Readnihongo app icon

Readnihongo

Read Japanese, beautifully.

N4

Doing Something in Advance: 〜ておく

About 8 minutes · written and reviewed by Haruki Yamamoto

Section 1 of 3

Preparing in advance

The core meaning of 〜ておく is to do something beforehand so that you are ready later. It often appears with future events, deadlines, or expected needs.

  1. Target signal

    明日の会議の前に資料を印刷しておきます。

    I’ll print the materials before tomorrow’s meeting.

    Prepared in advance for a later need.

    Vocabulary notes
    おきます
    wake up (polite)
    して
    doing and
    ます
    polite verb ending

  2. Compare in context

    忘れないようにメモしておいた。

    I wrote a memo in advance so I would not forget.

    Past form 〜ておいた shows the prep was already done.

    Vocabulary notes
    ように〜ように
    so that ...; in order to ...
    ように
    so that; in order to
    いた
    was there

Section 2 of 3

Leaving a state in place

In some contexts, 〜ておく means doing something and leaving it that way for convenience or purpose. The speaker intentionally creates a state that will be useful later.

  1. Target signal

    暑いので、窓を開けておきます。

    It is hot, so I’ll leave the window open.

    The resulting state is intentionally left in place.

    Vocabulary notes
    おきます
    wake up (polite)
    開けてあけて
    opening
    ので
    because; since

  2. Preview

    帰る前に電気を消しておいてください。

    Please turn off the lights before you leave.

    Common request pattern before departure.

    Vocabulary notes
    てください〜てください
    please do ...
    ください
    please give; please do
    して
    doing and

Section 3 of 3

Reading plans and instructions

Look for the future reason behind 〜ておく. The action itself may be simple, but the important part is why it is done early or why the resulting state is intentionally maintained.

  1. Target signal

    出発の前に、お金を用意しておいてください。

    Please prepare the money before departure.

    The early action is motivated by the upcoming event.

    Vocabulary notes
    てください〜てください
    please do ...
    ください
    please give; please do
    お金おかね
    money

  2. Preview

    必要なら、席を予約しておきます。

    If necessary, I’ll reserve the seats in advance.

    Planning ahead is the key nuance.

    Vocabulary notes
    おきます
    wake up (polite)
    して
    doing and
    なら
    if it is; as for

Reading in context

Read for meaning before checking the answer

Before you read

Read once for the situation. Then notice how 〜ておく changes the meaning before you check the translation.

明日の会議の前に資料を印刷しておきます。 忘れないようにメモしておいた。 暑いので、窓を開けておきます。 帰る前に電気を消しておいてください。 出発の前に、お金を用意しておいてください。 必要なら、席を予約しておきます。

Show English translation

I’ll print the materials before tomorrow’s meeting. I wrote a memo in advance so I would not forget. It is hot, so I’ll leave the window open. Please turn off the lights before you leave. Please prepare the money before departure. If necessary, I’ll reserve the seats in advance.

Contextual questions

Answer from the passage before you reveal each explanation.

  1. What is the first reading job for this passage?

    • Identify the situation and how 〜ておく changes it.
    • Translate every word before using context.
    • Ignore the ending because only vocabulary matters.
    • Choose an answer before reading the full passage.
    Check the answer

    Identify the situation and how 〜ておく changes it.

    The goal is to use the situation first, then confirm the role of 〜ておく in context.

Guided practice

Apply the lesson in a few different ways

Work through each prompt, then check the explanation before moving on.

Activity 1 of 4Choose the best context

What is the main idea of 〜ておく?

Activity 2 of 4Fill the blank

Complete the chunk that carries the lesson meaning (〜ておく).

明日の会議の前に資料を印刷して＿＿＿。

Activity 3 of 4Put it in order

Put these related examples back into the order used in the lesson.

  1. 1忘れないようにメモしておいた。
  2. 2暑いので、窓を開けておきます。
  3. 3明日の会議の前に資料を印刷しておきます。
Activity 4 of 4Infer from the passage

What should guide your interpretation of 〜ておく in the mini-reading?

Mastery check 1/3

What is the main idea of 〜ておく?