# て形＋おく; te + oku



## 涼宮

Could someone explain me with extreme detail what exactly ておく does and when I have to use it?

I have a definition with that grammar but I am not very clear about it yet, and I think there are more usages for that.

The explanation is this:

''ておく is used when _something necessary_ has been finished in order to do the next step or preparation''

But as I said at the beginning I am not very clear about that yet.


よろしくお願いいたします


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## suruten

this is difficult to explain.
ておく has the meaning "preparation" including "predict the bad case not to  happen(I know this is strange English)"  

eg.
In case of rain, I will bring an umbrella. (so that I will not get wet)
雨が降るといけないから、傘を持っておこう。　（ておくchangesておこう）

The another definition "_something necessary_ has been  finished in order to do the  next step" is right. "something necessary to do" is like a job, or you  have to do it for something.
In my experience, you may use this word for your friend or co-worker (in  this definition) so that you can divide the work. the meaning is "leave  it for me. I will do that"

eg.
Your friend:What do you think of this hotel for next trip?
You:It seems good. Thank you for searching it, then I will make a  reservation.

友達：今度の旅行で、このホテルに泊まれればいいなと思うんだけどどう思う？
あなた：これは良さそうだね。探してくれてありがとう。じゃあホテルの予約は取っておくよ。

It is obvious that one of them have to make a reservation of hotel for  the trip(making reservation is_ necessary_ for the trip=_next  step_), so one person takes the job.

eg.
Your Boss: Please copy this file.(for his next work)
You: Yes, sir.
上司：これ、コピーしておいて。（ておくchangesておいて）
あなた：分かりました。


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## 涼宮

ありがとうございました、 But I am confused yet. ''predict the bad case not to happen'' I think you tried to say '' to prevent a bad situation'' didn't you? 

As far as I could understand ておく is used:

1) to prevent a bad situation ( considerated so for you)
2) to do something for something else ( which is supposed to be necessary)

On the other hand I have a doubt with the first sentence you put.

雨が降るといけないから、傘を持っておこう。　Why the verb in volitional? prima facie, for me you are omitting ''と思う I could say that? 傘を持っておこうと思う/思っている

Now I would like to know if my following sentences are correct, I want to be clear with this. 
Please correct me.

1) 彼女の死にを防ぐためには、ボディーガードを召し使っておきます。
In order to prevent her death I will contract a bodyguard.

2)次の回戦を勝っておきたら、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。
If I want to win the next game, I will have to train a lot.


よろしくお願いします。


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## 2407

ておくFor preparations!!! 

For example... you have settled a party with friends at your place, they are coming at 6pm, and now it's 3pm..Still have time...so you put some beers on the fridge...Sooo that, when your friends arrive the beers will be cold)
ビールはれぞこにおいておきます

Another example 

あなたいつもまいごになるから、バッグに地図いれておきました

you always get lost, so I put a map on your bag (I've prepared before)

Hope it helps you...


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## 涼宮

2407 said:


> ておくFor preparations!!!
> 
> For example... you have settled a party with friends at your place, they are coming at 6pm, and now it's 3pm..Still have time...so you put some beers *in *the fridge...Sooo that, when your friends arrive the beers will be cold)
> ビールはれぞこにおいておきます
> 
> Another example
> 
> あなたいつもまいごになるから、バッグに地図いれておきました
> 
> you always get lost, so I put a map* in* your bag (I've prepared before)
> 
> Hope it helps you...


 
Now I am more confused  you say preparations but the japanese person above me said another thing, so I prefer to wait for his opinion.


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## Strutter

涼宮 said:


> Now I would like to know if my following sentences are correct, I want to be clear with this.
> Please correct me.
> 
> 1) 彼女の死にを防ぐためには、ボディーガードを召し使っておきます。
> In order to prevent her death I will contract a bodyguard.
> 
> 2)次の回戦を勝っておきたら、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。
> If I want to win the next game, I will have to train a lot.
> 
> よろしくお願いします。


 
1 is almost good. but, if i transrated
彼女の死を防ぐために、ボディーガードを雇っておきます。

召し使う　is nearly no longer used by.

2 is not good. if i transrated with ～ておく
次の試合を勝っておくためには、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。

(１回戦 and/or 2回戦, ～回戦 is correct, but 回戦 only is strange.)

The following is my opinion.

