JLPT N2 grammar
〜か〜ないかのうちに — Meaning & Examples
X had barely happened / wasn't even finished when Y — dict-form + か + ない-form + かのうちに. Tighter than たとたん. ベルが鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに飛び出した.
〜か〜ないかのうちに and 〜やいなや
〜か〜ないかのうちに = "X had barely happened — before it was even finished — when Y." Even tighter than たとたん: Y starts while X is still in progress or the instant it ends.
Formation: verb-dictionary form + か + same verb-ない form + かのうちに
ベルが鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに、彼は教室を飛び出した。
= The bell had barely started ringing when he shot out of the classroom.
「おやすみ」と言うか言わないかのうちに、子供は寝てしまった。
= Before he'd even finished saying "goodnight," the child was asleep.
ドアを閉めるか閉めないかのうちに、電話が鳴った。
= I'd barely shut the door when the phone rang.
The feel: almost simultaneous — the two events overlap at the edges. "X had barely..." / "before X was even done..." are the natural English.
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〜やいなや = "the very moment X, Y." Same meaning as たとたん but literary / written register — you meet it in novels, news writing, and formal narration, rarely in speech.
Formation: verb-dictionary form + やいなや
知らせを聞くやいなや、彼は病院へ駆けつけた。
= The moment he heard the news, he rushed to the hospital.
社長が部屋に入るやいなや、全員が立ち上がった。
= The instant the president entered the room, everyone stood up.
Choosing between the four:
| Pattern | Register | Signature nuance |
|---|---|---|
| たとたん（に） | neutral / spoken | unexpected reaction, past event |
| かと思うと／たら | spoken | rapid change, often a contrast |
| か〜ないかのうちに | neutral | Y starts before X even finishes |
| やいなや | written / literary | same as たとたん, formal narration |
All four: real past events, no plans, no requests. 🎯
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜か〜ないかのうちに. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. ベルが鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに、彼は教室を飛び出した means?
- He left after the bell rang for a while
- The bell rang because he left
- He left before the bell
- The bell had barely started ringing when he shot out of the classroom
Show answer
Answer: The bell had barely started ringing when he shot out of the classroom
〜か〜ないかのうちに = X had barely happened / wasn't even finished when Y — even tighter than たとたん.
2. Which pattern is literary/written register, used in novels and news narration?
- 〜たとたん（に）
- 〜やいなや
- 〜かと思ったら
- 〜か〜ないかのうちに
Show answer
Answer: 〜やいなや
〜やいなや means the same as たとたん but belongs to written/literary register — 知らせを聞くやいなや、駆けつけた.
3. What do all four patterns in this lesson have in common?
- They all describe future plans
- Real past events, no plans, no requests/commands in the main clause
- They all require the て form
- They are all casual-only
Show answer
Answer: Real past events, no plans, no requests/commands in the main clause
たとたん・かと思うと・か〜ないかのうちに・やいなや all describe things that actually happened, and none can be followed by a plan, request, or command.
Practise 〜か〜ないかのうちに in the free app
This point is part of the “⚡ Sudden Sequence — たとたん・かと思うと・か〜ないかのうちに・やいなや” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N2 grammar points
From the same lesson: ⚡ Sudden Sequence — たとたん・かと思うと・か〜ないかのうちに・やいなや
- 〜たとたん（に）The instant X happened, (unexpectedly) Y — verb-た + とたん.
- 〜かと思うと／かと思ったらNo sooner X than Y — often a rapid change or contrast (crying→laughing).
- 〜やいなやThe very moment X, Y — literary/written register, same meaning as たとたん.
- たとたん vs 次第次第 = as soon as (planned, formal, the next clause is a future plan).
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜か〜ないかのうちに mean?
X had barely happened / wasn't even finished when Y — dict-form + か + ない-form + かのうちに. Tighter than たとたん. ベルが鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに飛び出した.
Is 〜か〜ないかのうちに on the JLPT N2 test?
〜か〜ないかのうちに is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “⚡ Sudden Sequence — たとたん・かと思うと・か〜ないかのうちに・やいなや”), 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 〜か〜ないかのうちに?
Open the “⚡ Sudden Sequence — たとたん・かと思うと・か〜ないかのうちに・やいなや” 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 N2 mock exams, with no ads.