Today’s Question

散歩さんぽ（ A ）途中とちゅう（ B ）急きゅうに雨あめが降ふってきた。
a. 、(a comma) b. で c. に d. の

Today’s Grammar Point: ～とちゅう

途中とちゅう is a noun which refers to a point between the starting point and the ending point. It can be a location or a time, or you can use it for “in the middle of something” like reading a book or making something. Having used the word “middle,” 途中とちゅう does not necessarily mean “half-way.” Although we are likely to use different expressions if we are talking about the beginning or towards the end of a process, 途中とちゅう can be any point during a process.

途中とちゅう can be used with or without a word preceding it but as it is a noun, it is followed by a variety of particles or a comma. Examples below have an explanation for the particle following 途中とちゅう.

Connection

• as it is
• [noun] のとちゅう
• [dictionary form verb] とちゅう
• [てform verb] いる とちゅう

Examples

（シドニーに行いくつもりだったが、）途中とちゅうから引ひき返かえした。
(I intended to go to Sydney, but) I turned back halfway.
( 途中とちゅう is the starting point when I decided to go back.)
≒（シドニーに行いくつもりだったが、） 途中とちゅうで引ひき返かえした。
(I intended to go to Sydney, but) I turned back on the way.
( 途中とちゅう is the place of action of “turning back”)

途中とちゅうまでお見送みおくりします。
I will see you off halfway.
( 途中とちゅう is the ending point of my sending off.)

車酔くるまよいしたので、 途中とちゅうのバス停ていで降おりた。
I got motion sick, so I got off at the bus stop on the way.
( 途中とちゅう is the attribute of the bus stop I got off the bus.)

車酔くるまよいしたので、 途中とちゅうでバスを降おりた。
I got motion sick, so I got off the bus on the way.
( 途中とちゅう is the place of action of getting off the bus.)

この記事きじは長ながいので、 途中とちゅうを飛とばして読よんでも構かまいません。
This article is long, so you can skip bits in the middle.
( 途中とちゅう is the object of the verb “to skip.”)

学校がっこうに行いく途中とちゅうにパン屋やがある。
There is a bakery on the way to school.
( 途中とちゅう is the place of existence.)

途中とちゅうで or 途中とちゅうに

I think most learners would find choosing 途中で or 途中に difficult. To beginners I say:

で: a place of action marker
に: a place of existence marker.

However, both 途中とちゅうで and 途中とちゅうに can be used with an action like:

話はなしの途中とちゅうで泣なき出だした。
話はなしの途中とちゅうに泣なき出だした。

These both mean “I/someone started to cry in the middle of a conversation” and they are both correct sentences.

To explain the difference here, I would say:

で refers to a precise point of an action
に describes a range of time or location when/where something happened

Thus

途中とちゅうで emphasises the action that happens/happened
途中とちゅうに emphasises the situation when the action happens/happened.

So, depending on the particle, the emphasis changes, which is shown in bold:

話はなしの途中とちゅうで泣なき出だした。
I/someone started to cry in the middle of a conversation.
話はなしの途中とちゅうに泣なき出だした。
I/someone started to cry in the middle of a conversation.

I bought some bread on the way to school.
学校がっこうに行いく途中とちゅうでパンを買かった。
I bought some bread on the way to school.
学校がっこうに行いく途中とちゅうにパンを買かった。
I bought some bread on the way to school.

In the above examples, the differences are not that big but in the following situations, the latter sentence will convey the perceived trouble more clearly because the timing described is one of the worst time to have such an incident.

I wanted to go to the bathroom during the test.
テストの途中とちゅうでトイレに行いきたくなった。
テストの途中とちゅうにトイレに行いきたくなった。

My passport expired during the trip.
旅たびの途中とちゅうでパスポートの期限きげんが切きれた。
旅たびの途中とちゅうにパスポートの期限きげんが切きれた。

There was a power outage while baking the cake.
ケーキを焼やいている途中とちゅうで停電ていでんになった。
ケーキを焼やいている途中とちゅうに停電ていでんになった。

Having said all of this, in conversation, we often skip で or に. So, if you are not sure, just put a pause after 途中とちゅう in conversation or put a comma in a casual writing.

Answers to Today’s Question:

for A, d. の
for B, any of a, b. or c.

If you liked this post, please share it with your friends via your social media accounts. Your support will be appreciated!

For more JLPT N3 grammar items, please visit my JLPT N3 Grammar page.