Posted inN2 Grammar

Mastering 「に際して (ni saishite)」: Japanese Grammar for Significant Occasions (JLPT N2)

Posted inN2 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

「に際して」means “at the time of,” “on the occasion of,” or “when,” specifically referring to a particular, often important or significant, event or situation.

🎯 Primary Function

Its primary function is to denote that an action or state occurs at the precise moment or on the specific occasion of a momentous event, emphasizing the formality and significance of the event.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (dictionary form) + に際して Noun + に際して Examples: 結婚するに際して (kekkon suru ni saishite – when getting married) 開会に際して (kaikai ni saishite – at the opening of the event)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Highly appropriate and frequently used in formal settings, such as business meetings, official announcements, ceremonies, and speeches.

😊 Informal Situations

Rarely, if ever, used in casual or informal conversations due to its high level of formality.

✍️ Written Language

Commonly found in written materials like official documents, formal letters, reports, news articles, and academic papers.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in very polite and formal spoken contexts, such as ceremonial addresses, public speeches, and professional presentations, but not in everyday conversation.

💡 Common Applications

Formal Greetings and Congratulations
Used when offering congratulations or greetings on significant life events like graduation, marriage, or new ventures.
Example: ご卒業に際し、心よりお祝い申し上げます。(On the occasion of your graduation, I sincerely offer my congratulations.)
Official Announcements/Statements
Appears when making important announcements or statements, emphasizing the gravity of the moment.
Example: 重要な発表に際しては、細心の注意が必要です。(When making an important announcement, the utmost care is required.)
Commencing New Endeavors
Used when an action is taken or an attitude is adopted at the beginning of a significant project, business, or phase.
Example: 新しい事業を始めるに際して、皆様のご支援を賜りたく存じます。(At the start of our new business, we humbly request everyone’s support.)
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent in formal and written contexts; rare in casual spoken Japanese.
🎚️
Difficulty
N2 (Intermediate-Advanced)
Example Sentences
新しい事業を始めるに際して、皆様のご支援を賜りたく存じます。
At the start of our new business, we humbly request everyone’s support.
ご卒業に際し、心よりお祝い申し上げます。
On the occasion of your graduation, I sincerely offer my congratulations.
重要な発表に際しては、細心の注意が必要です。
When making an important announcement, the utmost care is required.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

High Formality
「に際して」 is a highly formal expression. Do not use it in casual conversations or with close friends and family. It elevates the tone of the communication.
Example: 結婚するに際して (formal) vs. 結婚するとき (casual)
Significant Occasions Only
It is reserved for significant, often unique or momentous events, not for everyday or routine actions. Think of events like starting a new company, major life milestones, or official ceremonies.
Example: 引越しに際して (appropriate if it’s a major life change) vs. 毎日会社に行くに際して (inappropriate)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using it in informal contexts.
✅ Replace with 「～時に」 or 「～際に」 for less formal situations.
「に際して」 carries a strong sense of formality and significance, making it unsuitable for casual speech.
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Very high politeness. It signals respect and formality.
Social Situations: Frequently used in business communication, official ceremonies, public addresses, and formal writing. It is a key expression for polite and respectful discourse in formal settings.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations in its usage or meaning.

🔍 Subtle Differences

「に際して」 vs. 「にあたって」
Both are formal and refer to a specific occasion. 「にあたって」 (ni atatte) often emphasizes the preparatory actions taken *before* or *leading up to* a significant event. 「に際して」 (ni saishite) focuses more on the action/state that occurs *at the moment of* or *on the specific occasion of* the event itself.
When to use: Use 「にあたって」 when the emphasis is on the preparations for the event. Use 「に際して」 when the emphasis is on what happens during or exactly at the significant event itself.
「に際して」 vs. 「際に」
「際に」 (sai ni) also means “at the time of” or “when,” but it is less formal than 「に際して」 and can be used for more general or routine actions, not necessarily only significant ones. 「に際して」 is strictly for important, often once-in-a-lifetime, events.
When to use: Use 「際に」 for general “when” or “at the time of” scenarios, even for common occurrences. Use 「に際して」 only for formal, significant, or momentous occasions.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Always attach 「に際して」 to the dictionary form of a verb or directly to a noun. There are no other conjugations for this grammar pattern itself.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

「に際して」 is pronounced “ni saishite.” Pay attention to the long vowel sound in 「さい」 (sai). The “i” in “ni” is often slightly devoiced or barely pronounced in rapid speech, but for clear articulation, pronounce it distinctly.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「際 (sai)」 as meaning “occasion” or “juncture.” So, 「に際して」 literally means “at/on the occasion/juncture.” This helps remember its usage for specific, important moments.

Vocabulary List
事業
jigyou
business, enterprise
始める
hajimeru
to start
皆様
minasama
everyone (polite)
ご支援
goshien
support (honorific)
賜る
tamawaru
to receive (humble)
存じます
zonjimasu
to think, to know (humble)
卒業
graduation
Kanji List
際
サイ
occasion, edge
事
ジ
matter, thing
業
ギョウ
business, industry
始
はじ.める
start
卒
ソツ
graduate
心
こころ
heart
祝
いわ.う
celebrate
申
もう.しあげる
say, humbly state
上
あ.げる
up, above
重
ジュウ
important, heavy
要
ヨウ
essential, necessary
Practice Exercises
新しいプロジェクトを___、成功を祈願しました。
A) 始めるに際して
B) 始めるときに
C) 始めてから
D) 始めたら
この度はご結婚___、心よりお祝い申し上げます。
A) するときに
B) に際して
C) してから
D) したなら
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