Hi, chrisv-san, Kon ban wa! > A) バスを降りるとき。。。 > B) バスを降りているとき。。。 > C) バスを降りるにつれて。。。 The first expression A) is the present tense in Japanese. It would be translated as "when I get off the bus". The last two expressions can be taken as both the present and past tenses according to the context. Strictly speaking, B) has to be "バスを降りていたとき..." when it is the past tense. > I want to say, "As I was getting off the bus". In this case, those options should be as follows using the past tense, A) バスを降りたとき... B) バスを降りているとき... or バスを降りていたとき... C) バスを降りるにつれて... (=:= バスを降りていると次第に... or バスを降りていたら次第に...), and you should use C) to mean the above. > A means "When I got off the bus" or "Just before I got off the bus" (it can mean either of those right?). The latter should be "Just 'after' I got off the bus". Note that if A) is used in the present tense, i.e., A) バスを降りるとき..., it would have somehow different nuance; you are talking about somebody's habits or something general, such a word of cautions, rules and so on. Here's an example. * バスを降りるときは、足元に気を付けてください。 * When you get off the bus, please watch your steps. > B means "While I was getting off the bus" > C means "As I was getting off the bus" You're right about those two expressions, but just for confirmation, please take a look at the following explanations. B) is used to describe some specific or individual cases in both the present and past tenses, while A) in the present tense to describe habits or something general. Here's an example. * バスを降りて いる/いた とき、100円玉を見付けた。 * While/When I was getting off the bus, I found 100-yen coin. C) is used when something is gradually changing or approaching to some specific state as you are/were getting off the bus. Here's an example (Sorry, it's difficult for me to come up with a good example whose subject is "you" or "I".). * 乗客たちがバスを降りるにつれて、車体が傾いた。 * As the passengers were getting off the bus, its body inclined. Is everything clear to you? HTH

降りるとき = just before (literally getting off the bus) 降りたとき = just after 降りる = the moment where you step off the the bus. In English "getting off" means the whole process of getting out of your chair to the point of alighting. Bear that in mind when trying to express it in Japanese. I think you're looking for: バスを降りるとき. バスを降りている = I have gotten off the bus; I am off the bus