Explanation
Express a sequence of events happening in quick succession; 'as soon as', 'no sooner than'.
Formation
Verb-た form + かと思ったら
Detailed explanation
The ～たかと思ったら grammar point indicates that one action occurs almost immediately after another, often conveying surprise at how quickly it happens. It is frequently translated as 'as soon as...' or 'no sooner than...'.
Examples
Denwa o kaketa ka to omottara, sugu ni kanojo ga deta.
No sooner had I called than she picked up.
Ririku shita ka to omottara, hikouki ga yure hajimeta.
As soon as we took off, the plane started shaking.
Kaimono ni itta ka to omottara, ame ga futte kita.
No sooner had I gone shopping than it began to rain.
Shigoto o owatta ka to omottara, joushi ga tsuika no shigoto o motte kita.
As soon as I finished work, my boss brought more tasks.
Practice
Grammar content sourced from hanabira.org.