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~とちゅう

~とちゅう

Today’s Question

散歩さんぽ( A )途中とちゅう( B )きゅうあめってきた。
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

(シドニーにくつもりだったが、)途中とちゅうからかえした。
(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.)
≒(シドニーにくつもりだったが、) 途中とちゅうかえした。
(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、 途中とちゅうバスていりた。
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、 途中とちゅうバスをりた。
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.)

この記事きじながいので、 途中とちゅうばしてんでもかまいません。
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.”)

学校がっこう途中とちゅうパンがある。
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

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:

はなし途中とちゅうした。
はなし途中とちゅうした。

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

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

はなし途中とちゅうした。
I/someone started to cry in the middle of a conversation.
はなし途中とちゅうした。
I/someone started to cry in the middle of a conversation.

I bought some bread on the way to school.
学校がっこう途中とちゅうパンをった。
I bought some bread on the way to school.
学校がっこう途中とちゅうパンをった。
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トイレにきたくなった。
テストの途中とちゅうトイレにきたくなった。

My passport expired during the trip.
たび途中とちゅうパスポートの期限きげんれた。
たび途中とちゅうパスポートの期限きげんれた。

There was a power outage while baking the cake.
ケーキをいている途中とちゅう停電ていでんになった。
ケーキをいている途中とちゅう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.

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

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