TAKOBOTO

(Just) when
Just when I had decided to call her, she phoned me.

こっそりたばこをすっているところをいもうとにみられた。

I was having a cheeky cigarette and on that occasion, I was seen by my little sister

ぐっすりねているところにじしんがおきて、はっとめがさめた。

An earthquake hit right when I was soundly asleep, and I jerked awake.

かのじょにでんわをかけようとしたところへ、かのじょのほうからかかってきた。

Just when I had decided to give her a call, she phoned me.

はんにんは、みせからでてきたところを、けいかんにとらえられた。

Just as the thief left the store, a policeman arrested him.

おいそがしいところをきてくださって、ありがとうございます。

Thank you very much for coming when you're so busy.

ほんじつは、きゅうじつのところを、おいでいただきおそれいります。

I'm amazed that you came all the way out here when today is a holiday.

これからねようとしたところへともだちがたずねてきた。

「when」 I was about to sleep, my friend came over

いいところへきましたね。いまちょうどスイカをきったんです。いっしょにたべましょう。

You came at a good time. I was just cutting up a watermelon. Lets eat together.

いえをでようとしたところにでんわがあり、うちあわせはキャンセルになりました。

I was just about to leave the house when the phone rang. The appointment was cancelled.

あわてたところをみると、かれはじじつをしっているにまちがいない。

From the very moment I saw he became confused, I am certain that he knows the truth.

＊This grammar is used to express a certain time or circumstances, NOT a place.

＊All three versions of ところ are interchangeable grammatically, though nuance can differ.

FORMATION:
Ｖ(dict. form / たform / ているform) + ところ
いＡ + ところ
Ｎ + のところ

rubyhatchet

Generally speaking, the final particle in this grammar is interchangable with others, giving different nuance.
[ところへ] emphasizes the process of getting to the given situation described by ところ such as XXXのところへ行った、
[ところに] emphasizes the fact that you were at that given situation such as XXXのところに出くわした.
[ところを] takes the situation described by ところ and provide the bridge to whatever was done to that siatuation, such as XXXのところを見られた

claytonian

Go ahead and delete.

bamboo4

I'm a bit confused re. when to use ところへ、ところに、and ところを・・ Can someone please help? (^^)

foggynotion

ところへ emphasizes the process of getting to the given situation described by ところ such as XXXのところへ行った、ところに emphasizes the fact that you at at that given situation such as XXXのところに出くわした、and ところを takes the situation described by ところ and provide the bridge to whatever was done to that siatuation, such as XXXのところを見られた.

bamboo4

I suggest deleting this one. Comments?
これは消すがいいとおもいます。他の意見は？

Amatuka

ex#3197 I don't know what ずいか is. It does not sound tasty. すいか watermelon ならば、一緒に食べたい。

Miki

changed it to ズイカ and added a translation. Hopefully this does not mean you just cut up your JR pass...

dc

ところへ is wrong. It should be ところで、which implies that the criminal did come out of the shop and that he was apprehended at that very moment. The particle で is a contraction of にて meaning "at that place."

bamboo4

Thought it looked dodgy.

Amatuka

The -2 check sticks.
I think the 'tokoro' entries need clearing up a bit - this is possibly redundant.
Either that or it needs examples that don't match tatokoro or rutokoro

Amatuka

【ところを】そういう場面を
【ところに】そういう時に
【ところへ】そういう場へ

ulle

I may be wrong, but I don't think these three are interchangeable/mean the same thing at all. For example, ところを has a very specific use as "although" (most notably in the set phrase お忙しいところを) that is most certainly not interchangeable with ところへ...

mankind

What about 〜ところで?
That would be nice to have a clear explanation about when to use に、を、で and へ, as bamboo4 started to do...

For example :
1) よく眠っているところを起こされた。
Somebody woke me up while I was deeply sleeping.
Why を and not に or で?
2) 駅の改札口を出たところで、急に雨に降られた。
Just when I left the station through the gates, it started raining.
Why で and not に or を?
3) 引越しで忙しいところで友達が遊びに来た。
Just when I was busy with the moving, my friend came over.
Why で and not に or を?

Demian

Interchangeable does not mean "mean the same." It means "all three work grammatically." Nuance does change between the three, so some nuances are better than others.

rubyhatchet

I think that there's no tokorode but tokoroni in this grammar because it's concerned with time.

amenya

VERB TAtokoroni ends in aru/iru
example: massugu ittaTOKORONI toire ga aru.

Verb TAtokorode
example: tsugi no shingou wo watattaTOKORODE, tometekudasai.

nrehv