Learn how to express “as soon as” or “immediately after” in Chinese using the 一…就… sentence structure
1 Basic Sentence Pattern
After learning how to express Complete One Action, Then Start Another (using 完…就…), you might wonder how to say that one action happens immediately after another. The 一…就… pattern helps express the idea of “as soon as” or “just as soon as” in Chinese.
Immediate Sequence Visualization
Complete Sentence: 天一亮，我们就出发了。
(As soon as the day became bright, we set off.)
The Function of 一 (yī)
一 (yī) literally means “one” but in this pattern, it means “once” or “as soon as.” It marks the beginning of the first action.
Key point: 一 is placed immediately before the verb phrase of the first action
The Function of 就 (jiù)
就 (jiù) means “then” or “immediately.” It connects the two clauses and emphasizes that the second action happens right after the first.
Key point: 就 emphasizes the immediate sequence – no time passes between actions
2 Structure Details and Examples
The 一…就… pattern has a fixed structure where 一 introduces the first action and 就 introduces the second action that happens immediately afterward. The two actions are so closely connected that there is virtually no time between them.
Complete Examples
Time Relationship
Key Concept: The two actions are so closely connected that the second one happens immediately after the first, with virtually no time gap.
Comparison with 完…就…
The 一…就… pattern is different from the 完…就… pattern you learned earlier:
The key difference is that 一…就… emphasizes immediate sequence without necessarily implying completion of the first action.
3 Subject Rules and Omission
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4 Usage and Common Examples
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Practice Exercises
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