Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 8: 1/19

や否(いな)や

As soon as, No sooner than, The minute

Structure

Verb［る］+ や否(いな)や(1) + Phrase［た］

(1)や

Details

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    Formal

  • 使用域

    硬い

About や否や

や否(いな)や, like か否(いな)か, is a grammar pattern that makes use of 否(いな) 'no', an interjection. However, unlike the pairing with the adverbial particle か 'or' when stating 'whether or not (A)', the pairing of 否(いな) with や in its role as a conjunction particle has the meaning of 'as soon as (A)', or 'no sooner than (A)'. Remembering that や simply highlights the word before it is not being limited to that, the literal meaning of や否(いな)や is 'at a point when neither (A) or not (A) could be determined, (B)'.
や否(いな)や will be used after verbs in their dictionary form.
  • 私(わたし)が部屋(へや)から出(で)てくるのを見(み)るや否(いな)や、空(あ)き巣(す)が手(て)に持(も)っていたものを私(わたし)に投(な)げて、逃(に)げていった。
    As soon as the burglar saw me coming out of the room, he threw everything that was in his hand at me and ran away.
  • 俺(おれ)の顔(かお)を見(み)るや否(いな)や友達(ともだち)の犬(いぬ)が吠(ほ)え出(だ)した。
    As soon as he saw my face, my friend's dog started barking.
  • 彼(かれ)は席(せき)に座(すわ)るや否(いな)や「とりあえず生(なま)一(ひと)つ」といった。
    He said 'I'll have a beer to start' as soon as he sat down.
や否(いな)や is a formal expression that will generally be used when (B) is something that happens spontaneously, or is surprising.
Caution
As や itself carries the 'not limited to' meaning, it is also possible to see this structure with the 否(いな)や part omitted. In these situations, the meaning will not change at all. や in this case behaves similarly to か when presenting a question in the middle of a sentence, and sounds like 'when not certain that (A), (B)'.
  • 彼(かれ)は本(ほん)を開(ひら)くや、寝(ね)た。
    He fell asleep as soon as he opened the book.
  • 彼女(かのじょ)はあの曲(きょく)を聴(き)くや、泣(な)き始(はじ)めた。
    She started to cry as soon as she listened to the song.

Examples

  • 記事(きじ)：警察官(けいさつかん)に気(き)が付(つ)くや否(いな)や急(きゅう)に走(はし)り出(だ)した。

    Article: 'As soon as he noticed the policeman, he suddenly started to run.'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「彼(かれ)があくびをするや否(いな)や彼女(かのじょ)もあくびが出(で)てしまった。」

    Novel: 'As soon as he has yawned, the girl also yawned.'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「焼(や)き立(た)てのパンが皿(さら)に出(で)てくるや否(いな)やすぐに彼(かれ)の口(くち)の中(なか)に消(き)えた。」

    Novel: 'As soon as the freshly baked bread appeared on the plate, it immediately disappeared in his mouth.'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「とっくの昔(むかし)に亡(な)くなっている友達(ともだち)からもらった、古(ふる)い手紙(てがみ)を読(よ)み始(はじ)めるや否(いな)や感情(かんじょう)があふれ、たちまち涙(なみだ)が溢(あふ)れてしまった。」

    Novel: 'As soon as I started reading an old letter I received from a friend who was long gone, my feelings flooded and I suddenly dissolved into tears.'

  • アイドルについての小説(しょうせつ)：「照橋(てるはし)さんはサングラスを外(はず)すや否(いな)やあっという間(ま)にファンが周(まわ)りに集(たか)った。」

    Novel about idols: 'As soon as Teruhashi-san took off the sunglasses, in the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by fans.'

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