Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
As soon as; the moment that; simultaneously with.
🎯 Primary Function
To express that a second, often sudden or unexpected, event occurred instantly after the first action was completed.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (た-form) + とたん (に)
N/A (Primarily connects to verbs)
N/A (Primarily connects to verbs)
Verb (なかった-form) + とたん (Less common)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used appropriately in formal narrative explanations or reports of sequential events.
Informal Situations
Very common in casual conversation when recounting personal experiences or stories.
Written Language
Frequently found in novels, news reports, and descriptive writing.
Spoken Language
High frequency in storytelling and describing events.
💡 Common Applications
Describing a sudden, immediate reaction or consequence.
Used when an unexpected, often inconvenient or surprising, event occurs immediately following the completion of an action. The emphasis is on the lack of time lapse.
Example: 外に出たとたん、激しい雨に降られた。
Expressing the simultaneity of two spontaneous actions.
Used to narrate an event where the second action is a natural, non-volitional reaction to the first action.
Example: 先生が教室に入った途端、生徒たちは静かになった。
Frequency
Common in both spoken and written narrative.
Difficulty
Intermediate (N3)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
窓を開けたとたん、冷たい風が入ってきた。
Furigana: まどをあけたとたん、つめたいかぜがはいってきた。
Romaji: Mado o aketa totan, tsumetai kaze ga haitte kita.
English: The moment I opened the window, a cold wind came in.
Example #2
彼はベッドに入ったとたん、すぐに眠ってしまった。
Furigana: かれはベッドにはいったとたん、すぐにねむってしまった。
Romaji: Kare wa beddo ni haitta totan, sugu ni nemutte shimatta.
English: He fell asleep instantly the moment he got into bed.
Example #3
雨がやんだとたん、子供たちは外に飛び出した。
Furigana: あめがやんだとたん、こどもたちはそとにとびだした。
Romaji: Ame ga yanda totan, kodomo-tachi wa soto ni tob dashita.
English: The moment the rain stopped, the children rushed outside.
Example #4
私が「さようなら」と言ったとたん、彼女は走り去った。
Furigana: わたしが「さようなら」といったとたん、かのじょははしりさった。
Romaji: Watashi ga “sayounara” to itta totan, kanojo wa hashirisatta.
English: The moment I said “Goodbye,” she ran away.
Example #5
試合終了の笛が鳴ったとたん、歓声が上がった。
Furigana: しあいしゅうりょうのふえがなったとたん、かんせいがった。
Romaji: Shiai shūryō no fue ga natta totan, kansei ga agatta.
English: The moment the final whistle blew, cheers erupted.
Example #6
家に帰ってきたとたん、急に腹痛を感じた。
Furigana: いえにかえってきたとたん、きゅうにはらつうをかんじた。
Romaji: Ie ni kaette kita totan, kyū ni haratsū o kanjita.
English: The moment I returned home, I suddenly felt a stomach ache.
Example #7
彼が部屋を出たとたん、みんなが彼の悪口を言い始めた。
Furigana: かれがへやをでたとたん、みんながかれのわるぐちをいいはじめた。
Romaji: Kare ga heya o deta totan, minna ga kare no waruguchi o ii hajimeta.
English: The moment he left the room, everyone started speaking ill of him.
Example #8
電源を入れた途端、焦げたような匂いがした。
Furigana: でんげんをいれたとたん、こげたようなにおいがした。
Romaji: Dengen o ireta totan, kogeta yō na nioi ga shita.
English: The moment I turned on the power, there was a burning smell.
Example #9
その知らせを聞いた途端、彼は顔色を変えた。
Furigana: そのしらせをきいたとたん、かれはかおいろをかえた。
Romaji: Sono shirase o kiita totan, kare wa kaoiro o kaeta.
English: The moment he heard that news, his complexion changed.
Example #10
ケーキを食べ始めた途端、犬が吠え始めた。
Furigana: ケーキをたべはじめたとたん、いぬがほえはじめた。
Romaji: Kēki o tabe hajimeta totan, inu ga hoe hajimeta.
English: The moment I started eating the cake, the dog started barking.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Emphasis on Immediacy.
This pattern emphasizes the near-zero time gap between the two events. The second event is typically instantaneous.
Example: ベルが鳴ったとたん、生徒たちは教室を出た。
Non-Volitional Second Clause.
The second clause must usually be an event or action that is spontaneous, reflexive, or outside the speaker’s control. It cannot be a command, request, or a strong volitional intention of the subject.
Example: 飛行機が着陸したとたん、拍手が起こった。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 窓を開けたとたん、タバコを吸いました。(Incorrect use of volitional action)
✅ 窓を開けたとたん、急に寒くなりました。
The clause following とたん must describe a spontaneous, sudden, or non-volitional action/event (something that just happened), not an intentional action decided upon by the subject.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. Politeness is determined by the final verb conjugation (e.g., ます/ました).
Social Situations: Suitable for recounting dramatic or surprising events, or simply emphasizing instantaneous transitions.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese structure, widely understood across regions.
🔍 Subtle Differences
たとたん vs. ～やいなや
やいなや is generally more formal, literary, and often used in news or dramatic narration. とたん is more common for everyday experiences.
When to use: Use とたん for common, immediate personal experiences. Use やいなや for slightly more formal or powerful narrative effects.
たとたん vs. ～かと思うと / ～かと思ったら
～かと思うと emphasizes a quick *change* or *shift* in situation, often implying surprise or instability, and sometimes involving the same subject. とたん strictly focuses on the temporal immediacy between two separate actions/events.
When to use: Use とたん when emphasizing that Event B happened the exact moment Action A finished. Use ～かと思うと when emphasizing a surprising, rapid succession or change.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The preceding verb must always be in the past tense (た-form) to clearly indicate the completion of the first action. The particle に (ni) can optionally be attached to とたん.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced with a slight pause or break immediately after the V-ta form, emphasizing the instantaneous nature of the transition.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of とたん (途端) as “the very edge/moment (端) of the way (途)”—meaning, the absolute instant you reach the end of the first action.
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.