Structure
Verb[る]+ そばから + Phrase
Verb[た]+ そばから + Phrase
Details
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Formal
Rare Kanji
側・傍
About そばから
そばから is a combination of the noun 側 'side', and the case marking particle から 'from'. It illustrates something that happens immediately upon (A), and can be translated as 'as soon as (A), (B)', or 'right after (A), (B)'.
(B) is usually something that is considered annoying, unfavorable, or somehow nullifies (A) by the speaker, but there are exceptions. If the more literal translation of 'from right beside (A), (B)' helps to remember the nuance of (B) happening straight away, then that may be a helpful way to memorize this construction.
そばから will follow verbs in either their dictionary or past-tense forms.
Regardless of whether the dictionary or the past-tense form of a verb is used, as そばから means 'right after (A)', the meaning will not change at all.
Caution
そばから will almost always imply that (B) is something that always happens upon (A), rather than being a once-off situation.
- 車の洗車を終えるそばから、雨が降ってきた。It started to rain as soon as I was about to finish washing my car.
Examples
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自転車は直したそばから壊れてしまう。
My bike breaks as soon as I repair it.
あなたって人は、「やるな」と言ったそばからやるんだから。
People like you are just… As soon as I told you not to do it, you still do it…
教わったそばから同じ間違いをおかした。
I made the same mistake as soon as I learned of it.
ケーキが熱いから触らないように言ったそばから こいつは~(そうした)。
As soon as I told him not to touch the cake because it was hot, he… (did so).
新人育成がつらい。彼らは言ったそばからどんどん忘れてしまう。
It's hard to train new employees. As soon as I tell them something, they immediately forget it.
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そばから
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そばから – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (1 in total)
Slysoft
Is it just me or does the audio for the sentence 教わったそばから同じ間違いをおかした say 終わったそばから
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