to do in advance, to leave as is

Te-form plus おく means doing something ahead of time in preparation, or leaving a state as it is. It pairs naturally with 前に and ように clauses about future needs. In casual speech it contracts to とく (買っとく).

Examples

• 旅行りょこうの前まえに、ホテルを予約よやくしておきます。

  Ryokou no mae ni, hoteru o yoyaku shite okimasu.

  I will book a hotel before the trip.

• ビールを冷蔵庫れいぞうこに入いれておきました。

  Biiru o reizouko ni irete okimashita.

  I put the beer in the fridge (so it is ready).

Vocabulary in these examples

• 旅行 trip; travel
• 前 front; before
• ホテル hotel
• 予約 reservation
• する to do
• ビール beer

Related patterns · Te-form compounds

• 〜てしまう to finish completely; to do regrettably
• 〜てみる to try doing and see
• 〜ていく to go on doing, to change from now on
• 〜てくる to start to, to have changed up to now