30310
I am very confused by this sentence but looking at some google searches it
seems like this is relatively common phrase, but I am having a very difficult
time understanding its meaning and usage.

I understand 「眠ってる場合」, but its usage in combination with こんなところで and ではない is a
little too abstract for me to understand why this is a natural sentence. I
think I have trouble with more abstract notions of "place" in Japanese and
that might be why I am so confused by this sentence.

I was told that this might be something that is said if you are sleepy but
have an exam the next day, and the combination of words used in this phrase
leads me to believe it is true, but I do not get that meaning if I try to
break down the sentence using what I know about Japanese grammar.

Is it common to use this structure? こんなところで～場合ではない in other contexts? If yes,
could you provide some alternative common phrases?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-08T11:14:06.323
30287
2016-01-10T07:19:03.657
10196
question
grammar
Meaning of こんなところで眠ってる場合ではない
The meaning of `こんなところで〜場合ではない` is `It's not a situation that I/you should
spend time for something`.

But for me `ではない` sounds bit too formal or contrived, in normal conversation
it's better to use `じゃない` instead.

For example when you meet your friends on the way to an appointment, you may
chat a bit and want to talk more, but there is no time for it. In the
situation like this you could say: `こんなところでおしゃべりしてる場合じゃなかった`.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-08T11:24:55.410
30288
2016-01-08T11:24:55.410
11556
30287
answer
> 「(こんなところで) + Verb Phrase in ている/てる Form + [場合]{ばあい}ではない 」

is a very common set phrase meaning:

> "Now is not the time to ~~ (in a place/at a time like this)!"
>
> "I am not supposed to be (verb + ing) here/now!"

「[場合]{ばあい}」, in this phrase, means "circumstances" rather than "case".

「ところ」 here can refer to a spatial and/or temporal point. One should **_not_**
just take the usual dictionary definition of "place" to understand it.

This expression can be used both when:

1) one has actually started doing the thing one should not be doing ("Damn!
How the heck could I actually be doing this when I should be doing ~~
instead!")

2) one finds oneself thinking about doing it. (Oops! I shouldn't be thinking
'bout **_that_** now, should I? I've gotta concentrate on writing my answer to
this question!)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-09T02:39:20.437
30310
2016-01-10T07:19:03.657
2016-01-10T07:19:03.657
9831
30287
answer
This breaks down into 'this is not the time/place to be (doing) X!'

Essentially, someone is doing something at a time or place they shouldn't be
and someone is telling them off.

@ironsand - ではない isn't necessarily formal, it just conveys a bit more of a
harsh tone here. Like, you want to really emphasise the point that this is not
the place to be doing X. Going out of your way to use the full grammatical
construct is kind of akin to when your parents used your full name (including
middle name) to tell you off when you did something naughty. It had more
impact.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-09T03:08:02.727
30312
2016-01-09T03:08:02.727
12106
30287
answer