〜そばから (soba kara)

JLPT N1 No sooner ~ than … — again and again.

Meaning

“As soon as ~, (it's undone) ….” Right after X, Y repeatedly cancels it out. Shows frustration.

Formation

Verb (dictionary / た-form) + そばから

Examples

覚えたそばから、忘れてしまう。

Oboeta soba kara, wasurete shimau. — No sooner do I memorize it than I forget it.

片付けるそばから、子どもが散らかす。

Katazukeru soba kara, kodomo ga chirakasu. — As fast as I tidy up, the kids make a mess.

注意するそばから、また同じ失敗をする。

Chūi suru soba kara, mata onaji shippai o suru. — No sooner do I warn him than he makes the same mistake again.

How it works

It describes a repeating, frustrating cycle: the result keeps undoing the action, over and over. This repetition is the key nuance.

Unlike 〜たとたん (a one-time surprise), そばから implies the pattern happens again and again.

Compared with similar expressions

• 〜そばから — “no sooner ~ than …,” repeated, frustrating cycle

• 〜たとたん — “the moment ~,” a single, sudden event

• 〜次第 — “as soon as ~,” planned next step

Common mistakes

• It implies repetition — don't use it for a one-off event (use 〜たとたん).

• Both 覚えるそばから and 覚えたそばから are acceptable.

Related grammar

• 〜たとたん — the moment ~

• 〜か〜ないかのうちに — almost the instant ~

• 〜ては〜 — repeatedly ~ and ~