私がやっておく
I'll do that. (for who or to what/do)

カレンダーに印をつけておく
I mark my calendar. (for who or to what/do)

昨日は早めに寝ておいた
Yesterday, I went to bed early. (for who or to what/do)

SO ~ておく implies (for who or to what/do).


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## 涼宮

ありがとうございました。
Okay..... now I am more confused @_@

Could you someone explain the right use of ておく?

Now you say that ておく is used to do something for who or what reason.

I do not know what believe now... because there have been 3 differents opinions.


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## suruten

Sorry for late reply since I haven't check this internet site recently.
I think 2407 got the point.
"ておくFor preparations" is simple and easy to understand.

 Yes, what I meant is '' to  prevent a bad situation''.
the reason why I use this strange English, ''predict the bad case not to  happen," is,
when I use ておく, I am _predicting_ or _imagining_ a bad situation (but maybe  unconsciously). 

quote 2407 eg,
ビールを冷蔵庫に入れておきます。＝imagine the beer will not be cold in hours.

あなたがいつも迷子になるから、バッグに地図入れておきました。＝predict あなた will get lost.

both two cases entail imagination of a bad case. (of course, to prevent)

however it doesn't have to be a bad case. so, as definition just  preparation is much better.

quote your eg, 
2)次の回戦を勝っておきたら、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。
 If I want to win the next game, I will have to train a lot.

and Strutter corrects 次の試合を勝っておくためには、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。which is good sentence.

In this case you don't imagine bad case, but just to prepare the game.
however I would point this.

if you translate "次の試合を勝っておくためには、いっぱい練習が必要だよ。" into English,
"If I want to win the next game, I will have to train a lot." will be  changed a little.
maybe the exact meaning is like

To prepare the NEXT NEXT (second) game, I have to win the next game. To  win the next game, I need to train a lot.

Of course, this translation is strange, but if you use 次の試合に勝っ”ておく”
I assume there is something important after winning the first game.  Maybe the enemy of second game is very strong and the second game is  much important. Maybe, your goal is not just to win next game but to win  the whole tournament.

on the other hand if you just say 次の試合に勝つために(no ておく)練習がたくさん必要だよ。I don't  assume any next step. 


Sorry I think you are right about this.

>雨が降るといけないから、傘を持っておこう。　Why the verb in volitional? prima facie, for  me  you are omitting ''と思う I could say that? 傘を持っておこうと思う/思っている

In writing Japanese, it's better to add と思う・思っている。

First, I imagine speaking Japanese,, which might puzzle you more...
  so I wrote 傘を持っとこう。which we usually use,, but this is not accurate  Japanese,,,so I change it to持っておこう。

I am beginner for this site, so I was quite surprised you are sensitive  about this.


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## 涼宮

*ホントウニアリガトウゴザイマシタ！*
Now, I am pretty sure I got the point, but I want to be clear like crystal.

次の文を訂正していただけませんか。

1) 最近、お母様の会社はたくさんの収益を落としているみたいです。ですから、いろいろなことをやっておくの。
Recently, as my mother's company seems to be losing a lot of earning, I will do ''certain things'' ( ir order to avoid the complete losing)

2)来年に日本に行くので、たーくさんの金を貯金しておくだよね
As the next year I go to japan I have to save a lot of money.

3)彼女と結婚したかったよ、だからそのために彼女の彼氏を殺しておいたよ。
I wanted to marry her, so I killed her boyfriend.

よろしくお願いします


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## Strutter

You are perfect on the way to use ～ておく!!

There is certain room for improvement not related with ～ておく. Anyway, you seem to get ～ておく!!


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## 涼宮

ほんまおおきに！

ちょっと確かではなかったんですが、今たぶん１００％近いですよ。

私がある次の疑問ために、この所でプスとをすることは間違いありません。

じゃ、ほなな～


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## suruten

涼宮 said:


> *ホントウニアリガトウゴザイマシタ！*
> Now, I am pretty sure I got the point, but I want to be clear like crystal.
> 
> 次の文を訂正していただけませんか。
> 
> 1) 最近、お母様の会社はたくさんの収益を落としているみたいです。ですから、いろいろなことをやっておくの。
> Recently, as my mother's company seems to be losing a lot of earning, I will do ''certain things'' ( ir order to avoid the complete losing)
> 
> 2)来年に日本に行くので、たーくさんの金を貯金しておくだよね
> As the next year I go to japan I have to save a lot of money.
> 
> 3)彼女と結婚したかったよ、だからそのために彼女の彼氏を殺しておいたよ。
> I wanted to marry her, so I killed her boyfriend.
> 
> よろしくお願いします



Yes, I think you understand the way to use ておく。
it's perfect. however the some sentences itself is uncommon. 
this is the example I would write.

