HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 18 · LESSON 103

-자마자As soon as…

-자마자 says the second thing happens right after the first, with almost no gap. It attaches to any verb stem and works for the past, for habits and for future plans: 집에 오자마자 샤워했어요 (As soon as I got home, I took a shower).

Listening speed

Listen buttons use your device’s Korean voice. A Korean voice must be installed and available to the browser.

A situation you already know

A friend asks what you did when your exam results came out.

결과를 보자마자 엄마한테 전화했어요.

As soon as I saw the results, I called my mom.

Seeing the results → calling, right away. The tense appears only at the end: 전화했어요.

Build the form

FORM IN MOTION

Try an expression

보다 → 보 + 자마자 → 보자마자Complete expression
먹다 → 먹 + 자마자 → 먹자마자Complete expression
도착하다 → 도착하 + 자마자 → 도착하자마자Complete expression
듣다 → 듣 + 자마자 → 듣자마자Complete expression

Any verb stem + -자마자, with no changes: 보자마자, 먹자마자, 듣자마자, 만들자마자.
No tense before it: ✗봤자마자. Put the tense on the final verb.
Use it with action verbs (events), not adjectives.
It works for the past (도착하자마자 잤어요), habits (일어나자마자 물을 마셔요) and future requests (도착하자마자 연락하세요).
The two subjects can be different: 제가 집에 들어가자마자 비가 오기 시작했어요.

Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide

It works just like English “as soon as,” and the tense goes only at the end.
For future promises, -는 대로 (Lesson 87) is also common: 도착하는 대로 연락할게요. For past events, only -자마자 works.
It can show a very quick or surprising reaction: 문을 열자마자 고양이가 뛰어나왔어요.

Six examples in context

아침에 일어나자마자 물을 한 잔 마셔요.

I drink a glass of water as soon as I wake up.

수업이 끝나자마자 집에 갔어요.

I went home as soon as class ended.

문을 열자마자 고양이가 뛰어나왔어요.

As soon as I opened the door, the cat ran out.

그 노래를 듣자마자 눈물이 났어요.

As soon as I heard that song, tears came to my eyes.

한국에 도착하자마자 연락 주세요.

Please get in touch as soon as you arrive in Korea.

월급을 받자마자 다 써 버렸어요.

I spent my whole paycheck as soon as I got it.

Compare with related patterns

-는 대로

도착하는 대로 연락할게요.

For future promises and requests only (Lesson 87). -자마자 also works for the past.

-고 나서

밥을 먹고 나서 이를 닦아요.

“After eating, I brush my teeth.” Just the order, with no sense of speed (Lesson 77).

-(으)ㄴ 후에

수업이 끝난 후에 만나요.

“Let’s meet after class.” Neutral time order (Lesson 54).

Pattern	Choose it when…
-자마자	the next thing happens right away (any tense)
-는 대로	right after, for future promises or requests
-고 나서	after finishing
-(으)ㄴ 후에	after (neutral)

Common mistakes

집에 왔자마자 잤어요.집에 오자마자 잤어요.

No past tense before -자마자.

배가 고프자마자 밥을 먹었어요.배가 고파서 바로 밥을 먹었어요.

-자마자 goes with actions (events), not adjectives.

어제 도착하는 대로 잤어요.어제 도착하자마자 잤어요.

A past event → -자마자.

졸업하자 마자 취직했어요.졸업하자마자 취직했어요.

-자마자 is one ending; write it together.

Mini practice · six questions

Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.

Fill in the blank집에 ______ 손을 씻었어요. (들어가다)
Check answer
집에 들어가자마자 손을 씻었어요.
Stem + -자마자; past only at the end.
Fill in the blank그 소식을 ______ 친구에게 전화했어요. (듣다)
Check answer
그 소식을 듣자마자 친구에게 전화했어요.
듣다 doesn’t change before -자마자.
Choose the natural form어제 비행기에서 (내리자마자 / 내리는 대로) 호텔로 갔어요.
Check answer
내리자마자
A past event → -자마자.
Choose the natural form침대에 (눕자마자 / 누웠자마자) 잠이 들었어요.
Check answer
눕자마자
No past tense before -자마자.
Fix the mistake학교를 졸업했자마자 취직했어요.
Check answer
학교를 졸업하자마자 취직했어요.
Remove 았/었 before -자마자.
Say it in KoreanAs soon as I got on the bus, it started to rain.
Check answer
버스를 타자마자 비가 오기 시작했어요.
Different subjects are fine with -자마자.

Today’s key point

Verb stem + -자마자 = right after. No tense before it; the tense goes at the end. Works for the past, habits and the future.

Keep learning

Hyeju Yoo

M.A. in Korean Language Education · Certified Korean language teacher

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