A 時 B
Came across this card in the Migaku course. The sentence I had a bit of issue getting through was:
フランスへ行く時、帽子を買う。
Order of actions implied:
- Buy the hat
- Go to France
So the translation is more like: When I go to France (on the way there/before leaving), I will buy a hat.
Scenario: You are at the airport in your home country or shopping a week before your flight.
AI suggested a helpful way to remember this: Think of the dictionary form (行く) as “the act of going has not been completed yet.” Therefore, the hat-buying happens while “going” is still a future or ongoing plan.
Another example sentence makes this more obvious:
学校へ行く時、傘を持っていく。
Before going to school, I will bring the umbrella.
If it were:
フランスへ行った時、帽子を買う。
This one is pretty obvious buy a hat AFTER getting to France.