Activities: How to say when something happened within a period of time in Japanese?

Complete each short dialogue by choosing the correct (or more appropriate) option from the parentheses, depending on context.

1. Your friend has asked you to lend them a book. That is fine with you, but you would like to have the book to be returned before the new school year starts in April.

   • Friend:

     その本、貸してくれる？
     Sono hon, kashite kureru?
     Can I borrow that book?

   • You:

     うん、いいけど、4月1日 （ まで / までに ） 返してね。新学期から授業で使うから。 Un, ii kedo, shigatsu tsuitachi (made / made ni) kaeshite ne. Shingakki kara jyugyō de tsukau kara. Yes, that is fine, but return it to me by April 1st. I will be using it for a class from the new semester.

     Check Answer

2. You have been away from your hometown for several years.

   • You:

     しばらく帰らない （ 間 / うちに ） 本当にここは変わったなぁ。 Shibaraku kaeranai (aida / uchi ni) hontō ni koko wa kawatta nā. Things have really changed around here while I was away (lit. while I haven’t been back) for a while.

     Check Answer

   • Friend:

     でしょ？店も増えたけど、住宅地も増えたんだよ。
     Desho? Mise mo hueta kedo, jūtakuchi mo huetanda yo.
     Right? The number of shops has increased, but so have the residential areas.

3. You have been in Japan as an exchange student, but your stay is coming to an end. Your landlord asks you when you are leaving.

   • Landlord:

     もう帰っちゃうなんて、寂しくなるわねぇ。いつ日本を発つの？
     Mō kaecchau nante, sabishiku naru wa nee. Itsu nihon o tatsu no?
     We will miss you when you leave. When will you depart Japan?

   • You:

     8月です。こちらのアパートには夏休みが始まる ( まで / までに ) いて、少し旅行をした後、国に帰ろうと思っています。 Hachigatsu desu. Kochira no apāto ni wa natsuyasumi ga hajimaru (made / made ni) ite, sukoshi ryokō o shita ato, kuni ni kaerō to omotte imasu. (In) August. I'm staying at this apartment until the start of summer vacation, and I'm thinking of traveling around a bit and then going back to my country.

     Check Answer

4. You work at a company. You want to tell your boss that there was a call from a client while he was gone:

   • You:

     部長がいらっしゃらない （ 間に / 間 ） 、XYZ社の伊藤様よりお電話がありました。 Buchō ga irassyaranai (aida ni / aida), XYZ-sha no Itō-sama yori odenwa ga arimashita. Ms. Ito from XYZ company called while you are not here.

     Check Answer

   • Boss:

     そうか。ありがとう。
     Sō ka. Arigatō.
     I see. Thanks.

5. You work as a baby-sitter and you are reporting how the baby has been to the mother.

   • Mother:

     今日はどうだったかしら？
     Kyō wa dō datta kashira?
     How was (the baby) today?

   • You:

     今日はお母様がお出かけしている （ 間に / 間 ） ずっとご機嫌でしたよ。 Kyō wa okāsama ga odekake shite iru (aida ni / aida) zutto gokigen deshita yo. (The baby) was happy the whole time you were out today.

     Check Answer

Your friend, Maki, called you and said that she suddenly has to go back to her parents’ place for a week or so. She is leaving tomorrow and worried about her cat because she can’t take him with her. You want to help take care of him.