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GRAMMAR
〜掛けに
on the way to
Explanation
NOTE

〜掛がけに means on the way (to/from doing something) — an action done in passing, while heading somewhere.

帰かえり掛がけにスーパーに寄よった。
On the way home, I stopped by the supermarket.
帰り (return) + 掛けに = while heading home. The action 寄った happens during that journey.
NOTE

It attaches only to verbs of movement (going, coming, leaving, returning). Common fixed forms: 行いき掛がけに, 帰かえり掛がけに, 出で掛がけに.

NOTE

Form: take the ます-stem of a movement verb and add 掛けに (行きます → 行いき掛がけに).

STRUCTURE
Vます
<ruby>掛<rt>が</rt></ruby>けに
行いき掛がけにポストに手紙てがみを出だした。
Iki gake ni posuto ni tegami o dashita.
On my way there, I dropped the letter in the mailbox.
出で掛がけに雨あめが降ふり始はじめた。
De gake ni ame ga furi hajimeta.
Just as I was leaving the house, it started to rain.
帰かえり掛がけに同僚どうりょうと食事しょくじをした。
Kaeri gake ni douryou to shokuji o shita.
On the way home, I had a meal with a colleague.

Practice exercises

1
店みせへ寄より掛がけに、用事ようじは疾とっくに済すんだ。
On the way to stop by the store, the errand was already finished long ago.
Answer
寄より掛がけに
2
出張しゅっちょうへ向むかい掛がけに、会議かいぎの準備じゅんびの最中さいちゅうだった。
On the way to a business trip, I was in the middle of preparing for the meeting.
Answer
向むかい掛がけに
3
旅先たびさきへ出発しゅっぱつし掛がけに、確認かくにんしてからでないと安心あんしんできなかった。
On the way to depart for the travel destination, I couldn't feel at ease unless I confirmed.
Answer
出発しゅっぱつし掛がけに
4
将来しょうらいへ進すすみ掛がけに、過去かこを振ふり返かえった。
On the way to the future, I looked back at the past.
Answer
進すすみ掛がけに
5
夢ゆめを追おい掛がけに、思おもいががけない出会であいがあった。
On the way to chasing my dream, I had an unexpected encounter.
Answer
追おい掛がけに