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JLPT N2
Edit  dc
にあたって; にあたり
Meaning
on the occasion of; at; in; before; prior to
On the occasion of my study abroad, my father told me about his own experience.
Edit  dc
Formation
Verb dictionary form
+
+
あたって/あたり
Noun
+
+
あたって/あたり
Edit 
See also
Phrases
わたしはしゅうしんにあたってしょうりょうのようしゅをきっすることしゅうかんにしている。
It is my custom to drink a small amount of foreign liquor prior to going to bed.
Edit  #6306 rubyhatchet
しょうせつかはじだいしょうせつをかくにあたり、そのじだいのれきしをくわしくしらべた。
Before writing an historical novel, the novelist did an in-depth survey of the history of the period he dealt with.
Edit  #6307 rubyhatchet
サイトのごりようにあたって
When using this site
Edit  #433 Amatuka
かがくろんぶんをかくにあたって
When writing a science thesis
Edit  #434 Amatuka
わたしのりゅうがくにあたりちちはじぶんのけいけんをはなしてくれた
On the occasion of my study abroad, my father told me about his own experience
Edit  #530 dc
もしこまったことがあればユーザーズガイドにあたってください。
Refer to the Users' Guide if you have any problems.
Edit  #4062 dc
われわれはけっていにあたってへんけんにさゆうされない。
We should not be influenced in our decisions by our prejudices.
Edit  #4063 dc
けんきゅうぶちょうはそのぶもんがしんせいひんのテストをするにあたって、てっていてきなしごとをさせた。
The research director had the department do thorough job in testing the new product.
Edit  #4064 dc
わたしがへやをそうじするばんにあたっていた。
It was my turn to clean the room.
Edit  #4065 dc
わたしたちがとうちゃくするひはにちようびにあたっている。
The day when we will arrive falls on Sunday.
Edit  #4066 dc
すごいあかりがやきゅうじょうにあたっていた。
A great light was diffused over the baseball stadium.
Edit  #4067 dc
にちにあたってからだをあたためた。
I warmed myself at the sun.
Edit  #4068 dc
かれががいじんきゃくのせったいにあたっている。
He is in charge of entertaining the foreign guests.
Edit  #4069 dc
かのじょはひにあたってからだをあたためた。
She warmed herself by the fire.
Edit  #4070 dc
ははおやが、かれのかんごにあたってる。
His mother is in attendance on him.
Edit  #4071 dc
しんねんをむかえるにあたっていちねんのけいかくをたてた
The whole year was planned for welcome new year.
Edit  #7150 sureshnihon
Discussion and comments
*This grammar is used to indicate time when one faces something formal. The compound particle is primarily used in written Japanese. When a verb precedes it, the verb is often a Sino-Japanese する verb, as in example #6306.

*The tense of the verb before に当たって;に当たり is always nonpast regardless of the tense of the final predicate. In this way, an incomplete aspect of an action is indicated by the verb. This is why the phrase can be translated into English as 'before' or 'prior to.'

*に当たり is more formal than に当たって.

FORMATION:
V(plain nonpast) + にあたって・にあたり
N + にあたって・にあたり
rubyhatchet
this is usually used for very serious occasions, or important events.
dc
maeni is similar as niatatte preceding verb cannot be past tense.
留学行く「前に・にあたって」
dc
updated: goro is more around the time. niatatte is more precise, but more formal.
dc
Technically the first two examples are sentence fragments.
Amatuka
The use of あたって in #4067, #4068 and #4070 do not belong here. あたる as used there is a different verb.
bamboo4