～たかと思ったら JLPT N2 Neutral
〜ta ka to omottara
Express a sequence of events happening in quick succession; 'as soon as', 'no sooner than'.
Neutral, often carries surprise - "just when I thought..., then...".
Formation
Verb-た form + かと思ったら
Explanation
The ～たかと思ったら grammar point indicates that one action occurs almost immediately after another, often conveying surprise at how quickly it happens. It is frequently translated as 'as soon as...' or 'no sooner than...'.
Example sentences
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No sooner had I called than she picked up.
Denwa o kaketa ka to omottara, sugu ni kanojo ga deta.
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As soon as we took off, the plane started shaking.
Ririku shita ka to omottara, hikouki ga yure hajimeta.
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No sooner had I gone shopping than it began to rain.
Kaimono ni itta ka to omottara, ame ga futte kita.
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As soon as I finished work, my boss brought more tasks.
Shigoto o owatta ka to omottara, joushi ga tsuika no shigoto o motte kita.