Japanese grammar
What does ～ておく mean? Japanese grammar N4
～ておく means do ~ in advance (to prepare) / leave ~ as is.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | V て + おきます V と + きます (spoken contraction) |
| Romaji | ~ te oku |
| Meaning | do ~ in advance (to prepare) / leave ~ as is |
Forming it
| How to form | て form + おく: 買う → 買って → 買っておく |
|---|---|
| Spoken contraction | ～ておく → ～とく: 買っておく → 買っとく、食べておく → 食べとく |
| Further conjugation | おく is Group 1: おきます、おいた、おいて |
| Contraction with ～でおく | ～でおく → ～どく: 読んでおく → 読んどく |
How to use it
Doing something in advance to prepare for later, or leaving a state as it is.
- おく originally comes from 置く (to place, to set down). Picture: finish something and "set it down" for future use. From this, two meanings arise.
- Meaning 1 — PREPARING IN ADVANCE (the most common use): 「パーティーの前に、飲み物を買っておきます」(before the party, I'll buy drinks in advance). The core point is having a PURPOSE for something later.
- Meaning 2 — LEAVING AS IS: 「暑いから、窓を開けておいてください」(it's hot, so please leave the window open). Here it's not preparation but maintaining an existing state.
- Distinguishing from ～てある (another N4 group): 「窓が開けてあります」describes a STATE already prepared by someone; 「窓を開けておきます」describes an ACTION one is actively doing. One looks at the result, the other looks at the doing.
- The contracted form ～とく／～どく is heard a lot in everyday conversation and anime: 「やっとくよ」(I'll take care of it for you). Learners should recognize it when listening, but use the full form when writing or speaking formally.
Examples
旅行の前に、ホテルを予約しておきます。
I will book a hotel in advance before the trip.
会議で使うので、この資料を読んでおいてください。
We will use it in the meeting, so please read this material beforehand.
まだ使うから、パソコンはそのままつけておいてください。
We will still use it, so please leave the computer on.
Keep in mind
- おく is written in hiragana when functioning as an auxiliary verb.
- 「調べておきます」「予約しておきます」 are extremely common phrases at work.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong窓を開けて置きます。
I'll go ahead and open the window.
Correct窓を開けておきます。
When functioning as an auxiliary verb, おく is written in hiragana. Writing 置きます turns it into "open the window and place (something) down" — a completely different meaning.
-
Wrong試験が終わったので、昨日勉強しておきました。
Since the exam had ended, I studied in advance yesterday.
Correct明日試験があるので、昨日勉強しておきました。
～ておく must point toward something UPCOMING (a purpose in the future relative to when it's done). Here the exam has already ended (試験が終わった) yet it still says "studied in advance" — there's nothing left to prepare for, a contradiction in timing.
Exam tips
- Keywords to watch for: 前に、～ので／から + an upcoming event → the answer is usually ～ておく.
- Recognize the contracted form ～とく in the listening section.