JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N3 grammar · Chapter 3

～次第

As soon as something is ready or complete

You’ll be able to promise or request a next action immediately after a condition is fulfilled, especially in formal contexts.

Illustration of the scene described by As soon as the luggage preparations are ready, let’s set off.
Read it first

荷物にもつの準備じゅんびができ次第しだい、出発しゅっぱつしましょう。

nimotsu no junbi ga deki shidai, shuppatsu shimashou.

What do you think this sentence means?

As soon as the luggage preparations are ready, let’s set off.

Why it means that

As soon as something is done

～次第しだい means “as soon as.” It is a formal pattern used when the speaker will take the next action immediately once something is complete or ready. It is common in announcements and decisive plans.

Examples

雨あめがやみ次第しだい、出でかけましょう。

ame ga yami shidai, dekakemashou.

Let’s head out as soon as the rain stops.

駅えきに着つき次第しだい、電話でんわします。

eki ni tsuki shidai, denwa shimasu.

I will call as soon as I arrive at the station.

How it is built

Attach it to the completion point

Use a verb’s ます-stem + 次第しだい, as in 準備じゅんびができ次第しだい. In formal language a する-noun can come straight before it: 到着次第とうちゃくしだい. The following clause is the action that will occur without delay. Because it promises a future step, it is not used to report past events.

Verb ます-stem / する-noun+次第+immediate next action
Examples

詳細しょうさいがわかり次第しだい、お知しらせします。

shousai ga wakari shidai, oshirase shimasu.

I will let you know as soon as I have the details.

到着とうちゃく次第しだい、ご連絡れんらくします。

touchaku shidai, gorenraku shimasu.

I will contact you as soon as I arrive.

Compare

～たらすぐ vs ～次第

Both mean “as soon as.” ～たらすぐ is everyday and can also describe past events. ～次第しだい is formal and only looks ahead to a next step.

  • ～たらすぐ, as soon as

    結果けっかが出でたらすぐお知しらせします。

    kekka ga detara sugu oshirase shimasu.

    I will let you know as soon as the results are out.

    Everyday tone; it could also be past: 出たらすぐ知らせました.

  • ～次第, as soon as (formal)

    結果けっかが出で次第しだい、お知しらせします。

    kekka ga de shidai, oshirase shimasu.

    I will inform you as soon as the results are out.

    Formal and future-only; ×出次第知らせました is not used.

Examples

商品しょうひんが届とどき次第しだい、お電話でんわでお知しらせします。

shouhin ga todoki shidai, odenwa de oshirase shimasu.

We will call you as soon as the item arrives.

会議かいぎが終おわり次第しだい、そちらに向むかいます。

kaigi ga owari shidai, sochira ni mukaimasu.

I will head over to you as soon as the meeting ends.

日程にっていが決きまり次第しだい、メールでご連絡れんらくいたします。

nittei ga kimari shidai, meeru de gorenraku itashimasu.

We will contact you by email as soon as the schedule is decided.

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