〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら
ka to omou to / ka to omottara
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
no sooner had ... than; just when I thought ...
〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら means "no sooner had… than…" or "just when I thought…". Something happens, and almost immediately something else, often contrasting or surprising, follows: the sky darkened and at once it poured; the baby was crying and now is laughing.
Both registers, narrative. The speaker observes and reports; the pattern is not used for the speaker's own intentional actions, and the second clause cannot be a command, request, or volitional form. Often with もう or すぐに in the second clause.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
Vた + かと思うと / かと思ったら
Visual diagram
- Step 1空が暗くなったevent 1 observed
- Step 2空が暗くなったかと思うとthe moment I registered event 1…
- Step 3空が暗くなったかと思うと、激しい雨が降り出した…event 2 happened right away (surprise)
Natural examples
空が暗くなったかと思うと、激しい雨が降り出した。
そらがくらくなったかとおもうと、はげしいあめがふりだした。
No sooner had the sky darkened than heavy rain began.
Weather sequence: darkening then downpour.
赤ちゃんは泣いたかと思ったら、もう笑っている。
あかちゃんはないたかとおもったら、もうわらっている。
The baby was crying one moment and is already laughing the next.
Contrast: crying then laughing, with もう.
帰ってきたかと思うと、また出かけていった。
かえってきたかとおもうと、またでかけていった。
He had just come home when he went out again.
A person's rapid actions observed by the speaker.
彼は席に着いたかと思ったら、もう寝ていた。
かれはせきについたかとおもったら、もうねていた。
He had barely taken his seat when he was already asleep.
もう marks how fast the second event came.
やっと晴れたかと思うと、また雪が降り始めた。
やっとはれたかとおもうと、またゆきがふりはじめた。
Just when it finally cleared up, it started snowing again.
Disappointment at a reversal.
Similar grammar and the difference
Also "the moment", but neutral; can be used with the speaker's own actions. かと思うと adds surprise at a quick change. Compare side by side
Two events almost overlapping; the verb is repeated. Compare side by side
〜と思うと
Without か it is "when I think of…"; the か is essential for this meaning.
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 家に帰ったかと思うと、すぐ寝よう。
- ✓
- 家に帰ったら、すぐ寝よう。
- Why
- The second clause cannot be volitional; the pattern reports observed events.
- ✗
- 私は駅に着いたかと思うと、電車に乗った。
- ✓
- 私は駅に着くとすぐ、電車に乗った。
- Why
- Not used for one's own deliberate actions.
- ✗
- 雨が降るかと思うと、止んだ。
- ✓
- 雨が降ったかと思うと、止んだ。
- Why
- The first verb is in the past form.
Typical second-clause adverbs: もう, すぐに, 今度は, また. Both 思うと and 思ったら are interchangeable; 思えば is also seen in writing. The pattern often conveys the speaker's mild surprise or exasperation.
JLPT N2 tips
On the exam
- Vた + blank + a contrasting event with もう/また → かと思うと.
- Distractors: とたんに (fine for own actions), うちに, 一方で. If the subject is 私 doing something on purpose, choose とたんに instead.
- Eliminate any option when the sentence ends in 〜よう / 〜てください; the pattern cannot precede them.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら mean?
no sooner had ... than; just when I thought ... 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら means "no sooner had… than…" or "just when I thought…". Something happens, and almost immediately something else, often contrasting or surprising, follows: the sky darkened and at once it poured; the baby was crying and now is laughing.
How do you form 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら?
Vた + かと思うと / かと思ったら. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら used?
Both registers, narrative. The speaker observes and reports; the pattern is not used for the speaker's own intentional actions, and the second clause cannot be a command, request, or volitional form. Often with もう or すぐに in the second clause.
What is the difference between 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら and 〜たとたん(に)?
Also "the moment", but neutral; can be used with the speaker's own actions. かと思うと adds surprise at a quick change.
What is the difference between 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら and 〜か〜ないかのうちに?
Two events almost overlapping; the verb is repeated.
What is a common mistake with 〜かと思うと / 〜かと思ったら?
Wrong: 家に帰ったかと思うと、すぐ寝よう。 Right: 家に帰ったら、すぐ寝よう。 The second clause cannot be volitional; the pattern reports observed events.
Quick check
子供は泣いた（ ）、もう笑っている。