JLPT N1 Grammar

〜なり (nari)

〜なり (nari)
"As soon as; the moment that"

This expression is used to describe a situation where Action B occurs almost instantaneously and unexpectedly after Action A. It focuses on the split-second transition between two events.

  • Formality: Neutral to Formal. It is primarily a written expression or used in formal storytelling/reporting.
  • Context: Commonly found in novels, news reports, or business post-mortem reports to describe sudden reactions or technical failures. It is rarely used in casual daily conversation.
  • Nuance: The subject of the sentence is usually a third person, not the speaker.
    • The second action (Action B) is often something unexpected, impulsive, or out of the ordinary.
    • It cannot be used to express the speaker's own future intentions or requests (e.g., "As soon as I get home, I will call you" should use ~shidai instead).

Format

  • Verb (Dictionary Form) + なり
    彼は私の顔を見るなり、泣き出した。 The moment he saw my face, he burst into tears.
    部長は資料を受け取るなり、部屋を出て行った。 As soon as the manager received the documents, he walked out of the room.

Example sentences

  • 、。
    As soon as the section manager read the email, his expression changed and he headed for the meeting room.
  • 、。
    The moment the new employee started up the PC, it unfortunately froze.
  • 、。
    As soon as she got home, she flung her bag onto the floor.
  • 、。
    The moment the system power was turned on, a warning buzzer rang out.
  • 、。
    As soon as that politician received the question, he flew into a rage and left his seat.
  • 、。
    The moment the president entered the office, he summoned his secretary.
  • 、。
    The moment the child saw their mother's face, perhaps out of relief, they burst into tears.
  • 、。
    As soon as the culprit spotted the police officer, he fled into a back alley.
  • 、。
    The moment he took a sip of the water from the glass, he spat it out.
  • 、。
    As soon as the app launched, it force-closed.

Similar Grammar

〜そばから (soba kara)

“As soon as (repeatedly)”
掃除するそばから、子供が部屋を散らかす。 As soon as I clean, the kids mess up the room.

Difference:

  • Used for events that happen repeatedly and often with a sense of frustration. ~nari is a one-time sudden event.

〜が早いか (ga hayai ka)

“As soon as; no sooner than”
ベルが鳴るが早いか、生徒たちは教室を飛び出した。 No sooner had the bell rung than the students dashed out of the room.

Difference:

  • Very similar to ~nari, but emphasizes that the two actions happened almost simultaneously.
  • ~nari focuses slightly more on the reaction or the immediate result.

〜や否や (ya ina ya)

“As soon as; the moment that”
彼はその知らせを聞くや否や、飛び出していった。 As soon as he heard the news, he rushed out.

Difference:

  • Also very similar, but ~ya ina ya is slightly more formal/literary and can be used for the speaker’s own instantaneous reactions more comfortably than ~nari.

〜かと思ったら (ka to omottara)

“Just when I thought...”
空が暗くなったかと思ったら、雨が降り出した。 Just when I thought the sky turned dark, it started raining.

Difference:

  • Used when the speaker is surprised by a quick change.
  • It implies the speaker's observation ("I thought X happened, and then Y suddenly happened").

〜次第 (shidai)

“As soon as (and then)”
準備ができ次第、ご連絡いたします。 As soon as preparations are ready, I will contact you.

Difference:

  • Used for planned future actions.
  • Unlike ~nari, it is not used for past unexpected events or impulsive reactions.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. はにする（　　　）、をし。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q2. がした（　　　）、はの一途をたどった。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. ながし（　　　）、してください。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q4. はに（　　　）、ににを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. を（　　　）、はもせずにした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. が（　　　）、がすべてするわけではない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. はを（　　　）、のにした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. が（　　　）、またのがした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. のを（　　　）、。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q10. が（　　　）、たちはを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. のを（　　　）、はをした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q12. なを（　　　）、でするとは。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. のは、が（　　　）、まで。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q14. が（　　　）、のはにした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. はに（　　　）、で。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Continue Your Journey to Native-Level Fluency

Great work finishing this session! Achieving N1-level precision is about layering these subtle distinctions until they become second nature in your professional life.

To maintain your momentum and eliminate any remaining blind spots, head back to our JLPT N1 Grammar List. Use it to systematically check off each point and refine your ability to navigate complex Japanese environments with the confidence of a native speaker.

JLPT N1 Grammar List

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