ておく (do something in advance, or leave it as it is) fuses into とく: 言っておく → 言っとく, 置いておく → 置いとく. Comedians love 言っとくけど, “let me tell you”, right before a ridiculous claim.
Everyday speech. 言っとくけど (“just so you know”) can sound like a warning.
At the end of their act, the duo argue about whether something is impossible for the next Olympics.
Culture note A 'kanpe' is a cue card held up off-camera to tell performers what to say.
I'll go ahead and send this cue card!
Textbookこのカンペを送っておきます。'〜ておく' contracts to '〜とく': '送っておく' becomes '送っとく', with casual 'わ' added for emphasis.
Someone learns their friend's entire savings are 130,000 yen and tells the friend to keep it safe, but the friend refuses.
You keep it put away, that 130,000.
Textbookその13万円は、しまっておいてください。「しまっておく」 contracts 「ておく」 to 「とく」: 「しまっとく」. 「んだよ」 makes it a firm instruction; 「その13万は」 is moved to the end.
A performer looks back on doing sketches over and over with a partner named Hiro.
for the first minute, we'd set it up like it's a doctor,
Textbook最初の1分間は医者として振っておいて、実はただの一般人だったというコントでした。「振っておいて」 → 「振っといて」: 「ておく」 ('do ahead') contracts to 「とく」, so 「ておいて」 becomes 「といて」, setting up the premise first.
One performer is going through a list of couples' weddings and admits they barely know the third couple.
Whoa, just leave them alone, man! A wedding for people you don't even know?
Textbookちょっと、放っておいてあげてください。面識のない方の結婚式ですよ。「ほっといて」 is contracted 「放っておいて」: 「〜ておく」 becomes 「〜とく」, so 「放っておく」→「ほっとく」. 「やれよ」 is a blunt order.
One person spreads out a handkerchief for the other to sit on, but there is something strange on it.
I'm good, I'll stay standing.
Textbook私はいいです。立っておきます。"立っておく" contracts to "立っとく" (ておく→とく), meaning "I'll stay standing for now"; "私はいいです" becomes casual "私いいや".
Two people are sorting belongings into things to keep and things to throw away, and they disagree about each item.
I'm keeping it.
Textbook取っておきますよ。「取っておく」 (keep it, set it aside): 「ておく」 contracts to 「とく」, giving casual 「取っとく」, plus 「よ」.
From other routines in the library. Automatic transcripts, not yet checked line by line.
〜とく means “do it ahead / leave it”. ておく (do something in advance, or leave it as it is) fuses into とく: 言っておく → 言っとく, 置いておく → 置いとく. Comedians love 言っとくけど, “let me tell you”, right before a ridiculous claim.
With friends: OK. With coworkers: OK. With a boss or teacher: careful. Everyday speech. 言っとくけど (“just so you know”) can sound like a warning.
In 1,905 live comedy routines, 〜とく appears in 114 lines from 64 comedians, and the textbook 〜ておく in 155 lines.