len čo / hneď ako

As Soon as

Level 4

Len čo and hneď ako link two actions with no gap between them: first one, then right away the other.

How It Works

Immediately after. Both expressions mean as soon as. Both are common in speech and writing. Hneď ako is built from hneď (immediately) and ako.

Perfective verbs. The first action has to be finished before the second one starts, so the verb is usually perfective. For the future, use the present form of the perfective verb, never budem: Len čo prídem, zavolám ti. For the past, use the past tense: Hneď ako skončil, odišiel.

Either order. Zavolám ti, len čo prídem and Len čo prídem, zavolám ti mean the same. A comma always separates the clauses.

Not the same as len keď. Len keď means only when: Zavolám ti, len keď to bude nutné (I'll call you only when it's necessary). For a stronger "barely ... when", see sotva.

Examples (5)

  1. Len čo prídem, zavolám ti.

    As soon as I arrive, I'll call you.

    Word by Word: As-soon-as I-arrive, I-will-call you.

    Prídem is perfective, so it refers to the future.

  2. Hneď ako skončil, odišiel.

    As soon as he finished, he left.

    Word by Word: Right when he-finished, he-left.

  3. Len čo sme vošli do domu, začalo pršať.

    As soon as we went into the house, it started raining.

    Word by Word: As-soon-as we-are went into house, it-began to-rain.

  4. Zavolaj mi, hneď ako budeš vedieť výsledky.

    Call me as soon as you know the results.

    Word by Word: Call me, right when you-will-be to-know results.

    Vedieť is imperfective, so its future uses budeš.

  5. Hneď ako sa naučíš abecedu, začneme čítať.

    As soon as you've learned the alphabet, we'll start reading.

    Word by Word: Right when yourself you-learn alphabet, we-will-start to-read.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding budem to a perfective verb.

    Len čo budem prísť, zavolám ti.
    Len čo prídem, zavolám ti.

    Prísť is perfective, so its present form prídem already refers to the future. Budem is only used with imperfective verbs.

  • Using len keď when you mean as soon as.

    Zavolám ti, len keď prídem domov.
    Zavolám ti, len čo prídem domov.

    Len keď means only when, which puts a limit on the call instead of saying that it comes right away. For as soon as, use len čo or hneď ako.

How It Connects

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

len čo / hneď akoLevel 4As Soon as

Learn This First

Before As Soon As, learn When: keď and Perfective Verbs for the Future. len čo is a time conjunction like keď. It often goes with perfective verbs.

Words in This Pattern

hneď