が早いか

がはやいか

As soon as, No sooner than, The instant that, No sooner had

小説しょうせつ：「田中たなかは目めが覚さめたが早はやいかベッドから飛とび起おきた。」

Novel: 'As soon as Tanaka opened his eyes, he jumped out of bed.'

Explanation

「Vるが早いか」 means 'the instant ...'. The two actions happen almost at the same time with hardly any gap, which paints a vivid scene: 「ベルが鳴るが早いか、生徒たちは教室を飛び出した」 (The instant the bell rang, the students dashed out of the classroom). The second part must be something that actually happened (た form), not a wish, request or invitation. The two subjects can be the same or different.

Mixed up with

「〜が早いか」: same or different subjects; two events burst out one after the other.

「〜や否や」: the most formal; neutrally states two events right next to each other.

「〜なり」: the same person in both parts, and the second is usually odd or surprising, e.g. 「彼は部屋に入るなり倒れた」 (He collapsed as soon as he entered the room).

「〜そばから」: something is undone right after it is done, so the effort is wasted, e.g. 「片付けるそばから散らかす」 (tidied up, messed up again at once).

Easily confused withが早いか・や否や・なり・そばから: the difference ›

Examples

お母かあさんがケーキを焼やき上あげるが早はやいか、お父とうさんが食たべ始はじめた。
As soon as mom had baked the cake, dad started eating it.
彼女かのじょは彼かれが書かいた手紙てがみを読よむが早はやいか、悲かなしさのあまり泣なき始はじめた。
As soon as she read the letter from her boyfriend, she started to cry out of sadness.
息子むすこは食卓しょくたくに座すわるが早はやいか、並ならべてあった夕食ゆうしょくを吸すい込こむように平たいらげた。
The moment my son sat down at the table, he wolfed down the dinner that had been laid out.
木村きむらくんはアラームが鳴なったが早はやいか、スヌーズボタンを押おした。
As soon as the alarm went off, Kimura-kun pressed the snooze button.
警察官けいさつかんは犯人はんにんを見みつけたが早はやいか、犯人はんにんに飛とびつき手錠てじょうをかけた。
As soon as the police officer saw the suspect, he jumped onto him and handcuffed him.
黒くろずくめの男おとこは探偵たんていを見みつけたが早はやいか、疾風しっぷうのごとく駆かけ出だした。
As soon as the man dressed completely in black noticed the detective, he dashed off like the wind.
夜よる、幼おさない魔法使まほうつかいが窓まどを開あけるが早はやいか、白しろフクロウが飛とび込こんできた。
At night, as soon as the young wizard opened the window, a white owl flew in.
ドアが開ひらくが早はやいか、人々ひとびとは電車でんしゃに乗のり込こんだ。
The instant the doors opened, people piled onto the train.
あやめは兵士へいしたちの姿すがたが目めに入はいるが早はやいか、いきなりそばの畑はたけに逃にげ込こんでしまった。
As soon as the soldiers' silhouettes came into sight, Ayame ran away into a nearby field.
お母かあさんは日陰ひかげから日向ひなたに出でるが早はやいか日傘ひがさをさしました。
No sooner had my mother stepped from the shade into the sunlight than she put up her sun umbrella.
デパートが開店かいてんするが早はやいか、一斉いっせいに大勢おおぜいの客きゃくが店みせの中なかへ入はいって行いきました。
No sooner had the department store opened than a crowd of customers poured in all at once.
授業じゅぎょうの終了しゅうりょうを告つげるチャイムが鳴なるが早はやいか、生徒せいとたちは教室きょうしつを足早あしばやに去さっていった。
No sooner had the bell rung for the end of class than the students hurried out of the classroom.
息子むすこは家いえに帰かえってきてランドセルを玄関げんかんに置おくが早はやいか、また家いえを出でていった。
No sooner had my son returned home and placed his school bag in the entrance than he left the house again.
昨夜さくやはベッドに入はいるが早はやいか寝ねてしまった。
Last night I fell asleep the moment I got into bed.
私わたしは彼かれの事ことを一目ひとめ見みるが早はやいか恋こいに落おちてしまい、猛烈もうれつなアプローチを始はじめました。
No sooner had I laid eyes on him than I fell in love and approached him fervently.
その母親ははおやは娘むすめの裁判さいばんで娘むすめが無罪むざいだと言いい渡わたされるが早はやいか、大粒おおつぶの涙なみだを流ながし始はじめた。
The moment her daughter was declared not guilty at the trial, the mother burst into tears.