Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 5: 17/17

そばからAs soon as, Right after, Even if … still

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 (そば) '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.

  • (くるま)洗車(せんしゃ)()えるそばから(あめ)()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(じてんしゃ)(なお)そばから(こわ)しまう

    My bike breaks as soon as I repair it.

    あなたって(ひと)、「やる()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…

    (おそ)わっそばから(おな)間違(まちが)おかし

    I made the same mistake as soon as I learned of it.

    ケーキ(あつ)から(さわ)ないように言っそばから こいつ~(そうし)。

    As soon as I told him not to touch the cake because it was hot, he… (did so).

    新人(しんじん)育成(いくせい)つらい。(かれ)()そばからどんどん(わす)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 – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

      • Slysoft

        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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