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    Dictionary
    1. Dictionary
    2. Grammar
    3. 〜たとたん（に）

    〜たとたん（に）

    〜たとたん（に）

    This means something happened right after another thing. It often shows surprise. Think of it like 'as soon as' or 'the moment that'.

    N3KMT6NeutralStandardAdverbial ConstructionMixedImmediately After LiteraryGrammar

    Verb [た-form] + とたんにPrimary
    Verb [た-form] + とたん

    This means something happened right after another thing. It often shows surprise. Think of it like 'as soon as' or 'the moment that'.

    家いえを出でたとたん、大おお雨あめが降ふってきた。

    The moment I left the house, it started pouring rain.

    NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily LifeWeather & Geography
    疲つかれていたので、ベッドに入はいったとたん、眠ねむってしまった。

    I was so tired that the moment I got into bed, I fell asleep.

    CasualPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily LifeMedicine & Health
    スイッチを入いれたとたん、部へ屋やの電でん気きがつかなかった。

    The moment I flipped the switch, the lights in the room didn't turn on.

    NeutralPastNegativeMid SentenceDeclarativeHome & HousingDaily Life
    犯はん人にんは警けい官かんの姿すがたを見みたとたん、慌あわてて逃にげ出だした。

    The moment the criminal saw the police officer, he panicked and fled.

    FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativePolitics & Law
    夫おっとは帰き宅たくしたとたん、かばんを放ほうり投なげてソファに倒たおれ込こんだ。

    As soon as my husband got home, he threw down his bag and collapsed onto the sofa.

    NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeFamily & RelationshipsDaily Life

    This grammar shows surprise. It means something happened right away. It was not expected. It is like a sudden pop-up. The second thing happens fast after the first.

    This is like other phrases meaning "right after." But this one is more common. It is not as fancy as some other phrases. It means the second thing happened very fast. It often happens when you do not expect it.

    Don't use this when you want to do something. For example, you cannot say, "As soon as I got to the station, I will call my friend."

    Contrasts with(1)

    〜そばから

    This means that right after you do something, something else happens. It often feels like the second thing makes the first thing useless.

    More formal alternatives(1)

    〜そばから

    This means that right after you do something, something else happens. It often feels like the second thing makes the first thing useless.

    Less formal alternatives(4)

    〜が早いか

    This means something happens right after another thing. It is like saying "as soon as" or "the moment that."

    〜や否や（やいなや）

    This means that something happened right after something else. It shows things happened very, very fast.

    〜なり

    This grammar shows that one thing happens right after another. The second thing is often a surprise. The same person usually does both actions.

    〜か〜ないかのうちに

    This means a second thing happens right after a first thing. It shows almost no time passed between them. It can feel sudden or surprising.

    た形

    This shows an action finished in the past. It also shows something that was true before now.

    〜と

    This means that when you do A, B always happens. It is like saying "if you do A, then B happens" or "when you do A, you find B".

    〜たところだ

    This means something just finished. It shows the action ended a moment ago. It focuses on that exact time.

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    Related concepts for this entry

    less_formal_than

    • 〜が早いか
    • 〜や否や（やいなや）
    • 〜なり
    • 〜か〜ないかのうちに

    more_formal_than

    • 〜そばから

    prerequisite

    • た形
    • 〜と
    • 〜たところだ

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