～か～ないかのうちに

When to use

Neutral "just as/almost before" - emphasizes the two actions nearly overlapping.

Explanation

The ～か～ないかのうちに grammar point is used to express that an action occurs immediately after another action. In English, it can be translated as 'as soon as', 'no sooner than', or 'the moment'. This grammar point is used with verbs, showing the verb in both affirmative and negative forms with か and ないか, followed by のうちに.

• 駅えきに着つくか着つかないかのうちに、雨あめが降ふり出だした。

  No sooner had I arrived at the station than it started raining.

  Eki ni tsuku ka tsukanai ka no uchi ni, ame ga furidashita.

• ケータイを買かうか買かわないかのうちに、新あたらしいモデルが発売はつばいされた。

  As soon as I decided to buy the cell phone, a new model was released.

  Keitai o kau ka kawanai ka no uchi ni, atarashii moderu ga hatsubai sareta.

• 彼かれが家いえを出でるか出でないかのうちに、電話でんわが鳴なった。

  The moment he left the house, the phone rang.

  Kare ga ie o deru ka denai ka no uchi ni, denwa ga natta.

• パーティーが始はじまるか始はじまらないかのうちに、彼女かのじょが泣なき出だした。

  As soon as the party began, she started crying.

  Pātī ga hajimaru ka hajimaranai ka no uchi ni, kanojo ga nakidashita.

As Soon As (The Moment That)

• ～たかと思ったら〜ta ka to omottaraN2Express a sequence of events happening in quick…
• ～たとたん〜ta totanN3Express the moment something happens; 'as soon as', 'the…
• ～次第〜shidaiN2Expresses 'as soon as' (when used with Verb-ますstem) or…
• Verbる なりVerb-ru nariN1Expresses 'as soon as' or 'the moment'.
• Verbる や否やVerb-ru ya ina yaN1Expresses the idea of 'as soon as', 'the moment...'.
• Verb たが最後〜ta ga saigoN1Emphasizes 'once something happens, there is no going…
• Verb たら最後〜tara saigoN1Expresses that once a certain action happens, the…
• Verb そばから〜soba karaN1Expresses that as soon as one action finishes, another…
• Verbる が早いかverb-ru ga hayai kaN1Expresses 'as soon as...' or 'the moment when...'.

Compare when to use each