Getting Ready in Japanese: Mastering V-ておく (te oku)

Introduction

In Japanese, when you want to talk about doing something in advance – whether it’s preparing for a future event or leaving something in a certain state – you use the versatile structure V-ておく (te oku).

This pattern combines the て-form of a verb with the verb 「おく」 (oku). Let’s dive into its meanings and how to use it!

Grammar Structure

The basic pattern is: Verb (て-form) + おく

• Change the verb into its て-form, and then add おく.
• 「おく」 is treated as a regular う-verb for conjugation (e.g., おく → おきます, おいて, おかない, おこう).

If you want to review te-form, check Lesson 6 – Level 1.

Meaning 1: Doing Something in Preparation

The most common meaning of V-ておく is to express that you do an action in advance, in preparation for a future event or for future convenience.

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Think of it as “do ~ in preparation,” “do ~ in advance,” or “get ~ done.”

Example:

• 来週の試験のために、勉強しておきます。
  (Raishuu no shiken no tame ni, benkyou shite okimasu.)
  I’ll study (in preparation) for next week’s exam.
• 明日は早いので、今日朝ご飯を作っておきました。
  (Ashita wa hayai node, kyou asagohan o tsukutte okimashita.)
  Since tomorrow I have an early start, I made breakfast today (in advance).
• 来月旅行に行くので、ホテルを予約しておきます。
  (Raigetsu ryokou ni iku node, hoteru o yoyaku shite okimasu.)
  I’m going on a trip next month, so I’ll book a hotel (in advance).

Meaning 2: Leaving Something As Is (Keeping Status Quo)

V-ておく can also mean to leave something in a certain state, or to leave something undone – essentially, maintaining the current status or putting something aside for later.

The context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.

Example:

• トムはまだ寝ていますね。起こさないでおきましょう。
  (Tom wa mada nete imasu ne. Okosanaide okimashou.)
  Tom is still asleep, isn’t he? Let’s leave him without waking him up. (Meaning: Leave the situation as it is – him sleeping).
• 寒いので、窓を閉めておきます。
  (Samui node, mado o shimete okimasu.)
  This sentence can have two meanings depending on the context:
  1. (If the window is open): It’s cold, so I’ll close the window (in preparation) for it to stay closed. (Meaning 1)
  2. (If the window is already closed): It’s cold, so I’ll leave the window closed (keep the status quo). (Meaning 2)

Practice Time!

First, conjugate these verbs into the ておきます form:

• 保険に入る (hoken ni hairu – to buy insurance)
  → 保険に入っておきます (hoken ni haitte okimasu)
• 旅館を予約する (ryokan o yoyaku suru – to book a Japanese inn)
  → 旅館を予約しておきます (ryokan o yoyaku shite okimasu)
• 薬を飲む (kusuri o nomu – to take medicine)
  → 薬を飲んでおきます (kusuri o nonde okimasu)
• 調べる (shiraberu – to look up/check)
  → 調べておきます (shirabete okimasu)
• 禁煙する (kin’en suru – to quit smoking/make non-smoking)
  → 禁煙しておきます (kin’en shite okimasu)
• 勉強する (benkyou suru – to study)
  → 勉強しておきます (benkyou shite okimasu)

Now, describe what you would do in preparation for the following situations, using V-ておく:

• 来月、日本に旅行します。(Raigetsu, Nihon ni ryokou shimasu.) – I’m going on a trip to Japan next month.
  → 切符/チケットを買っておきます。(Kippu/chiketto o katte okimasu.) – I’ll buy the ticket (in advance).
• 来年、スペインに留学します。(Rainen, Supein ni ryuugaku shimasu.) – I’m going to study abroad in Spain next year.
  → スペイン語を勉強しておきます。(Supeingo o benkyou shite okimasu.) – I’ll study Spanish (in advance).
• 明日は忙しいです。(Ashita wa isogashii desu.) – Tomorrow I’ll be busy.
  → 早く寝ておきます。(Hayaku nete okimasu.) – I’ll go to bed early (in preparation).
• 気分が悪いです。(Kibun ga warui desu.) – I feel sick.
  → 薬を飲んでおきます。(Kusuri o nonde okimasu.) – I’ll take medicine (just in case).
• 週末、デートがあります。(Shuumatsu, deeto ga arimasu.) – I have a date on the weekend.
  → レストランを調べておきます。(Resutoran o shirabete okimasu.) – I’ll look up restaurants (in advance).
  → かわいい服を買っておきます。(Kawaii fuku o katte okimasu.) – I’ll buy cute clothes (in preparation).

Common Mistakes

• Incorrect て-form: Make sure you correctly conjugate the verb into its て-form before adding おく.
  • ❌ Incorrect: 読む → 読みておく (yomiteoku)
  • ✅ Correct: 読む → 読んで (yonde) → 読んでおく (yonde oku)
• Confusing Meanings: Pay attention to the context to distinguish between the “preparation” meaning and the “leave as is” meaning.

FAQ

Conclusion

The V-ておく structure is essential for talking about getting things ready or leaving things as they are. Pay attention to the て-form and the context to use it correctly.

🎯 Try describing some preparations you need to make today using V-ておく!