〜途中で・〜途中に~tochuu de / ~tochuu ni

How it works

1. 

   You meet a friend on the way to the library. 「途中で」 highlights what happens along the way.

2. 

   The convenience store is on the way to the facility. 「途中に」 points out a location along the route.

3. 

   「途中」 refers to a period after something has begun but before it ends. It is also used for activities, not just journeys.

4. 

   For journeys, use the verb’s dictionary form: 「行く途中」. Keep 「行く」 even when talking about the past.

5. 

   For an activity in progress, you can use 「ている」: 「説明を聞いている途中で」.

6. 

   An unfamiliar word comes up while you listen to an explanation. This too is something that happens before an activity is over.

7. 

   With a noun naming an activity, use “noun + の + 途中”: for example, 「見学の途中」.

8. 

   「見学の途中に、休憩時間があります。」 indicates a point during the visit when there is a break.

9. 

   「来る途中で、雨が降ってきました。」 means it started raining on the way here, before you arrived.

10. 

    「途中」 does not have to mean exactly halfway. It also does not mean the original action necessarily stops.

Example sentences

• 図書館としょかんtoshokanへえe行くいくiku途中とちゅうtochuuで、de、友だちともだちtomodachiにni会いました。＋あいました。aimashita。説明せつめいsetsumeiをo聞いきい

In a conversation

Check yourself

1. Level 1 · Recognise

   Which sentence is correct?

   A自習スペースへ行く途中で、新しいコピー機を見つけました。B自習スペースへ行くの途中で、新しいコピー機を見つけました。C自習スペースへ行って途中で、新しいコピー機を見つけました。D自習スペースへ行き途中で、新しいコピー機を見つけました。

2. Level 1 · Recognise

   Listen and choose the meaning

   AOn the way to guide someone to the open交流 space, I found a clean nursing room.BOn the way to guide someone to the open交流 space, I took a photo of the clean nursing room.COn the way to guide someone to the open交流 space, I explained the rules for using the clean nursing room.DOn the way to guide someone to the open交流 space, I noticed that the lock on the clean nursing room would not open.

3. Level 2 · Build

   Put the words in order

   On the way to the self-study area, I found a new copy machine.

   見つけました。新しいコピー機をつつ途中で、自習スペースへ行く
   Check

4. Level 3 · Use

   What goes in the blank?

   図書館へ行く____、友だちに会いました。

   On the way to the library, I met a friend.

   Show answer

More grammar in this theme

• 〜途中で・〜途中にduring a journey or activity

Keep practising