Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 1: 18/22

すると

Having done..., If...is done..., (And/just) then, Thereupon, If so

Structure

Phrase。する + (Result) Phrase

Details

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    Standard

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    一般

About すると

すると, a combination of する and the conjunction particle と, is generally considered to be an abbreviation of そうすると, and means that 'once (A) is done, (B)', or 'upon (A), (B)'. すると is usually used at the beginning of a new sentence, to highlight something that occurred due to the circumstances mentioned in the previous sentence/statement.
As a standalone statement, すると is classified as a conjunction.
  • (ひさ)しぶり押入(おしい)掃除(そうじ)した。すると()くした(おも)ていた(ふく)()てきた
    I cleaned my closet for the first time in a long time. Upon that, I found clothes that I thought I had lost.
  • 祖母(ばああ)ちゃん(かわ)洗濯(せんたく)ていたすると(かわ)()こうから(もも)(なが)てきた
    An old lady was washing her clothes in the river. Just then, a peach flowed down the river from a distance.
Caution
The 'result' that すると conveys, should always be one of two specific things. Something that the speaker has no control over, or a conclusion/determination that the speaker wants to confirm is correct (based on their understanding of the previous statement).
  • (さる)バナナあげた。すると(さる)どんどん(あつ)まってきた
    I gave a banana to a monkey. Having done that, more and more monkeys started to gather around me.
  • 19(さい)なのすると大学(だいがく)1年生(ねんせい)でしょう
    You are 19? So you mean to say that you are a freshman, right?
When すると is used to draw a conclusion about another person's statement, the translation is closer to 'so you mean to say (A)', or 'if so, then (A)'.

Examples

  • 従弟(いとこ)()()いていた。する(おとうと)真似(まね)をして()(はじ)めた。

    My cousin was drawing a picture. And then my younger brother, imitating him, started to draw too.

  • A:「(ぼく)は◯◯(ねん)()まれです。」
    B:「する(くるま)運転(うんてん)できる(とし)ですね。」

    A: 'I was born in XX year.'
    B: 'Then, you are old enough to drive, right?'

  • ハロウィンで魔女(まじょ)格好(かっこう)をした。するとてもかわいい()ってもらえてうれしかった。

    I dressed up as a witch for halloween. And then, people told me I was very cute which made me happy.

  • 昨日(きのう)(ゆめ)()はじめた。する(おとうと)()こされた。

    I was starting to dream yesterday. And then I was woken up by my brother.

  • 口笛(くちぶえ)()いた。する小鳥(ことり)がやって()た。

    I whistled. Having done that, a small bird came.

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すると – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • Isurandil492

    Isurandil492

    About 2 months ago

    The second example sentence is:

    お祖母ちゃんが川で洗濯をしていた。すると、川の向こうから桃が流れてきた。
    An old lady was washing her clothes in the river. Just then, a peach flowed down the river from a distance.

    Is this part of the story of Momotaro-san?

    (Please move this post to a more appropriate place, if this is too offtopic-y for grammar discussion.)

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