～たとたん JLPT N3 Neutral
〜ta totan
Express the moment something happens; 'as soon as', 'the moment', 'the instant'.
Neutral, emphasizes the immediacy/suddenness of what follows. (Near-duplicate of n2-072 - same word, taught at both N2 and N3.)
Formation
Verb-た form + とたん
Explanation
The ～たとたん grammar point is used to express that something occurs immediately at the exact moment another action is completed. It can be translated as 'as soon as', 'the moment', or 'the instant' in English. It is attached to the past tense (た-form) of a verb.
Example sentences
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As soon as I opened the door, the cat ran away.
Doa wo aketa totan, neko ga nigedashita.
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The moment I made the phone call, the battery died.
Denwa wo kaketa totan, denchi ga kireta.
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The instant it started raining, everyone put up their umbrellas.
Ame ga furihajimeta totan, minna ga kasa wo sashita.
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As soon as he met me, his smile disappeared.
Kare ni atta totan, kare no egao ga kieta.