「晩御飯にまたトロ、買っておいてね。」
= Bangohan ni mata toro, katte oite ne.
= Buy me fatty tuna for dinner again for me.
「もう、これ以上、遊ばせておかないからね。勉強するよ！」
= Mou, kore ijou, asobasete okanai karane. Benkyou suruyo!
= I am not going to let you play anymore. We are going to study now, OK?
Hi everyone!
I am Sano, the guest teacher for today.
Maggie Sensei made a lesson on ておく ( = te oku) long time ago. We got a few questions regarding the last lesson on this so I decided to revise the lesson and make it even more comprehensive. Ready?
★ How to form:
There are two forms:
1) verb te-form + おく ( = oku)
* する ( = suru) to do
→して ( = shite) + おく ( = oku)
→しておく ( = shite oku)
* 食べる ( = taberu) to eat
→食べて ( = tabete ) + おく ( = oku)
→食べておく ( = tabete oku)
* negative form ～ないで ( = naide ) + おく ( = oku)
*しないでおく( = shinai de oku)
*食べないでおく ( = tabenai de oku)
2) causative verb te-form + おく ( = oku)
* 読む ( = yomu ) to read
→読ませて ( = yomasete ) + おく ( = oku)
→読ませておく ( = yomaseteoku )
* 遊ぶ ( = asobu ) to play
→遊ばせて ( = asobasete ) + おく ( = oku)
→遊ばせておく ( = asobaseteoku)
* negative form ~ないで ( = naide ) + おく ( = oku)
* 読ませないでおく ( = yomasenai de oku)
* 遊ばせないでおく ( = asobasenai de oku)
★ How to use it.
1) verb te-form + おく ( = oku)
Let’s compare the following sentences:
a) 鍵をここに置く。
= Kagi wo koko ni oku.
= Put the key here.
Just focusing on the action:
b) 鍵がここに置いてある。
= Kagi ga koko ni oite aru.
= (Someone) left a key here.
Describing the current state as a result of past action:
c) 鍵をここに置いておく。
= Kagi wo koko ni oite oku.
= to leave a key on purpose so that a speaker or someone else can use it later.
To do something (perform an action) for future use:
As we explained in てある ( = tearu) lesson, てある ( = tearu) is used when the result of an intentional action still affects the current state or the result exists until the moment when the speaker describes it.
So when you focus on the future use you use ておく ( = teoku)
⬇️
★ to do/prepare something (for yourself or for other people) in advance for future convenience.
★ to complete some action to prepare for the future
Ex. 出かける前に何か食べておこう。
= Dekakeru mae ni nanika tabete okou.
= I guess I will eat something before going out.
Ex. バターが値上がる前にいくつか買っておこう。
= Batta ga neagaru mae ni ikutsuka katte okou.
= Before the price of butter goes up, I think I should buy some beforehand.
Ex. 円が上がる前に両替しておいてよかった。
= En ga agaru mae ni ryougae shiteoite yokatta.
= I am glad I exchanged my yen before it went up.
Ex. 今度の授業までにこの本を３０ページも読んでおかないといけない。
＝ Kondo no jugyou made ni kono hon wo sanjuppeiji mo yonde okanai to ikenai.
= I have to read 30 pages of this book by next class.
Ex. 今、出来ることはしておかないとね。
= Ima, dekiru koto wa shiteokanai to ne.
= We have to finish doing the things that we can do now.
Ex. :maggie-small: Maggie: ソファーの下に隠しておいた骨がない。
= Sofaa no shita ni kakushite oita hone ga nai.
= Maggie: The bone that I hid under the couch is gone.
Ex. 出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っておいた。
= Dekakeru mae ni kodomo ni yuugohan wo tsukutte oita.
= I had prepared dinner for my children before I went out.
Ex. 考えておきます。
= Kangaete okimasu.
= I’ll think about it.
(This line is also used when you decline after all to avoid conflicts.)
Ex. 千円、ここに置いておくからね。
＝ Sen-en, koko ni oite oku karane.
= I will leave 1,000 yen here for you, OK?
Ex. ここはやっておくから心配しないで。
= Koko wa yatte oku kara shinpai shinaide.
= I will take care of this (for you) so don’t worry.
Ex. ビール、冷蔵庫で冷やしておいたよ。
= Biiru reizouko de hiyashite oita yo.
= I put the beer in the refrigerator to keep them chilled (a while ago) for you.
