Today’s Grammar Point: ～とたん（に）

とたん is a noun meaning “the moment” or “the instant” but it is usually used like an adverb with or without the particle に and that means “at that moment.” It can also be used after a past plain verb and ～とたん（に）… means “as soon as ～, … .”

Connection

• as it is
• そのとたん（に）
• [plain past verb] とたん（に）

Examples

ラーメン屋やを見みたら、とたんにラーメンが食たべたくなった。(Today’s caption)
When I saw a ramen shop, I immediately wanted to eat ramen.

実家じっかに帰かえったんだけど、とたんにプリンが食たべたくなって二ふたつも食たべてしまった。
I went to my parents’ house but immediately after that I felt like eating cream caramel and I ended up eating two.

この間あいだバスに乗のったんだけど、そのとたんにトイレに行いきたくなって、困こまったよ。
I traveled on a bus the other day, but the moment I boarded the bus, I felt like going to the bathroom and I didn’t know what to do.

ケーキを見みたとたんに食たべたくなった。
As soon as I saw the cake, I felt like eating it.

ジョンさんは父親ちちおやの姿すがたを見みたとたんに逃にげ出だした。
John ran away as soon as he saw his father.

父親ちちおやの声こえを聞きいたとたんに、泣なき出だした。
As soon as I heard my father’s voice, I started crying.

家いえを出でたとたんに雨あめが降ふってきた。
As soon as I left home, it began to rain.

テレビを買かい替かえたとたんに、ビデオが壊こわれた。
As soon as I bought a new TV, the video broke down.

部屋へやに入はいったとたんに三度さんどもくしゃみが出でた。
As soon as I entered the room, I sneezed three times.

電話でんわを切きったとたんに言いい忘わすれたことを思おもい出だした。
As soon as I hung up, I remembered what I had forgotten to say.

レポートを提出ていしゅつしたとたんに、間違まちがいに気きづいた。
As soon as I submitted the report, I realized I made a mistake.

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For more JLPT N3 grammar items, please visit my JLPT N3 Grammar page.