Same Time Expressions

Table of Contents

This page covers 3 expressions that express “At the same time” or “As soon as”

かないかのうちに

Right as X happened
(While it was unclear if it had happened or not)

かないかのうちに is an application of uncertainty か and うち.
It literally means that an action occurred while it was still unclear if some other action had or had not occurred.
It is a way of saying “Right as X happened”.

Examples

車が止まるか止まらないかの内に降りた
He got out right as the car was stopping.
座ったか座っていないかの内に自信が起きた
Just as I sat down, there was an earthquake.
ボールが入ったか入っていないかの内に歓声の声が上がった
Just as the ball went it, cheers erupted.
会議が終わったか終わっていないかの内に皆帰った
Everyone left as soon as the meeting was over.

かと思うと

As soon as I thought

かと思うと is the same as かないかのうちに. It means “As soon as”.
Literally, it means “As soon as I thought “did it happen?” it happened.”

It expresses surprise.
It cannot be used for your own actions (because obviously you know what you did).
It must be used to state facts and not commands, etc.

This expression may appear as かと思ったら and more rarely かと思えば

Likes to pair with words like やっと and ようやく.

Examples

消えたかと思うとまた現れた
As soon as I thought “it disappeared?” it appeared again.
やっと帰れるかと思ったら部長がまた書類を持ってきた
Just when I thought I could go home the section chief brought some more documents.
(Not something I did so its ok)
帰ったかと思ったら彼が玄関で倒れた
As soon as I thought he got home he collapsed in the entryway.

と同時に

At the same time
Plain form verb/Noun ＋と同時に

と同時に is slightly different from the rest since it expresses “Simultaneously” i.e. at the exact same time.
It may still sometimes mean “right after” or “as soon as”.
This can also be used to describe two simultaneously existing facts (See example 3)

Examples

警報が鳴ったと同時に彼は逃げた
He ran away at the same time the alarm went off.
5時になると同時に帰った
He went home at the same time it became 5.
彼は優しいと同時に厳しい
He is nice, but at the same time also strict.