GRAMMAR
〜や否や・〜や
as soon as
no sooner than
Explanation
NOTE
〜や否や means as soon as / no sooner than — a second action happens immediately after the first.
電話が鳴るや否や、彼は出かけた。
No sooner had the phone rung than he went out.
NOTE
It is formal and literary. The two events feel almost simultaneous, with no gap between them.
子供は母を見るや否や、走り出した。
As soon as the child saw his mother, he started running.
や否や follows a dictionary-form verb; the result clause is in the past tense.
NOTE
Attach や否や to a verb in dictionary form. The result clause is usually in the past tense.
STRUCTURE
V辞
や否や家に帰るや否や、彼は眠ってしまった。
Ie ni kaeru ya inaya, kare wa nemutte shimatta.
As soon as he got home, he fell asleep.
先生が入るや否や、教室は静かになった。
Sensei ga hairu ya inaya, kyoushitsu wa shizuka ni natta.
As soon as the teacher entered, the classroom went quiet.
ニュースを聞くや否や、彼女は泣き出した。
Nyuusu o kiku ya inaya, kanojo wa nakidashita.
No sooner did she hear the news than she burst into tears.
彼は部屋に入るや否や、ベッドに倒れ込んだ。
Kare wa heya ni hairu ya ina ya, beddo ni taore-konda.
No sooner had he entered the room than he collapsed onto the bed.
ベルが鳴るや否や、生徒たちは教室を飛び出した。
Beru ga naru ya ina ya, seito-tachi wa kyoushitsu o tobidashita.
As soon as the bell rang, the students ran out of the classroom.
今日の仕事が終わるや否や、彼女は会社を出た。
Kyou no shigoto ga owaru ya ina ya, kanojo wa kaisha o deta.
As soon as today's work finished, she left the office.
NOTE
〜や is the shorter, even more literary form of 〜や否や. It carries the same as soon as meaning.
彼は席に着くや、話し始めた。
As soon as he sat down, he began to speak.
NOTE
Attach や to a verb in dictionary form. It is mostly seen in novels and formal writing.
STRUCTURE
V辞
やドアを開けるや、冷たい風が入ってきた。
Doa o akeru ya, tsumetai kaze ga haitte kita.
As soon as I opened the door, a cold wind came in.
彼女は手紙を読むや、顔色を変えた。
Kanojo wa tegami o yomu ya, kaoiro o kaeta.
As soon as she read the letter, her face changed color.
合図を聞くや、選手たちは走り出した。
Aizu o kiku ya, senshutachi wa hashiridashita.
As soon as they heard the signal, the runners took off.
彼は部屋に入るや、電話が鳴り出した。
Kare wa heya ni hairu ya, denwa ga naridashita.
As soon as he entered the room, the phone started ringing.
先生が教室に来るや、みんなが静かになった。
Sensei ga kyoushitsu ni kuru ya, minna ga shizuka ni natta.
No sooner did the teacher come into the classroom than everyone became quiet.
雨が止むや、子供たちは外へ飛び出した。
Ame ga yamu ya, kodomotachi wa soto e tobidashita.
As soon as the rain stopped, the children ran outside.
Practice exercises
1
電話が鳴るや否や、彼は出かけた。
No sooner had the phone rung than he went out.
Answer
や否や
2
家に帰るや否や、彼は眠ってしまった。
As soon as he got home, he fell asleep.
Answer
や否や
3
先生が入るや否や、教室は静かになった。
As soon as the teacher entered, the classroom went quiet.
Answer
や否や
4
彼は席に着くや、話し始めた。
As soon as he sat down, he began to speak.
Answer
や
5
ドアを開けるや、冷たい風が入ってきた。
As soon as I opened the door, a cold wind came in.
Answer
や
6
彼女は手紙を読むや、顔色を変えた。
As soon as she read the letter, her face changed color.
Answer
や
7
彼は会議室を出るや否や、携帯で連絡しつつあった。
As soon as he left the conference room, he was already contacting someone on his mobile.
Answer
や否や
8
彼が退院するや否や、顔色が見違えるように良くなってからというもの、元気だ。
As soon as he was discharged from the hospital, his complexion improved remarkably, and he's been energetic ever since.
Answer
や否や
9
子供は帰宅するや否や、手を洗うそばから遊び出した。
As soon as the child got home, they started playing the moment they washed their hands.
Answer
や否や
10
信号が青に変わるや否や、車は一斉に発進した。
As soon as the traffic light turned green, the cars all started at once.
Answer
や否や
11
彼は壇上に現れるや否や、割れんばかりの歓声が起こった。
As soon as he appeared on stage, a thunderous cheer erupted.
Answer
や否や