Ex. 明日は１日留守にするから猫に水と餌を置いておかないと。
= Ashita wa ichinichi rusu ni suru kara neko ni mizu to esa wo oite okanai to.
= I won’t be home all day long tomorrow so I have to leave water and food for my cat.
★ to ask /tell someone to do something in advance/ complete some action (to have done something) for future convenience.
From the picture above:
「晩御飯にまたトロ、買っておいてね。」
= Bangohan ni mata toro, katte oite ne.
= Buy me fatty tuna for dinner again for me.
(Asking the listener to buy fatty tuna so that Sano can eat it later for dinner.)
Note: トロ ( = toro) or “fatty tuna” is considered a delicacy.
Ex. シャツにアイロンかけておいてね。
= Shatsu ni airon kakete oitene.
= Iron my shirt (and leave it out for me), OK?
Ex. この仕事は、大変だから覚悟しておいた方がいいよ。
= Kono shigoto wa, taihen dakara kakugo shiteoita hou ga iiyo.
= This job is tough. You should prepare yourself mentally.
Ex. ドアは閉めないでおいてください。
＝ Doa wa shimenai de oite kudasai.
= Please leave the door open. (Please leave the door unclosed. )
Ex. 寒いからストーブは消さないでおいてください。
= Samui kara sutoobu wa kesanai de oite kudasai.
= It’s cold so please do not turn off the heater.
Ex. この資料、午後の会議までに5部コピーをとっておいて。
= Kono shiryou, gogo no kaigi made ni gobu kopii wo totte oite.
= Make 5 copies of this document before the meeting this afternoon.
Ex. トイレ行ってくるからコーヒー頼んでおいてくれる？
= Toire itte kuru kara koohii tanonde oite kureru?
= I am going to the restroom so can you order a coffee for me?
★to do something temporarily
Ex. 週末は忙しいからパーティーの招待は一応、断っておいた。
= Shuumatsu wa isogashiii kara paatii no shoutai wa ichiou, kotowatteoita.
= Since I’m busy on the weekend, I declined the invitation to a party for now.
Ex. 携帯電話は試験が終わるまで預かっておきます。
= Keitai denwa wa shiken ga owaru made azukatte okimasu.
= I will keep your cellphone until the exams are over.
★ Others: Special usages
* やめておく= yamete oku = to decide not to do ~
Ex. 時間がないので今日、飲みに行くのはやめておきます。
= Jikan ga nai node kyou, nomi ni iku no wa yamete okimasu.
= I am not going out for a drink today because I don’t have time.
(やめておく= yamete oku = decided not to do something/ to pass ~ / to leave it)
* まけておく = makete oku / 安くしておく= yasuku shite oku = to make it cheaper, to give a discount
Ex. 100円まけておきますね。
= Hyyaku en makete okimasune.
= I will give you 100 yen discount, OK?
* ことにしておく = koto ni shiteoku = to pretend that something didn’t happen
Ex. A)あんな人、好きじゃないよ。
= Anna hito, suki janai yo.
= I don’t like him/her (such a person).
B) はいはい。そういういことにしておきましょう。
= Haihai. Souiu koto ni shiteokimashou.
= OK, OK, (if you say so) Let’s just leave it like that.
Ex. このことについては私は聞かなかったことにしておきます。
= Konokoto ni tsuite wa watashi wa kikanakatta koto ni shiteokimasu.
= I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear anything about this/I don’t know anything about this, OK?
📝 Note: Casual Contractions
In casual conversation, you use the following contraction forms:
* ておいて ( = teoite) / でおいて ( = de oite)
といて ( = toite) / どいて ( = doite)
* ておく ( = te oku) / でおく ( = de oku)
➡️とく ( = toku ) / どく ( = doku)
negative form : Vておかないで ( = te okanai de) / Vでおかないで ( = de okanai de)
➡️ Vとかないで ( = tokanai de) / Vどかないで ( = dokanai de)
Ex. この服、洗っておいてください。
= Kono fuku, aratte oite kudasai.
= Please wash this clothes.
→(casual contraction)
この服、洗っといて。
= Kono fuku, arattoite.
= Wash this clothes, OK?
Ex. はい、洗っておきます。
= Hai, aratte okimasu.
= OK, I will wash it for you.
→(casual contraction)
うん、洗っとく。
= Un, arattoku
Ex. この本、読んでおいて。
= Kono hon, yonde oite.
