As soon as A, B
3
彼は私を見つけるや否や駆け寄ってきた。
He rushed over to me as soon as he found me.
2
彼らは話し始めるや否や意気投合した。
They hit it off the moment they began talking.
3
彼女は話を聞くや否や猛然と歩きだした。
As soon as she heard the story, she began to walk fiercely.
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
聞かれるや素早く答える (answer promptly as soon as asked)
入るや否や振り向いて出る (as soon as (she) entered, (she) turned and left)
Related Expressions
が早いか
Where this grammar is found
User notes
まことまじま
Level: 442
(3 years ago)
One action follows on the heels of another. Often the second action is an unexpected reaction to the first. The pattern や否や describes something real so it does not appear at end of sentences that express volitional actions, such as よう or つもり , or in commands or negatives. In these situations, たらすぐ can be used.
1
deshibaka
Level: 13
(4 years ago)
The difference between が早いかand や否やis the result. For the が早いかthe result is normally happened. For the や否やmust be something that rarely happened.
0
mysticfive
Level: 1610
(13 years ago)
this pattern is functionally the same as, but more formal than, が早いか
2
Discussion about this grammar
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