1) 最近、お母様の会社はたくさんの収益を落としているみたいです。ですから、いろいろなことをやっておくの。
both sentences are perfect. but いろんなことis too unclear,,,
Maybe I would write, 

ですから、会社がいつ倒産しても良いように、準備をしておくの。

of course, if you add more sentence after the sentence いろんなこと, there is no problem. 
ですから、いろんなことをやっておくの。たとえば仕事をさがしたり、貯金をしたり。
etc

this is just for more natural sentence so don't worry about it.

2)来年に日本に行くので、たーくさんの金を貯金しておくだよね
As the next year I go to japan I have to save a lot of money.

たくさーんのお金を貯金しておこうね。　we don't say おくだよね。I don't know why...

3)彼女と結婚したかったよ、だからそのために彼女の彼氏を殺しておいたよ。
I wanted to marry her, so I killed her boyfriend.

this is scary Japanese.. hahaha. but this is ok. 
殺すis strong word. Maybe I would say 彼氏を始末しておいたよ。 same meaning.

this is just for your study.


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## klassiandreams

The phrase is: 
世界中のドラ開けておいて欲しい.

1) I find the phrasing of this phrase particularly awkward in terms of grammatical structure. Is it grammatically correct?

2) What does oite means in this case? 

Thanks!


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## fitter.happier

Hi!

The sentence is perfectly grammatical. 

The two structures are:

*Vて + おく*
This is used when someone does something to gain a benefit from it in the future. 

E.g. 明日は日本語の授業があるから、復習*しておきます*。
In this sentence, the act of revising (復習する) is purposely done in advance - the day before going to the Japanese class. 


*Vて + 欲しい*
This is just another way of saying Vたい and expresses desire.


Now, back to your original sentence: 世界中のドラ開けておいて欲しい.

開ける + おく → 開けておく
開けておく + 欲しい → 開けておいて欲しい

I'm not sure what ドラ is supposed to mean here. I'm assuming it's a typo... perhaps ドア? If so, the meaning is _I want to open all the doors in the world_. It's most likely a metaphor, but I'm afraid I can't help without further context.


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## Arui Kashiwagi

Grammatically, there should be the particle "を" right after ドラ (and it's very likely ドア).
 => 世界中のドア*を*開けておいて欲しい。

That must be the reason you feel the original sentence awkward. A particle is often omitted in poetry or lyrics when it's obvious.

For 2), fitter's explanation is perfect.


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## John_Doe

Dictionaries discern several meaning of oku as an auxiliary verb. It's an interesting information, but I'm having trouble understanding it. Could you help me with that?



> 当座の処置としてある動作を行う意を表す。
> 「この辺でやめて─」
> 「せっかくだからもらって─か」
> 「〔捨てぜりふで〕よく覚えて─・け！」





> （オ）当座の処置としてひとまず…する意を表す。「もう締め切りは過ぎているが一応あずかるだけあずかって―・く」





> ▲彼の言い分を一応聞いておこう.
> ･この際はっきり言っておくが, 私はこの事件には無関係だ.



I've heard 覚えておけ(おく) and 言っておくけど many times but how those are 当座の処置? As for "もう締め切りは過ぎている...", I have no idea what it is about.

Besides, there are sentences I'd like to discuss where ~teoku is used in ways I don't understand even having read dictionaries and grammar books.

1. (to a friend about his daughter who is wandering around the neighbourhood) んじゃ見つけたらひろっとくわ
2. (the same situation, but the speaker is another person) その時それらしい子がいないか注意しておきます
3. A girls sees how her neighbour tries to get into his own house through an opened window. She quietly withdraws saying そっとしておこう。。。
4. A man pushes another man off  a roof with words 死んどけ!
5. 考えておけ.
6. 任せておけ. I suppose 5&6 are similar to 覚えておけ.
7. (Father to his son) 再婚の件は考えておくよ。
8. (Yotsuba comes by to her friend, Fuuka, in order to thank her for a picture she drawn. Fuuka is away and Yotsuba talks with her older sister, Asagi)
A: 今日はなに？なんか用事？
Y: ふうかにひとこと言っておくことがある!