= Read this book (Finish reading this book), OK?
→(casual contraction)
この本、読んどいて。
= Kono hon, yondoite.
Ex.これ、捨てておいて。
= Kore, sutete oite.
= Can you throw this away?
→(casual contraction)
これ、捨てといて。
= Kore, sutetoite.
Ex. 汚い服をテーブルの上に置いておかないで。
= Kitanai fuku wo teiburu no ue ni oite okanai de.
= Don’t leave the dirty clothes on the table.
→(casual contraction)
汚い服をテーブルの上に置いとかないで。
= Kitanai fuku wo teiburu no ue ni oitokanai de.
2) causative verb te-form Vさせて ( = sasete) / Vせて ( = sete) + おく ( = oku)
Note: You have to be careful who you use it with. This form is used with subordinates: children, younger people or pets or any one who is of a “lower” social rank.
★ When you leave someone do something they like/ let someone do something for a while intentionally. / leave some state the way it is intentionally.
When you ask someone to let you do something.
Ex. 子供には好きなことをやらせておきたい。
= Kodomo niwa sukina koto wo yarasete okitai.
= I want my children to do what they like.
Ex. 彼らには言いたいことを言わせておけばいい。
= Karera niwa iitai koto wo iwasete okeba ii.
= We just let them say whatever they want.
Ex.「ご飯だけどこのまま寝させておこうか？」
= Gohan dakedo konomama nesasete okouka?
= It’s time to eat, but why don’t we just let her sleep like this?
Ex.子供にずっとゲームをさせておいてはいけない。
= Kodomo ni zutto geimu wo sasete oite wa ikenai.
= We shouldn’t let the children play the game for so long.
★(negative form) When you don’t let someone do something / when you don’t allow someone to keep doing something.
From the picture above:
「もう、これ以上、遊ばせておかないからね。勉強するよ！」
= Mou, kore ijou, asobasete okanai karane. Benkyou suruyo!
= I am not going to let you play anymore. We are going to study now, OK?
遊ばせておく = asobasete oku = to let someone play (for a while)
→(negative form) 遊ばせておかない = asobasete okanai = not to let someone play
★ to make someone do something
Ex. あんな高いバッグを買わせておいて、別れるなんてありえない！
= Anna takai baggu wo kawasete oite, wakareru nante arienai.
= I cannot believe that she broke up with me after she made me buy her that expensive bag.
Ex. よかったら妻に軽い食事を作らせておきますからうちに来ませんか？
= Yokattara tsuma ni karui shokuji wo tsukurasete okimasu kara uchi ni kimasen ka?
= I will have my wife prepare some light meals. Would like to come over?
Ex. 彼をずっと外で待たせておいたら風邪をひいてしまったようだ。
= Kare wo zutto soto de matasete oitara kaze wo hiite shimatta youda.
= He seems to have caught a cold after I kept him waiting outside for so long.
Note: When the verb already has a meaning of “to leave” or “to let someone do ~” or a causative meaning, you don’t have to use the causative form. Just use verb te-form + ておく ( = teoku).
Ex. そっとしておいてください。
= Sotto shiteoite kudasai.
= Please leave me alone.
Ex. 私のことはもうほっといて*
= Watashi no koto wa mou hottoite.
= Please leave me alone now.
(casual contraction of ほっておいて= hotte oite)
Note: To learn more about the contraction form in this lesson.
➡️ Casual Contraction: ている( = teiru)→てん ( = ten), ておく( = teoku) →とく ( = toku)
Ex. 彼のことをほってはおけない。
＝ Kare no koto wo hotte wa okenai.
= I can’t leave him alone.
Ex. この花はあまり構わずほっておいても咲きます。
= Kono hana wa amari kamawazu hotte oite mo sakimasu.
= These flowers will bloom without too much care.
Ex. ここに寝かせておこう。
= Koko ni nekasete okou.
= Let him/her sleep here.
****
マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei
Sano先生、ありがとう！
= Sano sensei, arigatou!
= Thank you Sano-sensei!
レッスンのお礼にトロ買っておきますね。
= Ressun no orei ni toro katte okimasune.
= To show my appreciation by getting you some fatty tuna.
***
Could you be my Patron?
I appreciate your support! サポートありがとう！
83 Comments
Hi Maggie,
How are you? I seem to be asking less questions which I guess is a good thing, and that I’ve had a good teacher! :D
I came across something today – I just want to confirm it with you:
一回くらい言っといたらよかったーーー多分、歴史は変わっていた。
I think it means “I should have said it at least once…history would probably have been different”.
