Hardly… before: 〜か〜ないかのうちに
Verb (dictionary／た) + か + same verb-ない + かのうちに
Verb + か + same verb-ない + かのうちに: the second action starts when the first has barely happened. A narrative construction, rather written, followed by an observed fact.
In short
〜か〜ないかのうちに says the second action starts when the first has barely happened, or not quite: “you can't even tell yet whether it's done, and already…”. You repeat the same verb, in the affirmative then the negative. It's a narrative construction, rather written.
- チャイムが鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに、学生たちは教室を出ていった。ちゃいむがなるかならないかのうちに、がくせいたちはきょうしつをでていった。The bell had barely rung when the students were already leaving the classroom.
- 試合が始まるか始まらないかのうちに、一点取られた。しあいがはじまるかはじまらないかのうちに、いってんとられた。The match had hardly started when we conceded a point.
- 疲れていたので、横になるかならないかのうちに眠ってしまった。つかれていたので、よこになるかならないかのうちにねむってしまった。I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment I lay down.
The basics
The image is a blurred instant: “has the bell rung, or not yet?” During that brief moment (うち), the second action is already under way. English says “hardly… when”, “barely… before”, “the moment…”.
The verb is repeated: first in the affirmative, then in the negative. It's that repetition that creates the effect of near-simultaneity.
The bell had barely rung when the students had left the classroom.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- other
- パンが焼けるか焼けないかのうちに、子どもたちが台所に集まってきた。ぱんがやけるかやけないかのうちに、こどもたちがだいどころにあつまってきた。The bread was barely out of the oven when the children came crowding into the kitchen.
How to form it
First half: dictionary form or た past. Second half: the same verb in the plain negative, followed by かのうちに. The た-form stresses completion a little more (“had only just”).
| Verb | Dictionary form | た-form |
|---|---|---|
| 鳴る | 鳴るか鳴らないかのうちに | 鳴ったか鳴らないかのうちに |
| 着く | 着くか着かないかのうちに | 着いたか着かないかのうちに |
| 言う | 言うか言わないかのうちに | 言ったか言わないかのうちに |
| 横になる | 横になるかならないかのうちに | 横になったかならないかのうちに |
- 会議が終わったか終わらないかのうちに、彼は部屋を出ていった。かいぎがおわったかおわらないかのうちに、かれはへやをでていった。The meeting had only just ended when he'd already left the room.
- 電車のドアが開くか開かないかのうちに、人がどっと降りてきた。でんしゃのどあがあくかあかないかのうちに、ひとがどっとおりてきた。The doors were barely open when the crowd was already pouring off.
What can follow
The second part relates a fact: often in the past, in a narrative. No “let's”, no order, no plan. You can talk about yourself (横になるかならないかのうちに眠った), as long as you're telling what happened rather than what you're deciding.
- 注文するかしないかのうちに、料理が出てきた。ちゅうもんするかしないかのうちに、りょうりがでてきた。I'd barely ordered when the food was already arriving.
- 夜が明けるか明けないかのうちに、父は畑に出かけた。よがあけるかあけないかのうちに、ちちははたけにでかけた。Dawn was barely breaking when my father had already set off for the fields.
Compare with かと思うと and たとたん
かと思うと: the first fact is complete, then a second, surprising one follows. たとたん: something unexpected happens right after. か〜ないかのうちに: the two almost overlap; the first action isn't even finished. It's the “tightest” of the three, and the most literary.
| Construction | Gap between the two actions | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たとたん | right after | neutral |
| 〜たかと思うと | right after, with surprise | neutral, narrative |
| 〜か〜ないかのうちに | almost simultaneous | written, narrative |
Common mistakes
- Changing verbs between the two halves (鳴るか止まらないか): it's always the same verb, affirmative then negative.
- Forgetting の before うちに: you say かのうちに, never “か うちに”.
- Putting an intention after it (〜かのうちに、出かけよう): the second part relates a fact.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N2 point is on the Meitetsu Inuyama Line (History and traditions) of the Nagoya lines.