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## Tonky

John_Doe said:


> I've heard 覚えておけ(おく) and 言っておくけど many times but how those are 当座の処置? As for "もう締め切りは過ぎている...", I have no idea what it is about.


覚えておく/I'll keep it in mind for now, and maybe do something about it later when/if something happens.
言っておく/I'll have you noted for now, and you may understand later or the info may be useful later when/if something happens.
もう締め切りは過ぎているが一応あずかるだけあずかっておく/It's already past the deadline(you missed it), but I'll take and keep it for now just in case [if someone else allows it/if it has something worth checking...it depends].



> 1. (to a friend about his daughter who is wandering around the neighbourhood) んじゃ見つけたらひろっとくわ


I'll pick her up for you for the time-being if I find her (and keep her till you get her).
I think ひろっとく here means to pick her up (give her a ride home), but not sure without more context.


> 2. (the same situation, but the speaker is another person) その時それらしい子がいないか注意しておきます


I'll be checking out for a girl like that (and let you know later).



> 3. A girls sees how her neighbour tries to get into his own house through an opened window. She quietly withdraws saying そっとしておこう。。。


I'll leave him alone for now (but maybe I should do something about it if something happens).



> 4. A man pushes another man off  a roof with words 死んどけ!


Die for now! 
This one is a bit weird, probably more like "Die for me!(to save me from the current situation)" but maybe like いっぺん死んで line you once asked. needs more context.



> 5. 考えておけ.
> 6. 任せておけ. I suppose 5&6 are similar to 覚えておけ.


5. Think about it for now (and maybe later you make a certain decision, or you'll have to deal with it later).
6. Leave it to me here (or in this instance). 
Depends on context, but the speaker may imply that you may have to deal it yourself on another occasion, or maybe telling you that you can leave it to him while you try to get away from the situation you are facing.



> 7. (A father to his son) 再婚の件は考えておくよ。


I'll think about it, and may make a decision later and let you know.


> 8. (Yotsuba comes by to her friend, Fuuka, in order to thank her for a picture she drawn. Fuuka is away and Yotsuba talks with her older sister, Asagi)
> A: 今日はなに？なんか用事？
> Y: ふうかにひとこと言っておくことがある!


I have something to tell you that you should know now. (refer to the top of this post.)

Please note that the above are all temp interpretation without enough context. Does 当座の処置 make sense now?


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## John_Doe

Thank you.



> I have something to tell you that you should know now. (refer to the top of this post.)


Not "you", "Fuuka" who is not present. I should've written "Asagi", not just an "A".

I can conclude from your translations that actions  done as 当座の処置 is a current "step" for something else, that there will be more. It's  similar to the provisional ~te oku, if not the same.

However,  explanations are good thing, but I don't see when it's appropriate to  use ~te oku in this sense. How should I put it?

First, ~te oku just feels abundant in many cases. It's overplanning, overthinking. Why just not say "この後私、出かけますんでその時それらしい子がいないか注意します" (I forgot to post the complete sentence) or "見つけたら拾います（拾ってやる）". As for "覚えておく", it feels OK only if it's about a recurring situation ("I'll learn it in order to handle a situation like this better next time").

Second, virtually all actions  are done for a purpose and after that other actions follow, there's  no end point. To put it bluntly, all of them are 当座の処置 in some way.  Which means all sentences should end with ~te oku, which is clearly not  the case.


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## Tonky

John_Doe said:


> Not "you", "Fuuka" who is not present. I should've written "Asagi", not just an "A".


Just switch "you" with "her" and "she".



> I can conclude from your translations that actions  done as 当座の処置 is a current "step" for something else, that there will be more. It's  similar to the provisional ~te oku, if not the same.
> 
> First, ~te oku just feels abundant in many cases. It's overplanning, overthinking. Why just not say "この後私、出かけますんでその時それらしい子がいないか注意します" (I forgot to post the complete sentence) or "見つけたら拾います（拾ってやる）". As for "覚えておく", it feels OK only if it's about a recurring situation ("I'll learn it in order to handle a situation like this better next time").Second, virtually all actions are done for a purpose and after that other actions follow, there's no end point. To put it bluntly, all of them are 当座の処置 in some way. Which means all sentences should end with ~te oku, which is clearly not the case.