言っといたら – is this a shortened form of ~ておく (—> ~ておいたら —> といたら)?
Many thanks as always!
Peter.
Hello Peter,
Your questions are always welcome! 😉
You are right. 言っといたら is a casual contraction of 言っておいたら and your translation is correct.
Hi, what would be the difference between e.g. 不安にさせといて and 不安にして?
Thanks in advance!
Hello AndreaS22
不安にさせておいて→(casual contraction) 不安にさせといて = to leave someone uneasy・anxious
不安にして = to make someone uneasy・anxious
So させておいて（させといて） is to make someone uneasy and leave them
して is just one time.
Hi!
I don’t get the ておかないと part. Can you explain? ;_;
Hi Rina,
First do you know this form?
Vないといけない = have to do something
Ex. もっと勉強しないといけない = I have to study more.
Ex. この本を読まないといけない = I have to read a book.
Vて（で）おかないといけない = have to be done doing something/have to finish doing something (as a preparation)
So
Ex. 読んでおかないといけない。 = I have to finish reading the book ahead of time.
But what is the difference between ておかないと and ておかないといけない?
I feel stupid. ;_;
You mean from this example sentence?
明日は１日留守にするから猫に水と餌を置いておかないと（いけない）。
They mean the same. You often omit といけない in conversation
I explained this usage in this lesson
〜と＆〜ないと
Hello, I still can’t fully grasp it.
Where is the difference between
出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っておいた
and
出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っていた
?
Hello Marc
ておいた did something ahead of time for future use. /prepared something for future use
ていた was/were doing something (Just action)
出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っておいた
I prepared the dinner for my children before we/I went out.
You can imagine from the sentence that the writer prepared dinner and left it on the table so that his/her children can eat right away when they get home.
（Someone は）出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っていた。
Someone was cooking dinner for children before she/he went out.
It focuses on the action, cooking for children. It doesn’t matter if the children ate the dinner that time or later.
先生、こんにちは。
日本語の勉強には先生の記事がとても役に立ちます。
いつもご丁寧に説明して頂き、ありがとうございます。
ところで、「～ておく」と「～てある」に関するご質問がありますが、ご回答をいただければ幸いです。
問題：
A：「さっき、冷蔵庫に入れて＿ビールはもう控えていますか」
B：「いいえ、まだです」
選択： ある いる おいた
答え：おいた
なぜ「てある」が正しくないでしょうか？
こんにちは、フォン
この答えの鍵となる言葉は、「さっき」という言葉です。
「さっき」は少し前に何かをした・何かがあったというときに使います。
「入れてあるビール」というのは、冷蔵庫の中のビールの状態を表していて、「さっき（何かをしたという）」というように使えません。
一方、「入れておく」というのは、冷蔵庫に入れる（１）という動きがあるので「さっき」と使えます。
You do say 冷蔵庫に入れてあるビールはもう冷えていますか？ (It must be a typo : 控えて→冷えて) but the key word to solve the question is “さっき” a little while ago.
You can say さっき入れておいたビール because 入れておく is an action (you put the beer in the fridge and left it there to drink it later) but 入れてある just describes the state of beer in the fridge so you can’t use it with さっき.
お返事ありがとうございます。勉強になりました。
漢字の間違いをご指摘いただき、ありがとうございます。
どういたしまして❤️
Thanks a lot Maggie! Your website saved me many times :)
Hi Marc,
I’m very happy to hear that! :)
Hey, Maggie-sensei, A great lesson to learn. I’ve even drawn a diagram using a time scale for the difference between intransitive verb, ている, てある and ておく.
Have a little question regarding this sentence:
明日は１日留守にするから猫に水と餌を置いておかないと。
As far as I understand, an ending “いけない/ならない” is missing. So that the grammatically proper constrution would be e.g.
“〜猫に水と餌を置いておかないといけない。”
Is it normal to drop the ending in such way?
Thanks for the eventual help.
Hello Roman,
Right. It is missing いけない・ならない
You often drop いけない・ならない in conversation.
Also in more casual conversation, it changes
〜ておく→とく
〜ておかなくてはいけない・ならない→とかなくちゃ・とかなきゃ
置いとかなくちゃ・置いとかなきゃ
Check this なきゃ・なくちゃ lesson.
