How to Say “Just Finished” in Japanese with たところ

When you’ve just completed an action and want to tell someone, Japanese uses past short form + ところ. It’s like saying “I just did [something]” with a neutral tone. Let’s learn how to use たところ to express something you just finished.

た + ところ

Just Did (Neutral)

Usage Pattern

[Verb (past short form)] + ところ + です

Details

JLPT Level: N4

How to Use It

This grammar is used when something was just finished a few seconds or moments ago. It refers to the point in time right after the action happened. Unlike ばかり, it doesn’t carry emotion—it’s more about stating the fact.
This is great when someone asks, “What are you doing?” and you reply with something you just completed.

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Example 1

洗濯が終わったところです。

せんたく　が　おわった　ところ　です。

Sentaku ga owatta tokoro desu.

I just finished doing laundry.

Example 2

今、食べたところです。

いま　たべた　ところ　です。

Ima tabeta tokoro desu.

I just ate.

Example 3

メールを送ったところです。

めーる　を　おくった　ところ　です。

Mēru o okutta tokoro desu.

I just sent the email.