Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 5: 6/18

やがて

Before long, All too soon, In the end, Eventually

Structure

やがて + Phrase

Details

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Rare Kanji

軈て

About やがて

軈(やが)て, meaning 'all too soon' is an adverb that appears at the beginning of sentences in order to indicate that some particular state that does not currently exist, will end up happening within an unspecified (usually short) amount of time. This can be translated as 'before long (A)', 'in the end (A)', or 'eventually (A)'.
In the vast majority of cases, やがて will appear in hiragana.
  • そのアニメもあのアニメのようにやがて人気(にんき)がなくなるでしょう。
    That anime will probably lose popularity like that anime eventually.
  • 毎日(まいにち)漢字(かんじ)を読(よ)む練習(れんしゅう)をしていれば、やがて小説(しょうせつ)を読(よ)めるようになれるだろう。
    If you practice reading kanji every day, eventually, you will be able to read a novel.
  • もう5時(じ)なので、やがて日(ひ)が沈(しず)み始(はじ)めるだろう。
    It is already 5 p.m. so the sun will probably set soon.
Caution - In cases where やがて is used with a specified amount of time, it may be interpreted as 'nearly'.
  • やがて６０歳(さい)になるけど、経済的(けいざいてき)に余裕(よゆう)がないので死(し)ぬまで働(はたら)き続(つづ)けざるを得(え)ない。
    I am nearly 60 years old, however, I have no choice but to keep working till I die because I have no excess money.
  • 日本語(にほんご)を勉強(べんきょう)し始(はじ)めてから、やがて2年(ねん)が経(た)つ。
    It has been nearly 2 years since I have started studying Japanese.
Fun-fact - Originally, やがて was just used as a way to express the existence of something which has not currently taken place. Due to this, it had many more meanings in the past. This included things such as 'namely', 'immediately', 'in a moment', and others. All of these meanings simply hinted at the fact that the expression following やがて was already expected or known.

Examples

  • どんな本(ほん)もやがて読(よ)み終(お)わります。けれど、果(は)たしてそれは本当(ほんとう)でしょうか？

    No matter the book, it will come to an end before long. However, I wonder is that really true?

    This is a philosophical sentence about the impact of the story living on in the person even after they have finished reading it.

  • 日本語(にほんご)を教(おし)えようと決(き)めて毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)したら、やがて教師(きょうし)になれた。

    I decided to teach Japanese and studied everyday. Before long I became a teacher.

  • 私(わたし)が眼鏡(めがね)を探(さが)し始(はじ)めてから、やがて３時間(じかん)になる。

    It will have been three hours since I started searching for my glasses all too soon.

  • やがて３０年(ねん)を迎(むか)える研究(けんきゅう)期間(きかん)を経(へ)て、急所(きゅうしょ)術(じゅつ)という武道(ぶどう)を修得(しゅうとく)する。

    After a period of study spanning nearly 30 years, I will acquire a martial arts technique called the touch of death.

  • やがて３０歳(さい)になるけど、お金(かね)も名声(めいせい)も持(も)ってない。

    Although I will be 30 all too soon, I have neither money nor fame.

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やがて – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • FredKore

    FredKore

    About 2 years ago

    What do you think? I know it’s a different nuance, but it seems like this is related to ついに, とうとう, いよいよ. Too different?

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