How do you use "Hardly/Scarcely...when, No sooner...than" in a sentence?

Hardly had we started when it began to rain. No sooner had I closed my eyes than the baby cried. Scarcely had the game begun when he scored. Barely had she spoken when he interrupted.

Hardly/Scarcely...when, No sooner...than

Q: What does "Hardly/Scarcely...when, No sooner...than" mean?

Expressing immediacy of sequence These structures show one event immediately followed another: 'Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.' 'No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.' Very formal/literary.

Grammar Pattern BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★☆☆ Moderate Formal

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Meaning: Expressing immediacy of sequence

表达事件的紧密连续性

Expresar la inmediatez de la secuencia

連続の即時性を表現する

연속되는 사건의 즉시성을 표현하기

These structures show one event immediately followed another: 'Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.' 'No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.' Very formal/literary.

这些结构表示一个事件紧接着另一个事件发生：'Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.' 'No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.' 非常正式/文学性。

Estas estructuras muestran que un evento siguió inmediatamente a otro: 'Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.' 'No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.' Muy formal/literario.

これらの構造は、ある出来事がすぐに別の出来事に続いたことを示します：「Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.」「No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.」非常にフォーマル/文学的です。

이 구조는 한 사건 직후에 다른 사건이 일어났음을 나타냅니다: 'Hardly had I arrived when it started raining.' 'No sooner had she sat down than the phone rang.' 매우 격식적이고 문어체입니다.

Examples

Hardly had we started when it began to rain.
我们刚开始，就开始下雨了。
Apenas habíamos empezado cuando empezó a llover.
始めたとたんに雨が降り始めた。
시작하자마자 비가 내리기 시작했다.
No sooner had I closed my eyes than the baby cried.
我刚闭上眼睛，孩子就哭了。
No bien había cerrado los ojos cuando el bebé lloró.
目を閉じたとたんに赤ちゃんが泣いた。
눈을 감자마자 아기가 울었다.
Scarcely had the game begun when he scored.
比赛刚开始，他就进球了。
Apenas había comenzado el partido cuando él marcó.
試合が始まったとたんに彼が得点した。
경기가 시작되자마자 그가 득점했다.
Barely had she spoken when he interrupted.
她刚一开口，他就打断了。
Apenas había hablado cuando él la interrumpió.
彼女が話し始めたとたんに彼が遮った。
그녀가 말을 꺼내자마자 그가 끼어들었다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: written, literary, formal

Tone: narrative

✓ Do Say

Hardly had I left when it started snowing.
我刚离开就开始下雪了。
Apenas me fui cuando empezó a nevar.
私が去った途端に雪が降り始めた。
내가 떠나자마자 눈이 내리기 시작했다.
No sooner had the concert ended than people rushed out.
音乐会刚结束人们就冲了出去。
No bien terminó el concierto la gente salió corriendo.
コンサートが終わるや否や人々が駆け出した。
콘서트가 끝나자마자 사람들이 밖으로 뛰쳐나갔다.
Scarcely had we met when we became friends.
我们刚认识就成了朋友。
Apenas nos conocimos nos hicimos amigos.
会った途端に友達になった。
만나자마자 우리는 친구가 되었다.
Hardly had I arrived when...
我刚到就……
Apenas había llegado cuando...
着いたとたんに…
도착하자마자…
No sooner had she left than...
她刚离开就……
No bien se había ido cuando...
彼女が出発するやいなや…
그녀가 떠나자마자…

✗ Don't Say

Hardly I had arrived when... (need inversion)
Hardly I had arrived when...（需要倒装）
Hardly I had arrived when... (se necesita inversión)
Hardly I had arrived when...（倒置が必要）
Hardly I had arrived when...（도치가 필요）
No sooner had she left when... (use 'than')
No sooner had she left when...（应使用'than'）
No sooner had she left when... (usar 'than')
No sooner had she left when...（「than」を使う）
No sooner had she left when...（'than'을 사용）

Origin & History

Immediate sequence structures

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal