जैसे ही

As Soon as Something Happens

Level 4Sounds Like jaisē hī

जैसे ही introduces a full clause and means as soon as.

How It Works

जैसे ही links two events with no gap between them. The first clause has its own full verb, so it can carry tense, a subject and an object.

  • जैसे ही बस रुकी, सब उतरने लगे. As soon as the bus stopped, everyone started getting off.
  • मैं जैसे ही घर पहुँचा, बिजली चली गई. The moment I got home, the power went out.

Put जैसे ही at the start, or right after the subject of the first clause. A comma usually separates the two clauses. You can open the second clause with वैसे ही, but it is not needed.

Match the tenses to the time. For the past, both clauses are past. For the future, use the future in both: जैसे ही मुझे ख़बर मिलेगी, मैं आपको बता दूँगी (I'll tell you as soon as I hear).

-ते ही says the same thing more briefly: बस रुकते ही. Choose जैसे ही when the first part is long or needs its own tense. Keep it apart from जैसा ... वैसा, which compares kinds and ways.

Examples (5)

  1. जैसे ही बस रुकी, सब उतरने लगे।

    As soon as the bus stopped, everyone started getting off.

    The first clause has its own past verb, रुकी.

  2. मैं जैसे ही घर पहुँचा, बिजली चली गई।

    The moment I got home, the power went out.

    जैसे ही can come right after the subject.

  3. जैसे ही मुझे ख़बर मिलेगी, मैं आपको बता दूँगी।

    I'll let you know as soon as I hear.

    For the future, both clauses are in the future.

  4. जैसे ही उसने दरवाज़ा खोला, वैसे ही बिल्ली अंदर आ गई।

    The moment she opened the door, the cat came in.

    वैसे ही can open the second clause.

  5. जैसे ही फ़िल्म ख़त्म हुई, लोग तालियाँ बजाने लगे।

    As soon as the film ended, people started clapping.

    The second event follows right away.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the -ते form after जैसे ही.

    जैसे ही घर पहुँचते, मैंने फ़ोन किया।
    जैसे ही मैं घर पहुँचा, मैंने फ़ोन किया।

    जैसे ही needs a full verb with tense. Without one, say घर पहुँचते ही.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

जैसे हीLevel 4As Soon as Something Happens

Learn This First

As soon as a clause happens builds on -ते ही and the जब ... तब pattern.

Words in This Pattern

जैसेही