かけるkakeru“half-; not yet finished; in the middle of”

かける means half-; not yet finished; in the middle of ~. It is a JLPT N3 grammar pattern used to describe an action or state that is interrupted, unfinished, or halfway done.

This grammar point often appears in neutral Japanese. If you want to describe interrupted, unfinished, or partial actions, かける is a useful pattern to learn.

What does かける mean?

Use かける when you want to describe an action or state that is interrupted, unfinished, or halfway done.

Natural translations include:

• half-; not yet finished; in the middle of ~
• half-; not yet finished; in the middle of ~
• half-; not yet finished; in the middle of

How to form かける

Verb stem + かける / Noun + かける

Examples of the pattern:

• 食べかける
• 話しかける
• 忘れかける

When is かける used?

Use かける in situations like:

• describing interrupted actions
• half-finished meals
• incomplete tasks

Tone and register:

• neutral
• Common in describing interrupted actions, test questions, and written narratives

かける example sentences

• 食べかけのケーキを放置した。 — I left a half-eaten cake.
• 彼に話しかけたが、無視された。 — I started speaking to him, but he ignored me.
• 忘れかけていたことが思い出された。 — Something I had almost forgotten came back to me.
• 書きかけの手紙がある。 — There’s a letter I started writing but haven’t finished.
• 眠りかけた時に電話が鳴った。 — The phone rang when I was about to fall asleep.

After reading each sentence, ask what job かける is doing: describing an action or state that is interrupted, unfinished, or halfway done.

Nuance of かける

The key nuance is always means something is partial or interrupted; never describes completion.

This matters because 〜かける captures in-between states. It is useful for describing things that were started but not finished, or actions that almost happened.

For example:

• In describing interrupted actions, it sounds natural and specific.
• Compared with 途中, it carries a different weight and implication.

かける vs 途中

Both かける and 途中 can express half-, but they are different.

かける:

• half-; attached to verbs to show interruption or partial completion

途中:

• means in the middle of; place or time, not attached to verbs

Quick contrast examples:

• 食事の途中に電話が来た。 — A call came in the middle of the meal.
• 食べかけた。 — I left it half-eaten.

If both translations seem possible, check the tone and structure. Is the grammar attached directly to a verb stem, or is it marking a point in time or space? That distinction often tells you which pattern is natural.

Common mistakes with かける

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using it for completed actions (use 〜た form instead)
• Confusing it with 〜始める (starting) which implies a new beginning
• Attaching it to nouns that don’t describe actions

A helpful practice method is to write one sentence with かける, then rewrite it with 途中.

Is かける on the JLPT?

Yes. かける is commonly taught as JLPT N3 grammar.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for かける

• Say there’s a half-eaten sandwich on the table.
• Describe almost forgetting someone’s name.
• Say you started writing an email but didn’t finish.

Learning path for かける

To learn かける efficiently, review the formation first, then compare it with the closest existing grammar point before writing your own sentence.

1. First, make sure you can form かける without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with 途中.
3. Finally, write sentences where かける is necessary; then check whether replacing it with 途中 changes the meaning.

Related grammar to review next

• 上げる（あげる）・上がる（あがる） — to finish doing.
• 切る（きる） — do completely to the end.
• 切れない（きれない） — cannot finish doing; too much to complete.
• 直す（なおす） — do again; redo.

Learn かける with Hane

If you want to review かける together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you connect grammar, kanji, and vocabulary in short, focused sessions.

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