Hello
Could you please tell me the meaning of “おいて” in “盗んでおいて”.
Source – https://twitter.com/jojojojougi/status/1359132318623956994
Context – https://twitter.com/jojojojougi/status/1359127295668019201
>人のアカウントを盗んでおいてどの面下げてツイートしてるのか全くもって理解できない。
If I understand correctly, it says something like “How dare he to tweet from an account he stole! I don’t understand it (this kind of behavior) at all”
What would be the difference if it didn’t have “おいて” after “盗んで”?
As I explained in this lesson, ておく expresses the completion of action (having done)
Vておいて means
Though you have done something, ~ (something contradicted)
Despite the fact that you are the one who stole his account ~
It means the same as ておきながら （盗んでおきながら）
I get it now, thank you for a quick answer.
You’re welcome. :)
Is it possible to use this in present progressive form? e.g. おいている
Hi Morgan,
Yes.
Ex. 私はいつも風邪薬を家においている。
= I always keep cold medicine at home.
＠先生 In few of your sentences why is ておいた used instead of ておいていた.
E.g. in your sentence 出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っておいた
In this sentence since you are showing the relation of you had prepared food before you went. So, why ていた used as in 作っておいていた, as ていた also has perfect reading.
Also, does Verbておく take ている and ていた? like 食べておいていた, 食べておいている
本当にありがとう
出かける前に子供に夕ご飯を作っておいている
Unless you are talking about your routine, (you do that every day) you don’t say 作っておいている
〜ておく to prepare the dinner and leave it
いる describes the state
so it is kind of redundant.
For the same reason
食べておいていた
食べておいている
are not natural.
ありがとう先生🤓🤓
ねえ~、先生. So, this ておく being redundant with ている and ていた applies to all in general ?
E.g. I want to say that I am standing in line at the station (to avoid the future problem of brikg late to work or lets say otherwise I will not be able to catch the train to office)
So, in this case, will ておく function with ている? And the verb 立つ become 立っておいている?or will it be unnatural and redundant in this case as well?
教えてください
In that situation, just use 待っている with certain adverb 先に・前もって
Vておいている is rare but of course if you use a verb 置く( to place)
you say 荷物を置いている
Thanks a lot ! sensei ! :) Studying by myself gets a bit tricky. This ている/ていた with different aspects confuses me a lot, but thanks to your replies I am able to understand this concept, rather than using hit and try method.
No problem! If you get confused, you can ask me a question, anytime! ☺️
Hi Maggie, I have a question regarding negating ておく phrases. Does it make a difference if I negate the てform verb instead of おく？as in the following sentence, is there any difference in meaning?
汚い服をテーブルの上に置いておかないで
汚い服をテーブルの上に置わないでおいて
Also. In general, when you negate a ておく phrase, what does it mean? Does it mean ‘In preparation for somethin (in the future), don’t do this?’
Hi Ed,
The second sentence should be 置かないでおいて
Since the verb is 置く, it may sound redundant but
置いておかないで Don’t put the dirty clothes on the table and leave them there.
The speaker is not happy that the clothes are left on the table for a long time.
置かないでおいて Don’t put the dirty clothes on the table.
The speaker is asking not to put the dirty clothes on the table.
Thank you for the explanation. Could you also explain the use of negative ておく? Like when someone uses ておかない or ないでおく what does that imply? Is it something like “Don’t do this, so in the future it’ll be easier for me/us?’ or ‘in preparation for the future, don’t do this?’
Could you use another example of ておかない to help me better understand the negative use of ておく？
It might rain today so don’t hang the laundry and leave them.
今日は雨が降るかもしれないから、洗濯物は外に干しておかないでね。
It might rain today so I won’t hang the laundry outside. (preparation)
今日は雨が降るかもしれないから、洗濯物は外に干さないでおく。
Hi, Maggie-sensei. I’ve started learning Japanese recently, and your website has really been a haven for someone who’s struggling to get through all this subtle aspects of the language. Thank you for that very much!
Anyway, not so long ago I’ve come across a sentence, which I generally understand, but the usage of ておく is still a mystery to me. Could you please explain this one?
忠告の気持ちだけはありがたくいただいておく。
Hello V,
Thank YOU for visiting my site to study Japanese!
