JLPT N3
次第
As soon as / Depending on
Structure
Verb stem 次第
How it works
When attached to a verb stem, 次第 (shidai) means 'as soon as' and is used in formal or business contexts to indicate that an action will happen immediately after something else finishes. It implies a sense of urgency or a planned sequence of events. Note that the following clause cannot be in the past tense.
Examples
詳細が決まり次第、ご連絡いたします。
As soon as the details are decided, I will contact you.
準備ができ次第、出発しましょう。
Let's depart as soon as preparations are ready.
雨が止み次第、試合を再開します。
As soon as the rain stops, we will resume the match.
Common mistakes
Do not use '次第' for past events (e.g., 'I called as soon as I arrived'); instead, use '〜たらすぐ' or '〜たとたん'.
Tip
Think of this as the formal version of '〜たらすぐ'. You will most often see it in business emails and official announcements.
More JLPT N3 grammar
See 次第 in real Japanese
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