This is the third one for us to learn “V-te okimasu”. Both A3 and A4 are “V-te okimasu ” to express doing a preparation (A3) and handling a situation (A4). A common nature between A2 and A3 is positively making action for the matter with prediction about near future.
1. Ichigakki ga Hajimaru Mae ni, Kyoukasho o Katte okimasu. —<A3>
(Before the first semester starts, I will buy the textbooks.)
In the sentence 1, prediction about near future is the semester’s start, and action is buying textbooks.
2. Ban-Gohan ga Owatta ra, Chawan ya Osara o Aratte okimasu. —<A4>
(I will wash Rice bowls, dishes and so on when the supper is over.)
In the sentence 2, prediction about near future is that supper ends, and action is washing dishes.
But today’s A5 is not to express positively making action but to express intentionally leaving the matter as is. Since the speaker of A5 sentences still predicts near future, some times it is difficult to make a judgement if the “V-te okimasu” is making action or leaving it as is. For example;
3. Ashita, Uchiawase ga Arimasu kara, Isu o Narabete okimasu.
(Since we’ll a small meeting tomorrow, I am going to arrange the chairs.)
4. Ashita, Uchiawase ga Arimasu kara, Isu wa Soko ni Narabete okimasu.
(Since we’ll a small meeting tomorrow, I am leaving those chairs lining up there.)
where; Uchiawase ; noun(-suru); a small scale meeting
Do you find the difference between 3 and 4? “Isu o” in 3 turns to be “Isu wa Soko ni” in 4.
– “Isu o” means that “Isu” is the object of transitive verb action “Naraberu”. Probably in the sentence 3, the action “Isu o Naraberu” will be done by positive action.
– “Isu wa” means that the object “Isu o” has changed to be the topic, because the particle “wa” is the topic marker. And usually a word with “wa” is common to both speaker and listener. In addition, the word for place “Soko ni” implies that both speaker and listener are looking the chairs there. Therefore, chairs are not going to be lined up from now, but they are already there.
Now it is clear that the sentence 3 expresses positively making action, while the 4 expresses intentionally leaving as is. In order to make easier to distinguish when the sentence expresses intentionally leaving the matter as it is, it is good to use an adverb. It is;
Sonomama(ni); Adverb ; As-is
5. Ashita, Uchiawase ga Arimasu kara, Isu wa Sonomama ni Shite okimasu.
(Since we’ll a small meeting tomorrow, I am leaving the chairs as is now.)
For your exercise, read and practice the following conversations;
A: Kono Heya o Souji Shi mashouka. (Shall I clean this room?)
B: Asita Minna de Souji Shimasu kara, Sonomama ni Shite oite kudasai.
(Since I and my colleagues will clean here tomorrow, please leave it there.)
A: Mado o Shimete, Eakon o Tsuke mashouka. (Shall I close the window and turn on the AC?)
B: Eakon wa* Kowarete imasu kara, Mado wa Sonomama Akete oite kudasai.
(Since the Air-Conditioner broke, Leave the window open. )
* : Usually “ga” is used as subject maker inside a conditional clause in order to clarify what the subject of the condition. However in this conversation, the person A has already mention “Eakon”. Since the “Eakon(Air-Conditionet)” is shared between the two people, “wa” is used even though it is a conditional clause.
A: Ano Soujiki o Shimai mashouka. (Shall I put that vacuum cleaner back?)
B: Watashi ga Kore kara Tsukai masu kara, Sonomama Oite* oite** kudasai.
(Since I am going to use it from now, please leave it there.)
* Oite : This is Te-form of a verb “Oku/Okimasu”, usually written with Kanji “置いて”
** oite : This is Te-form of a helping verb “oku/okimasu”, usually written in Hiragana “おいて”.
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This post was written with reference to the exercise A5 on Section30 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”
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