What would be the difference between 〜ようというときに and 〜ようとしたときに?


  1. 電車に乗ろうとしたときにドアが閉まって乗れなかった。

  2. 電車に乗ろうというときにドアが閉まって乗れなかった。

  3. ちょうど彼が出かけようとしたときに大地震があった。

  4. ちょうど彼が出かけようというときに大地震があった。

Hi. I have found some sample sentences on the internet. Are all the above
sentences fine? If so, can I think 〜ようというときに and 〜ようとしたときに are usually
interchangeable, if not always?

And could you show me the occasions where the two patterns are not
interchangeable?

And generally what would be the difference between 〜ようというときに and 〜ようとしたときに?
Thank you.




～うというとき tends to refer to a little earlier timing than ～うとしたとき.

～うとし **た** とき means the subject has already started to take that action.
出かけようとしたとき usually means he has stood up and started to go to the door at
least. On the other hand, ～というとき means the subject _thought_ he should start
that action. 出かけようというとき basically refers to the time point where he thought
"Okay I have to go now", maybe still holding a coffee cup. That said, this
distinction is largely subjective, and it's impossible to draw a clear line.
One may say 出かけようとし **た** just by thinking "I have to go now".

Among your example sentences, 1, 3, and 4 are perfectly natural, but 2 looks
slightly off to me because 電車に乗ろうというとき probably means this person has not even
started to walk.




～うというとき tends to refer to a little earlier timing than ～うとしたとき.

～うとし **た** とき means the subject has already started to take that action.
出かけようとしたとき usually means he has stood up and started to go to the door at
least. On the other hand, ～というとき means the subject _thought_ he should start
that action. 出かけようというとき basically refers to the time point where he thought
"Okay I have to go now", maybe still holding a coffee cup. That said, this
distinction is largely subjective, and it's impossible to draw a clear line.
One may say 出かけようとし **た** just by thinking "I have to go now".

Among your example sentences, 1, 3, and 4 are perfectly natural, but 2 looks
slightly off to me because 電車に乗ろうというとき probably means this person has not even
started to walk.

