The core meaning
新しい仕事を始めるにあたって、目標を決めました says that setting goals was part of preparing to start the job. The expression connects a consequential undertaking with a deliberate step, feeling or statement at its outset. You will meet it in openings of speeches, business messages, notices and essays. It can also make a personal reflection sound formal and considered.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 留学するにあたって、保険を確認しました。 | Ryūgaku suru ni atatte, hoken o kakunin shimashita. | Before studying abroad, I checked my insurance. |
| 新しい仕事を始めるにあたって、目標を決めました。 | Atarashii shigoto o hajimeru ni atatte, mokuhyō o kimemashita. | As I began my new job, I set goals. |
How to form it
Use an event noun or a dictionary-form verb before にあたって: 就職にあたって, 留学するにあたって. にあたり is a more written variant. Before a noun, にあたっての is possible: 留学にあたっての準備. The event is usually upcoming or beginning, not an incidental action already over.
| Use | Japanese form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Event noun | 就職にあたって | On starting a job |
| Verb | 留学するにあたって | In preparing to study abroad |
| Written | 開業にあたり | On opening a business |
Natural examples
Read each sentence for the relationship between the first idea and the second. The English translation gives a natural meaning, while the Japanese wording shows exactly where the pattern attaches.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 開業にあたり、ご協力に感謝いたします。 | Kaigyō ni atari, go-kyōryoku ni kansha itashimasu. | As we open the business, we thank you for your support. |
| 面接にあたって、会社について調べました。 | Mensetsu ni atatte, kaisha ni tsuite shirabemashita. | I researched the company in preparation for the interview. |
Compare the nearby pattern
に際して also marks a formal occasion and often overlaps. にあたって frequently draws attention to preparation or mindset at the start. とき gives only the time, without adding formal weight. For a routine errand, スーパーに行くとき is far more natural than スーパーに行くにあたって.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 旅行するとき、切符を買います。 | Ryokō suru toki, kippu o kaimasu. | I buy a ticket when I travel. |
| 留学にあたって、住む場所を探しました。 | Ryūgaku ni atatte, sumu basho o sagashimashita. | In preparing to study abroad, I looked for a place to live. |
The two examples may describe similar situations, but they lead the listener to different conclusions. Choose the form that matches the claim you really intend to make.
Common mistake to avoid
Avoid using にあたって to connect unrelated events: 試験にあたって雨が降った does not show a meaningful preparation or occasion response. 試験の日に雨が降った describes the weather more plainly. Choose a second clause that belongs to the undertaking.
- An important undertaking is about to begin
- Noun or dictionary-form verb + にあたって
- The next clause often names preparation or resolve
- にあたり is more written
Try it yourself
Write two lines for the start of a new job or study program: name the undertaking with にあたって and state one concrete preparation. Then rewrite them in casual Japanese with とき.
Say your sentence once slowly while looking at the Japanese pattern. Then say it again without reading. If your second clause changes from a possibility to a fact, or from advice to a requirement, revise it so the grammar still matches your meaning.