Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 7: 2/22

かと思(おも)うとThen again, Just when I thought, No sooner than

Structure

Verb［た］(1) + かと思(おも)ったら(2)
［い］Adjective + かと思(おも)ったら(2)
［な］Adjective + かと思(おも)ったら(2)
Noun + かと思(おも)ったら(2)

(1) Verb［る］
(2) かと思(おも)うと、かと思(おも)えば

Details

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About かと思ったら・かと思うと

When the adverbial particle か is combined with と, the う-Verb 思(おも)う, and either of the hypothetical markers たら or と, it forms a compound that is used to illustrate uncertainty about whether (A) has been finalized or not. In most cases, this translates as '(A), then again (B)', 'just when I thought (A), (B)', or 'no sooner than (A), (B)'. Literally, the meaning is close to 'before (A) could even be confirmed as having happened, (B)'.

かと思(おも)うと and かと思(おも)ったら will regularly appear after verbs in either their dictionary or past-tense forms.

Alternatively, this structure may also be seen following nouns, especially when the meaning is focused on the speaker's feelings about (A).

Either なの (or の when used with verbs) may appear between the target phrase and かと思(おも)ったら when the (B) phrase includes the speaker's feelings.

Caution - Occasionally, か may be omitted from this phrase, leaving only と思(おも)うと and と思(おも)ったら. Although the meaning is exactly the same, omission of the か will make the expression sound softer.

  • 新入(しんじん)社員(しゃいん)が入(はい)ってきたと思(おも)ったら、次(つぎ)の日(ひ)には仕事(しごと)を辞(や)めていた。
    Just when I thought a new employee had joined us, he had quit by the next day.
  • 息子(むすこ)と息子(むすこ)の友達(ともだち)が喧嘩(けんか)をしていると思(おも)うと、友達(ともだち)とゲラゲラ笑(わら)いながらゲームをしていた。
    Just when I thought that my son and his friend were fighting, I heard him giggling while playing video games with his friend.

Examples

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    ミスが続(つづ)いたのであきれられたかと思(おも)ったら、そうでもなかった。

    Just when I thought they would grow disgusted of their continued mistakes, they didn't.

    嫌(いや)がられるかと思(おも)ったら、あっさりOKしてくれた。

    Just when I thought they would hate it, they easily gave me the okay.

    暴(あば)れていたかと思(おも)ったら、やけに大人(おとな)しくなることもある。

    Just when I thought that they were throwing a tantrum, they become extremely docile.

    彼(かれ)はあれだけ怒(おこ)られて悲(かな)しんでいるかと思(おも)ったら、すぐに笑(わら)いだした。

    Just when I thought that alone would make him so mad he would get sad, he started laughing.

    何(なに)を言(い)い出(だ)すかと思(おも)ったら、コンビ解散(かいさん)の話(はなし)だった。

    Just when I thought of something to say they were already talking about dissolving the duo.

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      かと思ったら・かと思うと – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

      • casual

        casual

        I’m being a little bit thrown off by the scoping in this sentence:

        彼はあれだけ怒られて悲しんでいるかと思ったら、すぐに笑いだした。

        My interpretation:

        I thought he is sad after being scolded so much, but he soon burst into laughter.

        Is it correct that かとおもったら refers only to 悲しんでいる, not to the first part 怒られて, or is the whole phrase conditional?
        I think only to 悲しんでいる due to the tense. If the whole phrase was conditional, it would use 悲しむ.

        Is it correct that passive 怒られる refers to 彼は（誰かに）怒られる?
        Or should it be interpreted as （話し手は彼に）怒られる, with 彼は referring only to 悲しんでいる?

        In other words, are this statements correct?

        • he has been scolded (not a conditional)
        • “I” (the speaker) think that he is currently sad/feeling down from that
        • but surprisingly he shows a different reaction

        Any help appreciated.

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