JLPT N3
上で
After / Upon / In terms of
Structure
Verb た-form 上で
How it works
The grammar 'Verb (Ta-form) + 上で' indicates that action A must be completed as a necessary preparation or prerequisite before action B takes place. It is a formal expression used when a decision or important next step follows a specific deliberate action, such as consulting, checking, or thinking. Unlike 'てから', it implies a stronger logical connection where the first action is a foundation for the second.
Examples
内容を確認した上で、サインをお願いします。
Please sign this after confirming the contents.
家族と相談した上で、決めるつもりです。
I intend to decide after consulting with my family.
実物を見た上で、買うかどうか考えます。
I will think about whether to buy it or not after seeing the actual product.
Common mistakes
Do not use this for simple daily sequences (e.g., 'after eating breakfast, I went to school'); use '〜てから' for chronological events that don't require the first task as a prerequisite.
Tip
Think of this as 'Action A is the foundation for Action B.' If you can replace it with 'First do A, then based on that, do B,' then '上で' is appropriate.
More JLPT N3 grammar
See 上で in real Japanese
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