JapanForum.com - A Lesson on Concurrent Events/Actions

You know the drill. Same book, same translator. I received help from masaegu on a couple finer points.

時間的同時性 Concurrent Actions

２級
〜とたん（に）
〜（か）と思うと
〜か〜ないかのうちに
〜次第
１級
〜が早いか
〜や・〜や否や
〜なり
〜そばから

===〜とたん（に）===
"If you do ~, during that time, ..."
Used when something you did not anticipate happens at the same time as something else you do.

Examples:
ずっと本を読んでいて急に立ち上がったとたん、めまいがしました。
I was reading a book for a long time, and as soon as I stood up, I experienced vertigo.

私が「さようなら」と言ったとたん、彼女は泣き出した。
Just as I said "sayonara," my girlfriend burst into tears.

===〜（か）と思うと===
"If ~ occurs and soon after ..."
Used when you want to say something occurs directly after something else occurs.
Instead of 思うと、思ったら is OK.

Usage: たform of a verb＋（か）と思うと

Examples:
空で何かピカッと光ったかと思うと、ドーンと大きな音がして地面が揺れた。
As soon as there was some kind of sparkle in the sky, there was a loud booming sound and the ground shook.

あの子はやっと勉強を始めたと思ったら、もういねむりをしている。
No sooner did that child finally start studying, then she fell asleep.

===〜か〜ないかのうちに===
Similar to the two examples above, except this is more like two events occurring simultaneously, or one occurring before the other has fully completed.

Examples:
子供は「おやすみなさい」と言ったか言わないかのうちに、もう眠ってしまった。
As the child was saying "good night," she fell asleep.

彼はいつも終了のベルが鳴ったか鳴らないかのうちに、教室を飛び出して行く。
He always dashes from the classroom as the final bell is ringing.

NOTE: The preceding three examples, since they describe actual occurrences, cannot be used with command, negative, aspirational, etc. forms of verbs.

===〜次第===
When you want to convey your will that some event occur immediately after another event has finished.

Usage: pre-masu form or noun ＋次第

Examples:
「スケジュールが決まり次第、すぐ知らせてください。」
"Once your schedule has been decided, please let me know."

「資料の準備ができ次第、会議室にお届けします。」
Once the materials have been prepared, I will bring them to the conference room.

新しい実験室がもうすぐできる。完成次第、器具類のテストを始める予定だ。
The new testing room will soon be finished. Upon its completion, we plan to have an instrumentation test [there].

===〜が早いか===
When you want to say "directly after ~ occured, something occurs"
Same meaning as 〜か〜ないかのうちに

Usage: Dictionary form or ta-form＋早いか
Using ta-form places more emphasis on the rapidity of the second event.

Examples:
小田先生はチャイムが鳴るが早いか、教室に入って来ます。
As soon as the chime rings, Prof. Oda enters the classroom.

その警察官は遠くに犯人らしい姿を見つけるが早いか、追いかけて行った。
The second that police officer saw a person looking like the criminal, he took off in pursuit.

===〜や・〜や否や===
Means the same thing as 〜が早いか and 〜か〜ないかのうちに
Often, the following event is a reaction to the preceding event, and it is unexpected.
Note that the additional 否や serves to emphasize the rapidity of the second event.

Usage: dictionary form ＋や否や

Examples:
そのニュースが伝わるや否や、たちまちテレビ局に抗議の電話がかかってきた。
As soon as the news got out, protesting phone calls came to the TV station.

よし子は部屋に入って来るや、「変なにおいがする」と言って窓を開け放した。
As soon as Yoshiko entered her room, she said "there's a weird smell" and threw her window open.

===〜なり===
Used when you want to say an unusual action followed another action.

Usage: dictionary form＋なり

Examples:
子どもは母親の顔を見るなり、ワッと泣き出しました。
The child looked at his mother's face, and burst into tears.

彼はしばらく電話で話していたが、とつぜん受話器を置くなり飛び出して行った。
He was talking on the telephone for a while, but all of a sudden he put down the receiver and took off running/fled.

===〜そばから===
Used to mean "Even though X happened, Z happened after that."

Usage: Dictionary or ta-form＋そばから

Examples:
小さい子供は、お母さんが洗濯するそばから、服を汚してしまいます。
No sooner does a mother do the laundry, then the child dirties the clothes.

もっと若いうちに語学を勉強すべきだった。今は習ったそばから忘れてしまう。
When I was younger I of course studied language. Now, despite learning it, I will soon forget it.