GRAMMAR DETAIL

～たところだ

have just done

Follows the past form of a verb to indicate that an action was completed just moments ago.

Examples

駅に着いたところです。

I have just arrived at the station.

ちょうど会議が終わったところです。

The meeting has just ended.

今、空港に到着したところです。

I have just arrived at the airport.

Structure: A verb's た form takes ところだ to mark the moment just after completion.
Basic usage: 駅に着いたところです。 means having just arrived at the station.

Immediately afterward and subjectively recent
- 着いたところだ presents the scene immediately after arrival. 着いたばかりだ focuses on the speaker's sense that little time has passed and can cover a wider interval.
The action and the reference point
- 着いたところだった means having just arrived at a particular past moment. The earlier 着いた marks completion, while the final だった places the reference point in the past.