JLPT N1 Grammar

〜や否や (ya ina ya)

〜や否や (ya ina ya)
"The moment...; as soon as..."

This expression describes an action that happens immediately after another. The "否 (ina)" literally means "no" or "not," so the phrase carries the literal sense of "whether the first action had finished or not," emphasizing that the second action followed without a second's delay.

  • Formality: Highly formal and literary.
  • Context: Used in written Japanese, news reports, and formal literature. It is not used in daily conversation. Like 〜が早いか, it is used to describe objective facts and is generally not used for the speaker's own intentions, requests, or commands.
  • Nuance: It captures a sense of suddenness or a burst of activity. It often implies that the second action was a direct, almost reflexive response to the first.

Format

  • Verb (Dictionary Form) + や否や
    空が暗くなるや否や、激しい雨が降り出した。 The moment the sky turned dark, heavy rain began to fall.

Example sentences

  • 、。
    The moment the president took the podium, the venue fell silent.
  • 、。
    As soon as he got home, he jumped to the phone without even taking off his shoes.
  • 、。
    The moment the election campaign began, a battle of mutual criticism unfolded among the candidates.
  • 、。
    As soon as the new OS was released, many users started downloading it.
  • 、。
    The moment the scandal was discovered, the stock price crashed.
  • 、。
    As soon as the bell rang, she picked up the receiver.
  • 、。
    The moment the shop opened, the line flowed into the store.
  • 、。
    As soon as the truth became clear, public opinion completely changed.
  • 、。
    The moment the signal was sent, the athletes all started at once.
  • 、。
    As soon as his work reached a stopping point, he started making vacation plans.

Similar Grammar

〜が早いか (ga hayai ka)

“As soon as; the moment that”
バスが止まるが早いか、乗客が降りてきた。 The moment the bus stopped, the passengers came out.

Difference:

  • Almost identical in meaning and formality.
  • 〜や否や slightly emphasizes the "was it or was it not finished" aspect.

〜なり (nari)

“As soon as; the moment”
彼はその手紙を読むなり、破り捨てた。 The moment he read the letter, he tore it up and threw it away.

Difference:

  • Often implies a more impulsive, personal, or unexpected reaction from a third person.

〜か〜ないかのうちに (ka...nai ka no uchi ni)

“Just as; before even finishing...”
布団に入るか入らないかのうちに眠ってしまった。 I fell asleep almost before even getting into bed.

Difference:

  • Emphasizes that the two actions were so close they almost overlapped.

〜たとたんに (ta totan ni)

“Just as; the moment”
窓を開けたとたんに、強い風が入ってきた。 The moment I opened the window, a strong wind blew in.

Difference:

  • Much less formal than 〜や否や.
  • Can be used for personal physical reactions or simple daily events.

〜そばから (soba kara)

“As soon as... (repeatedly)”
片付けるそばから散らかる。 It gets messy as soon as I tidy it up.

Difference:

  • Focuses on a repetitive, often frustrating cycle.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. がを（　　　）、たちはに。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q2. を（　　　）、またがというに。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. （　　　）、はへと。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q4. のが（　　　）、彼はのを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. のを（　　　）、にが。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. はを（　　　）、そうにを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. を（　　　）、はからへと。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. のは、の（　　　）であり、できない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. がを（　　　）、からが。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q10. はに（　　　）、をて。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. が（　　　）、が。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q12. の（　　　）、のはを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. を（　　　）、のがし。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q14. のをする（　　　）、のを。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. が（　　　）、はとなり、を。
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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