як толькі
As Soon as with Як Толькі
Як толькі means as soon as: Як толькі я прыйду, я патэлефаную. (As soon as I arrive, I will call.)
How It Works
Як толькі is a time conjunction, like калі in time clauses, but it adds the idea of immediately. Compare Калі я прыйду, я патэлефаную (When I arrive, I will call) with Як толькі я прыйду, я патэлефаную (As soon as I arrive, I will call).
Future events. English says as soon as I arrive in the present tense, but Belarusian uses the real future. For a single completed event, that is the perfective future: прыйду, скончу, даедзеш. Do not use буду with a perfective verb.
Past events. Use the past tense of a perfective verb: Як толькі пачаўся дождж, мы пабеглі дадому.
Repeated events. For something that happens every time, use imperfective verbs in the present or past: Як толькі ён прыходзіць дадому, ён уключае музыку. (Every time he comes home, he turns on music right away.)
Word order and commas. The як толькі clause can come first or second. A comma always separates it from the main clause, as in other complex sentences: Напішы мне, як толькі даедзеш. After a first-position як толькі clause, the main clause may begin with дык in speech: Як толькі змеркнецца, дык пойдзем.
Related time words. For after in general, use пасля таго як. For before, use перш чым. For while or until, use пакуль.
Examples (6)
- Як толькі я прыйду дадому, я табе патэлефаную.
As soon as I get home, I will call you.
Word by Word: As only I will-come home, I to-you will-call.
- Як толькі пачаўся дождж, мы пабеглі дадому.
As soon as it started raining, we ran home.
Word by Word: As only began rain, we ran home.
- Напішы мне, як толькі даедзеш.
Write to me as soon as you get there.
Word by Word: Write to-me, as only you-will-arrive.
- Як толькі сонца зайшло, стала холадна.
As soon as the sun set, it got cold.
Word by Word: As only sun set, became cold.
- Як толькі звінеў званок, дзеці выбягалі на двор.
Every time the bell rang, the children ran out into the yard.
Word by Word: As only rang bell, children were-running-out to yard.
Imperfective past verbs show that this happened again and again.
- Я скажу табе, як толькі нешта даведаюся.
I will tell you as soon as I find something out.
Word by Word: I will-tell you, as only something I-will-find-out.
Common Mistakes
Using the present tense for a future event, as English does.
Як толькі я прыходжу дадому, я патэлефаную.Як толькі я прыйду дадому, я патэлефаную.The arrival is a single future event, so it needs the perfective future прыйду. The present прыходжу describes a habit or something happening now.
Putting буду in front of a perfective verb.
Як толькі я буду прыйсці, я патэлефаную.Як толькі я прыйду, я патэлефаную.Буду combines only with imperfective infinitives. A perfective verb already shows the future with its own endings.
Leaving out the comma between the clauses.
Напішы мне як толькі даедзеш.Напішы мне, як толькі даедзеш.The як толькі clause is a separate clause, so a comma divides it from the main clause.
How It Connects
Learn This First
As soon as follows time clauses.
Related Patterns
- пасля таго якAfter with Пасля Таго Як
Also places one event after another, without stressing that it follows at once.
Level 4 - перш чымBefore with Перш Чым
The opposite order: the main event happens before the other one.
Level 4 - Perfective Future
Supplies the perfective future used in the як толькі clause for a single future event.
Level 3 - пакульWhile and Until with Пакуль
Another time conjunction, for while and until.
Level 3 - Commas in Complex Sentences
Explains the comma that separates the як толькі clause.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice як толькі in Bubblegum
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