자마자 (jamaja) means "as soon as".
Indicates that one action happens immediately after another.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Same form after any stem. No tense on it: the last verb carries the tense.
Build it
When to use it
Right after
The second thing follows straight away.
Plans and requests
Works for the future and commands too.
Habits
Something you always do first.
Watch out
No past tense before 자마자 jamaja. The last verb shows it.
Use it with action verbs, not adjectives.
In context
8 examples- 1
일어나자마자 물을 마셔요.
Ireonajamaja mureul masyeoyo.
I drink water as soon as I wake up.
- 2
문이 열리자마자 사람들이 뛰어갔어요.
Muni yeollijamaja saramdeuri ttwieogasseoyo.
People ran as soon as the door opened.
- 3
그 소식을 듣자마자 엄마한테 전화했어요.
Geu sosigeul deutjamaja eommahante jeonhwahaesseoyo.
As soon as I heard the news, I called my mom.
- 4
집에 오자마자 손부터 씻어.
Jibe ojamaja sonbuteo ssiseo.
Wash your hands the minute you get home.
- 5
침대에 눕자마자 잠들었어요.
Chimdaee nupjamaja jamdeureosseoyo.
I fell asleep the moment I lay down.
- 6
월급 받자마자 다 썼어.
Wolgeup batjamaja da sseosseo.
I spent it all as soon as I got paid.
- 7
결과가 나오자마자 알려 드릴게요.
Gyeolgwaga naojamaja allyeo deurilgeyo.
I'll let you know as soon as the results are out.
- 8
버스에서 내리자마자 비가 오기 시작했어요.
Beoseueseo naerijamaja biga ogi sijakaesseoyo.
It started raining the second I got off the bus.
Practice
8 questions집에 왔자마자 잤어요.
Jibe watjamaja jasseoyo.
I went to sleep as soon as I got home.
자마자 vs 는 대로
Both mean "as soon as". 는 대로 neun daero is for plans and promises, and it sounds polite and businesslike. It doesn't work for things that just happened by chance.
- 도착하는 대로 연락드리겠습니다. dochakaneun daero yeollakdeurigetseumnida "I'll contact you as soon as I arrive."
- ✗버스에서 내리는 대로 비가 왔어요.
- ✓버스에서 내리자마자 비가 왔어요. beoseueseo naerijamaja biga wasseoyo "It rained the second I got off the bus."
자마자 vs 고 나서
고 나서 go naseo is just "after". 자마자 jamaja adds "immediately", with no gap at all.
- 밥을 먹고 나서 잤어요. babeul meokgo naseo jasseoyo "I slept after eating."
- 밥을 먹자마자 잤어요. babeul meokjamaja jasseoyo "I went to sleep right after eating."
Hanja in this lesson
Words from the examples that are written with Chinese characters. Tap a character to see its page.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 자마자 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
