Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 3
Narita, the other way
〜や否や / 〜が早いか ・ 〜なり ・ 〜そばから ・ とっさに
In this lesson, you will learn to say that one thing happened the very moment another did with 〜や否や and 〜が早いか, that someone did something the instant they did something else with 〜なり, that something keeps happening as fast as you deal with it with 〜そばから, and that someone acted on the spur of the moment with とっさに. It is the morning Minju leaves Japan, and Lisa and Ryo see her off at Narita.
By the end you will be able to say
アナウンスが 流れるや否や、友達は 号泣しました。The moment the announcement came on, my friend burst into tears.
ドアが 開くが早いか、子どもが 走って 来ました。No sooner had the door opened than the child came running.
ミンジュは りょうの 顔を 見るなり、吹き出しました。The moment Minju saw Ryo's face, she burst out laughing.
拭くそばから、涙が 出て きました。As fast as I wiped them, the tears kept coming.
ミンジュは とっさに キーホルダーを 手渡して くれました。On the spur of the moment, Minju handed me a key ring.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜や否や / 〜が早いか — the moment (that); no sooner ... than — A verb's dictionary form + や否や or が早いか says the second thing happened the very moment the first one did.
- 〜なり — as soon as (someone did one thing, they did another) — A verb's dictionary form + なり says that the instant someone did one thing, the same person did something else, often something sudden.
- 〜そばから — no sooner ... than (again and again) — A verb + そばから says that every time you do something, it is undone or happens again right away.
- とっさに — on the spur of the moment; without time to think — とっさに says someone acted in an instant, with no time to think.