JLPT N1 grammar
〜が早いか — Meaning & Examples
"No sooner had X than Y." Dramatic, written register; second clause is an energetic past-tense action. ベルが鳴るが早いか、教室を飛び出した.
〜が早いか — "No Sooner Had... Than"
が早いか describes two actions in near-simultaneous, dramatic succession — the second bursts out the instant the first happens.
Pattern: [dictionary form / た-form] + が早いか
ベルが鳴るが早いか、生徒たちは教室を飛び出した。
= No sooner had the bell rung than the students burst out of the classroom.
彼は席に着くが早いか、弁当を食べ始めた。
= The moment he sat down, he started eating his lunch.
ドアが開くが早いか、客がなだれ込んだ。
= The instant the doors opened, customers poured in.
Key restrictions:
- The second clause is a deliberate, energetic action in the PAST tense — you're narrating something that happened.
- You can't use it for states, negatives, or commands.
Register: Written and narrative. You'll meet it in novels and news features, not casual chat.
Key feeling: A camera cut — action B explodes onto the screen the frame after action A.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜が早いか. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which pattern expresses REPEATED "as soon as" with exasperation?
- そばから (soba kara)
- や否や (ya ina ya)
- なり (nari)
- が早いか (ga hayai ka)
Show answer
Answer: そばから (soba kara)
そばから = as soon as X, Y (undoes it) — again and again. 覚えるそばから忘れる = I forget as fast as I learn.
2. 「ベルが鳴るが早いか、生徒たちは教室を飛び出した。」 means?
- Because the bell rang, students slowly left
- The students left before the bell rang
- If the bell rings, the students will leave
- No sooner had the bell rung than the students burst out
Show answer
Answer: No sooner had the bell rung than the students burst out
が早いか = no sooner had X than Y — the second action explodes out the instant the first happens.
3. 「片付ける___、子どもが散らかす。」 (Every time I tidy, the kids mess it up.)
- が早いか (ga hayai ka)
- や否や (ya ina ya)
- なり (nari)
- そばから (soba kara)
Show answer
Answer: そばから (soba kara)
そばから = the repetition + frustration pattern. 片付けるそばから散らかす — a cycle that keeps defeating you.
Practise 〜が早いか in the free app
This point is part of the “The Instant That — が早いか・や否や・なり・そばから” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: The Instant That — が早いか・や否や・なり・そばから
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜が早いか mean?
"No sooner had X than Y." Dramatic, written register; second clause is an energetic past-tense action. ベルが鳴るが早いか、教室を飛び出した.
Is 〜が早いか on the JLPT N1 test?
〜が早いか is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “The Instant That — が早いか・や否や・なり・そばから”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜が早いか?
Open the “The Instant That — が早いか・や否や・なり・そばから” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.