> トイレに行っている **あいだ** に電車が行って **しまった** 。

The choices were either あいだ or ところ but the answer is あいだ.

Google translate it :

> The train went while I was in the bathroom.

I thought it meant :

> I was about to go in the bathroom but the train (was about to) go.

**my questions:**

1. Why not use ところ instead of あいだ? Why should it be あいだ?

2. Is しまった just an expression? Oops? 

3. What is the correct translation?

Thank you
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-20T01:11:32.673
66684
2019-09-22T08:44:39.640
2019-04-20T01:38:33.173
31488
31488
question
translation word-choice expressions particle-に
あいだ, ところ、しまった in a sentence
A ている + ところ means "while doing A". This meaning is similar to the usage of
Verb A + あいだ （間）to indicate "while". However, while the former is usually used
_at the end_ of a sentence

> 本を読ん **でいるところ** です。

the latter can be used _to connect_ two _clauses_ with the particle に:

> トイレに行っている **あいだに** 電車が行ってしまった。

That is the reason why the correct answer is あいだ in spite of having a similar
meaning.

As for the nuance of "about to", it requires the verb before ところ to be in its
dictionary form rather than the ている form, therefore the translation should be
"I was going into the bathroom... ", rather than "I was about to go in the
bathroom...".

The しまった or しまいました is attached to the end of a verb sentence in て form in
order to convey a feeling of regret because the outcome of the verb is not
pleasant or desired. In this case, the speaker regrets that the train went
away, probably because he or she wanted to get on the train but couldn't.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-24T05:56:05.253
67783
2019-04-24T10:01:05.203
2019-04-24T10:01:05.203
32952
32952
66684
answer
1. I think ところ focuses on a point time. On the other hand, あいだ focuses on a period of time. So, トイレに行っているあいだに電車が行ってしまった would be more natural because it implies "While I was going to the toilet."

  2. As Setris said in the comment field, V+てしまう means "An action has been done, and it is not returning to a former state. They express their regret about this." 

  3. My attempt is "The train had left while I was going to the toilet."
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-21T11:00:11.313
71982
2019-09-22T08:44:39.640
2019-09-22T08:44:39.640
7320
7320
66684
answer