[quote=masaegu;863042]I would not say that you were not on the right track, but there are more meanings to 〜ておく than just "in preparation for the future". Then again, it is all related to future.
「 晩ご飯を作っておく。」 has at least two meanings.
1. "I will make dinner now so I can eat as soon as I'm done with homework (or something)."
You don't want to cook when you are tired and hungry so you are making it in advance to eat it later by reheating it.
2. "I will make dinner now because I will not be home when you come home for dinner."
Mom might say this.
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I think that makes sense to me now
Quote:
Originally Posted by masaegu
「アメリカにいるうちにニューヨークに行っておいたほ う がいいよ。」
This sentence does not mean what you said. It is never too late to see NY, is it?
This sentence means that the addressee is now in the U.S. (possibly from Japan) so it's a good chance to see NY because once he returns home to Japan, it will not be easy to go to NY.
It's saying "Do it now while it's much easier to do it."
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「忘れないうちに友達に電話しておこう。」
Again you used "before it's too late" when it doesn't say that.
You've got a call to make. There is no specific time limit for it but you would rather call now than forget about it and fail to call.
うちに is the key phrase here.
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Would the difference between
「忘れないうちに友達に電話しよう。」
and
「忘れないうちに友達に電話しておこう。」
be that the first one simply states, 'I should call my friend before I forget.' and the second one is, 'I should call my friend
nowbefore I forget?
Quote:
Originally Posted by masaegu
One more thing. You translated the last sentence with the subject "we" but the phrase is something that you would say to yourself nearly 100% of the time.
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Oops
...does the volitional form (ておこう) in this case mean 'should' or 'probably should'? I tried to look for different volitional form usages... but failed >< so I translated as 'we/let's' because 行こう=let's go?