It means “I appreciate your advice.(implying I may not change what I am going to do but thank you for your advice anyway)
When someone is trying to give you a gift and you think it is too much to receive it, you also say
気持ちだけはありがたくうけとっておきます。= I appreciate your kindness. (But I won’t take anything else from you.)
うけとっておく →(polite)いただいておく The literal translation is “I will receive ~ for now.”
Hi Maggie-sensei. I want to ask how to use “te okimashita” and “te arimashita” I think the usage is different from the present tense “te oku/te aru” I am really confused on how to use them in a sentence
Hi Michell
te okimashita You did something (as a preparation)
te arimashita someone did something (as a preparation)
夕ご飯を作っておきました。
I prepared the dinner ahead of time
夕ご飯が作ってありました
Someone made dinner ahead of time.
present tense
夕ご飯を作っておく・おきます You are talking about future. I will prepare the dinner and leave it.
夕ご飯が作ってある You are looking at the dinner which someone prepared ahead of time.
Hi Maggie,
It’s me again. Sorry to trouble you twice in one day!
I have a day off so I’m trying to understand a couple of things that are confusing me a little bit :)
I came across this yesterday:
R:「…訊いておいてくれだって.」
It relates to 2 people, R + M, in a conversation.
R is relaying a message from a 3rd person T, so I think it means:
“T asked me (R) to ask you (M)…”
Am I right in thinking that the -ておいて part indicates that T asked R in advance, and the -てくれ part indicates that R is doing something for T?
Hello again Peter,
Oh you can ask me questions anytime.
Yes! It means “T asked me (R) to ask you (M)…”
Q: Am I right in thinking that the -ておいて part indicates that T asked R in advance, and the -てくれ part indicates that R is doing something for T?
→Yes, you got that right!
Brilliant! Thanks once again for your continued, invaluable help!
My pleasure! 😊
Sensei, I just saw a phrase that goes like this: 私にしておく
Does that mean “Don’t mind me”?
Oh, sorry, I copy-pasted an incomplete phrase. The full sentence goes like this: 私にしておくといい.
I’m wondering if it means “I’m telling you to ignore me” or something
Hi, I still need to know more context what are they talking about in the previous sentence?
Anyway assuming from just that sentence, “You (or They) should leave it to me/ It is the best that I should be whatever they were talking about in the previous )
Oh, I see.
Before that is “悪いことは言わない” (I’m telling this for your own good?)
But after 私にしておくといい, it says “I’m going to take care of you”.
Can you explain what does “shite oku” actually mean, sensei? Since in the example and in dictionary it seems to mean “leave it be”.
Sorry. Still not enough information…
But first you have to know when to use
(someone)にする →しておく
1) to pick someone/ to choose someone
2) to do something to someone
I assume 1) has more possibility there. You should pick me/You should choose me (as ~ depending on the context)
Sorry sensei, the latest reply cannot be replied to, so I’m replying to the previous one.
I think “choose me” makes sense! The text is from a character profile in a game character popularity contest. Thank you for the explanation, sensei <3
Good. I’m glad to hear it makes sense.
Why do some of them use ておくand others ておこう?
Hello Joseph,
ておこう is volitional form of ておく
You use volitional form when you are going to do something or ask someone to do something together.
(Volitional form lesson)
Hi ms.maggie can you help how form the vte form
Currently doingv
Habitual
Continuing action
Still continuing
Hi Nica
Do you want to know how to form te-form??
I don’t get the rest..You are learning te-iru form now?
この授業はありがとう。でも、あの、ローマ字を止めてくれませんか。ちょっと不便だと思うんですけどね
ローマ字は希望する方も多いのでやめません。
漢字が読める人にとっては邪魔かもしれませんが、ひらがなを読まない人もきてくれています。
Also it is a lot of work for me to add furigana.
Sorry that I can’t make everybody happy. 😢
What is the difference between 「バッグを買わせておいて」and 「バッグを買わせて」?
Doesn’t 買わせて mean “make someone buy”?
Thanks マギー先生！
買わせておいて sounds a little stronger. It implies, She put me in the situation (forcing me to buy the bag for her).
買わせて is focusing on the one time action but おいて implies the event put the speaker into the state for the certain period of time.
Maggie Sensei, I like your blog sooo much. Very simple, practical, easy to understand, plus there are dozen of cuteness from your dog and cat <3
Your blog actually helped me with my work (^O^)
Hope you will continue this amazing work you do.
Much love,
Bella
Hi Bella!
ありがとう！for your nice message. I am happy to hear you like my lessons!
