V-자마자

as soon as

Explanation

-자마자 indicates that something occurs immediately following the end of some event or action.

It is added to the verb and means 'as soon as' or 'right after' in English.

Details

The subjects of the first and second clauses of the sentence can be either the same or different.

(내가) 집에 오자마자 (내가) 잤어요.
As soon as I arrived home, I slept.
엄마가 나가자마자 아기가 울어요.
As soon as the mother leaves, the baby starts crying.

Tense is not expressed in the verb of the first clause, but it is in the second.

집에 갔자마자 잤어요. ✕
→집에 가자마자 잤어요. ✓
As soon as I got home, I slept.
집에 갈 거자자마자 잘 거예요. ✕
→집에 가자마자 잘 거예요. ✓
As soon as I get home, I'm going to sleep.

Kimchi Reader

Indicates that something happens immediately at the end of an action.

Details

Note: The tense we want to express in the sentence is done by conjugating the final verb of the sentence.

Examples
비가 그치<span class='focus'>자마자</span> 날씨가 추워졌다.
The weather got cold as soon as the rain stopped.
벨이 울리<span class='focus'>자마자</span> 아이들은 방을 뛰쳐나갔다.
The children ran out of the room as soon as the bell rang.
너무 피곤해서 집에 오<span class='focus'>자마자</span> 잤어요.
I was so tired I went to sleep as soon as I got home.

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