What the interlocutor wants is not to check girls there as the final action, but to find her and let him/her know later. What the speaker can promise for now is to check out the girls around to help him/her. 注意します does not - at least in Japanese pov - convey enough info compared to 注意しておきます which implies that the speaker is doing it for the interlocutor, and the action is FOR the final goal or purpose of the interlocutor finding the daughter.

I've seen many compositions where non-natives did not add ~te-oku in sentences that they should have, but have not seen many that they should not add but they did. Same goes for ~te-yaru/morau/kureru. It is usually easier when we could see errors to find out what is disturbing the learner.

Also, there are many redundant rules and expressions in different ways in most languages


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## John_Doe

> 注意します does not - at least in Japanese pov - convey enough info compared  to 注意しておきます which implies that the speaker is doing it for the  interlocutor, and the action is FOR the final goal or purpose of the  interlocutor finding the daughter.



Then can't we say that -te oku marks actions that are relevant to the established topic? At least, without that requirement we won't understand what the purpose of the declared action is. 

As for the final goal. Consider the following conversation:


> (mother with a printout in her hands) 大塚さんこういうのもらったんだけおど・・・なんだっけ、これ？
> (daughter) 町内会？ ああよつばちゃんちか。 これお隣に渡して書いてもらえばいいのよ。
> (mother) ・・*・じゃやっといて*
> (daughter) うんいいよ



--- You should/need have お隣 fill in this document.
--- Then do it (???)

Is there any final goal here?


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## Tonky

John_Doe said:


> As for the final goal. Consider the following conversation:
> 
> 
> 
> (mother with a printout in her hands) 大塚さんこういうのもらったんだけおど・・・なんだっけ、これ？
> (daughter) 町内会？ ああよつばちゃんちか。 これお隣に渡して書いてもらえばいいのよ。
> (mother) ・・*・じゃやっといて
> (daughter) うんいいよ*
> 
> 
> 
> --- You should/need have お隣 fill in this document.
> --- Then do it (???)
> 
> Is there any final goal here?
Click to expand...

"Do it for me." 
The final goal is to get it done. The mother was supposed to do it but the daughter is doing it(hand it to their neighbor and have them fill it in) for her and others see it as the mother did it instead. 
[Final goal] mother has the work done. 
[Process] 1) daughter gets it done → 2) daughter gives it to mother → 3) mother has it done as final goal
I know it sounds like a trickery, but that is how my mind works.

To make it clearer and more convincing for you, this kind of ~te-oku is one of the ”処置" called "事態収拾" to complete the work and be done with it. 
It is said that there are 3 kinds of ~te-oku; ①準備, ②放置, ③処置. But I personally do not distinguish them much.
If you are interested in these differences and some thesis on it, refer to below pdf-file link (in Japanese)
http://libweb.nagoya-wu.ac.jp/kiyo/kiyo51/jinbun/kojin/20yamamoto.pdf#search='ておく+誤用'


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## John_Doe

Tonky said:


> It is said that there are 3 kinds of ~te-oku; ①準備, ②放置, ③処置. But I personally do not distinguish them much.
> If you are interested in these differences and some thesis on it, refer to below pdf-file link (in Japanese)
> http://libweb.nagoya-wu.ac.jp/kiyo/kiyo51/jinbun/kojin/20yamamoto.pdf#search='ておく+誤用'



I'll try to read this paper. Not sure if I could fully understand its content, though.

For now I'd like to discuss one more example.

A girl with a box of tissues unintentionally bumps into a passerby. Tissues get blown all over the place. A short intense conversation occurs. 

(passerby) いって～な。
(girl) す…　すみません！
(p) 道の真ん中でうろうろしてんじゃねえよ。
(g) ごめんなさい。　あっ！ あの人…　この前の…。(She notices that she met with that man yesterday.)
(p) ティッシュ 片づけておけよ。 (Then he leaves)

I wonder if he used -te oku in order to point out that she needed to clean up the mess first (before she did anything else).


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## Tonky

I'd say he pointed out that she should clean it up before she leaves. 
But as I said in my previous post, some people would like to describe it as 事態収拾, completing the action.


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