JLPT N2 Grammar
· Upper Intermediate
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· Upper Intermediate
In the middle of
Category: Time & Sequence
The grammar pattern "V-ている / N-の + 最中に" is used to indicate that an unexpected or annoying event occurred exactly while an action was in progress. It emphasizes the peak of the activity. This pattern is often used to express a sense of surprise or inconvenience. For example, if you were in the middle of eating and a customer arrived, you would say "食事の最中に、客が来た". This pattern is particularly useful for describing situations where an unexpected event disrupted a planned or ongoing activity.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V-ている (Progressive form of a verb) | N-の + 最中に | 食事の最中に (In the middle of eating) |
| N-の (Possessive form of a noun) | V-ている + 最中に | 会議の最中に (In the middle of a meeting) |
| V-ている (Progressive form of a verb) | N-の + 最中に | 旅行の最中に (In the middle of a trip) |
食事の最中に、客が来た。
Shokuji no saishū ni, kyaku ga kita.
A customer arrived in the middle of my meal.
食事の (my meal) + 最中に (in the middle of) + 客が (a customer) + 来た (arrived)
大切な話をしている最中に、電話が鳴った。
Taisetsu na hanashi o shite iru saishū ni, denwa ga natta.
The phone rang in the middle of an important conversation.
大切な話 (an important conversation) + を (to) + している (is doing) + 最中に (in the middle of) + 電話が (the phone) + 鳴った (rang)
会議の最中に、停電が起きた。
Kaigi no saishū ni, teiden ga okita.
The power went out in the middle of the meeting.
会議の (the meeting) + 最中に (in the middle of) + 停電が (the power) + 起きた (went out)
旅行の最中に、雨が降った。
Ryokō no saishū ni, ame ga futta.
It rained in the middle of the trip.
旅行の (the trip) + 最中に (in the middle of) + 雨が (the rain) + 降った (fell)
This pattern is used to indicate that an unexpected event occurred exactly while an action was in progress. It is often used to express a sense of surprise or inconvenience. The pattern can be used with both state verbs and action verbs. However, it is not suitable for very short actions like blinking. The pattern is also not suitable for state verbs that don't imply progression, such as 'iru' (to be) or 'aru' (to exist).
State verbs like 'iru' (to be) or 'aru' (to exist) don't imply progression, so they can't be used with this pattern.
When using this pattern with nouns, don't forget to include the possessive form 'no'.
This pattern is not suitable for very short actions like blinking, as it emphasizes the peak of the activity.
When using this pattern in the JLPT exam, make sure to choose the correct form of the verb and the possessive form of the noun. Also, be careful not to use it with state verbs that don't imply progression or very short actions.
食事の______に、客が来た。
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