Good luck with your work!! これからもよろしくね！
When I saw 読んどけば I was like what??
So it was 読んでおけば awwww ^^
@iji
That’s right! 読んでおけば→読んどけば ☺️
Te+oku reminds me a little bit of the English expression “to set out to do something”. While the English expression may not necessarily focus on future use it still can be used implying that sometimes.
@Austt
Perfect!! ✌️
sensei, in 彼のことをほってはおけない。 what role does the は serve?
i mean what is different if i say: 彼のことをほっておけない. is it wrong?
i don’t really understand why the は goes there
Hello シロ！
マギーに代わって回答させてもらう。
In Japanese negation sentences you will find very often the は particle.
There’s no direct translation for the は used here.
The difference is, that は puts more emphasis in the sentence and implies also contrast.
彼のことをほってはおけない = (I can do many things, but) I cannot leave him alone.
Hope it helps ^ ^
ご参考になれば幸いです。
PS. Maggie, I’m waiting for the holy grail of all of your lessons, which is the legendary は vs が lesson ^ ^
@天人
Thank you for helping シロ
I know….I got another request on は vs が from one of my twitter followers as well.
Thank you very much for the answer.
So even without the は its still correct but the は just adds emphasis, right?
I really love this part of the language. There are just so many ways to express yourself ^_^
Yes シロ, without は the sentence is correct as well.
The ways of expressing yourself in Japanese is that, what I love the most. The other parts are dialects and Classical Japanese（古語）.
いつも通りとっても勉強になりますよね、maggie先生！あえてこのページがブックマークしておきました。
I have one question. Is the difference in nuance between 任せて and 任せておけ something like:
任せて – leave it to me
任せておけ – leave it to me (and stay out of it, let me handle it!)
＠friend
Hi friend,
任せて Leave it to me (for now)
任せておいて Leave it to me (indicates certain duration of time. from now on)
任せておけ male speech of 任せておいて. It sounds rough.
(FYI あえて〜する dare to do something. You can simply say このサイト（ページ）をブックマークしました。or お気に入りに登録しました。(okiniiri ni touroku shimashita.)) :)
hai maggie sensei
i’ve read ur web n saved ur article in my phone, and ur article helps me a lot!! but i have a qustion about how to use wo particle like this sntence
Ima wa sukina koto wo kodomo ni sasete okimasu.
= I will let my children do whatever they like now.
or
hana wo mizu ni tsukeru
= to put flowers in water.
i tottaly don’t understand it!! would u explain it?? hhh:$
@budi
Here’s a pattern
Somethingをsomeoneにさせる
You can switch them but you use the same particles.
Someoneにsomethingをさせる
***
花に水をやる
Something/someone/animal にsomethingをやる／あげる
In this case 花 is direct object and 水
You may want to check this lesson to see more patterns.
could you write the name of the lesson please?? cuz i think it’s really important,! i had seen many words like this then it made me confuse, but with ur explain i got hint to understand but i want to make sure!! so can u show me wich lesseon is? cuz u know !u have a lot article and it’s difficult to find it hehe!! help me pleas!!
@budi
Ah, sorry. Maybe you can’t see it but I added the link in my previous comment under “lesson”. If you click “lesson”, it jumps to the lesson.)
The title of the lesson is
How to use （〜して）あげる＋くれる＋もらう = (~shite) Ageru＋Kureru＋Morau
I tried to use this on Lang-8 in:
今朝、日本の旅の切符を買っておきました。
But the Japanese speakers there corrected this to simply 買いました. Did I use ておくincorrectly, or why is it inappropriate here?
@Joe Strout
It depends on the context.
If you are just talking about an action, 買いました will be more natural.
But you can say that in the situations like
It will be hard to get an air ticket for summer so you bought a ticket in advance.
Ex.夏は飛行機の予約が混み合うので、今朝、日本行きの航空券を買っておきました。
The price of airfare will go up soon so you bought a ticket in advance.
Ex. 航空料金が値上がりする前に日本行きのチケットを買っておきました。（or 予約しておきました。）
(Either examples can be replaced with simple past 買いました・予約しました but by using おきました you can express you did some preparation ahead of time.)
ありがとうございます！先生！
勉強になりました！
＠Ningen
どういたしまして！😘
Thank you, I think I understand now!
@Joe
Good! ☺️
ありがとうございます！
＠Duke
どういたしまして❤️