’ sound is often very quick. For ‘ん’ contractions (e.g., ‘飲んどく’), practice smoothly transitioning the nasal sound (‘n’) directly into ‘doku.’
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of the structure as V-TE (action done) + OKU (to put/place the result). You ‘put’ the result of your action aside, ready for later use. Visualize physically placing a completed task on a shelf for the future.
Other Grammar
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