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〜や否や / 〜や

ya inaya / ya

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

as soon as …; the moment …

〜や否や (or just 〜や) means "the moment X happened, Y happened": ドアが開くや否や、客がなだれ込んだ. The dictionary form comes before it, even though the event is in the past. Y is something that actually happened, usually sudden and vivid, never a command or plan.

Formal written Japanese: news, novels, reports. In speech, とたん(に) or 〜てすぐ are used. The shorter 〜や is even more literary. Both stress that there was no gap at all between X and Y.

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • Vる + や否や、Vた
  • Vる + や、Vた
  • Y = an actual past event, often sudden (飛び出した・なだれ込んだ・売り切れた)

Visual diagram

"As soon as" expressions
AspectFormRegisterNuance
〜や否やVる + や否やformal, writtenno gap; sudden Y
〜が早いかVる + が早いかformal, writtenY is a quick deliberate action
〜なりVる + なりwritten, narrativesame subject; Y is unexpected
〜とたん(に)Vた + とたんneutral, spokenY is a surprising result

Natural examples

  1. ドアが開くや否や、客が店内になだれ込んだ。

    ドアがひらくやいなや、きゃくがてんないになだれこんだ。

    The moment the doors opened, customers surged into the store.

    Dictionary form 開く + や否や; Y is a vivid past event.

  2. 彼はベルが鳴るや、教室を飛び出した。

    かれはベルがなるや、きょうしつをとびだした。

    As soon as the bell rang, he dashed out of the classroom.

    Short form 〜や with the same meaning.

  3. 新製品は発売されるや否や、売り切れになった。

    しんせいひんははつばいされるやいなや、うりきれになった。

    The new product sold out as soon as it was released.

    Passive dictionary form 発売される + や否や.

  4. 彼は駅に着くや否や、会社に電話をかけた。

    かれはえきにつくやいなや、かいしゃにでんわをかけた。

    The moment he reached the station, he phoned the office.

    Same subject in both clauses is common.

  5. その噂が流れるや、株価は急落した。

    そのうわさがながれるや、かぶかはきゅうらくした。

    As soon as the rumour spread, the share price plunged.

    Different subjects are also fine.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    ドアが開いたや否や、客が入った。
    ✓
    ドアが開くや否や、客が入った。
    Why
    The dictionary form is required before や否や, even for past events.
  • ✗
    家に帰るや否や、手を洗いなさい。
    ✓
    家に帰ったらすぐ、手を洗いなさい。
    Why
    Y cannot be a command; や否や reports what actually happened.
  • ✗
    ベルが鳴るや否や、彼は教室を出るつもりだ。
    ✓
    ベルが鳴るや否や、彼は教室を飛び出した。
    Why
    Y is a completed event, not an intention.

Y is usually dramatic: crowds rushing, prices crashing, someone dashing out. や否や literally means "whether or not": "barely had X happened (or not) when Y". News writers like the shorter 〜や for headlines and lead sentences.

JLPT N1 tips

On the exam

  • A dictionary-form verb before the blank and a sudden past event after it → や否や.
  • Distractors: が早いか, なり, とたん. Check the form: とたん takes Vた; the others take Vる. Between や否や and が早いか, the exam usually accepts either only when the meaning differs.
  • Eliminate any option if the second clause is a command, request or intention.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜や否や / 〜や mean?

as soon as …; the moment …. 〜や否や (or just 〜や) means "the moment X happened, Y happened": ドアが開くや否や、客がなだれ込んだ. The dictionary form comes before it, even though the event is in the past. Y is something that actually happened, usually sudden and vivid, never a command or plan.

How do you form 〜や否や / 〜や?

Vる + や否や、Vた / Vる + や、Vた / Y = an actual past event, often sudden (飛び出した・なだれ込んだ・売り切れた). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜や否や / 〜や used?

Formal written Japanese: news, novels, reports. In speech, とたん(に) or 〜てすぐ are used. The shorter 〜や is even more literary. Both stress that there was no gap at all between X and Y.

What is the difference between 〜や否や / 〜や and 〜が早いか?

Same timing, but Y is a quick, deliberate action by the subject (飛び出した). や否や can also describe reactions and events.

What is the difference between 〜や否や / 〜や and 〜なり?

Same subject required; Y is unexpected. Also written.

What is a common mistake with 〜や否や / 〜や?

Wrong: ドアが開いたや否や、客が入った。 Right: ドアが開くや否や、客が入った。 The dictionary form is required before や否や, even for past events.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

彼女は電話を切る（　　）、泣き出した。