一 … 就 … (as soon as / whenever)
IntroducedAn immediate link can describe a habit
- You usually sleep shortly after reaching home.
- I我as soon as一to / arrive到home家then就sleep睡觉。 — The arrival triggers sleeping in the described routine.
You usually sleep shortly after reaching home. What does 我一到家就睡觉。 communicate?
The arrival triggers sleeping in the described routine. The frame also describes one event in an appropriate past context. It does not specify an exact number of seconds between the actions.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is as soon as一 … then就 … (as soon as / whenever). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
I我as soon as一get home到家then就sleep睡觉。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: As soon as I get home, I sleep: 我一到家 ____ 睡觉。
一 + Event1 + 就 + Event2 = as soon as: 一到家就睡觉.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, I我as soon as一to / arrive到home家then就sleep睡觉。: The arrival triggers sleeping in the described routine.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
What does 一下雨就堵车 mean?
一…就… can mean “whenever X, Y”.
Know the boundary
- The frame also describes one event in an appropriate past context.
- It does not specify an exact number of seconds between the actions.
In 一…就…, Y follows X immediately or every time.
Yes — “as soon as” or “whenever”.
一…就… specifies an exact one-second interval.
The frame also describes one event in an appropriate past context. It does not specify an exact number of seconds between the actions. The arrival triggers sleeping in the described routine.
Use the distinction
- The arrival triggers sleeping in the described routine.
- The frame also describes one event in an appropriate past context. It does not specify an exact number of seconds between the actions.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Complex sentence patterns.
You usually sleep shortly after reaching home. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.