TAKOBOTO

just as soon as
the baby cried as soon as it saw me
動詞の終止形に付いて、同時にまたは引き続いてすぐに物事が行われる意を表す。．．．するとすぐに。．．．するが早いか。

あかんぼうはわたしのかおをみるやいなや、なきだした。

The baby began to cry the moment that she saw my face

そこにでかけるやいなやかのじょはびょうきになった。

As soon as she went there, she fell ill.

そのいっこうがしゅっぱつするやいなや、あめがふりだした。

The group had no sooner set off than it began to rain.

そのおとをきくやいなや、いぬはにげていきました。

On hearing the sound, the dog rushed away.

そのいぬはわたしのすがたをみるやいなやにげていった。

Scarcely had the dog seen me before it ran away.

そのこはおかあさんをみるやいなやとなきだした。

No sooner had the child seen his mother than he burst into tears.

そのおんなのこはははおやをみるやいなやわっとなきだした。

The instant the girl saw her mother, she burst out crying.

そのしょうじょはかいぶつのすがたをみるやいなやにげだした。

No sooner had the girl caught sight of the monster than she ran away.

そのしらせをきくやいなやかのじょはあおざめた。

On hearing the news, she turned pale.

そのへやにはいるやいなやわたしは、たばこのにおいのほかにガスのにおいがするのにきがついた。

No sooner had I entered the room than I noticed the smell not only of tobacco but of gas.

そのへやにはいるやいなやかれらははなしをやめた。

The minute I entered the room, they stopped talking.

ははつばいされるや、すべてうりきれた。

As soon as the the Playstation portable was put on sale, it totally sold out.

がっこうにとうちゃくするやいなや

As soon as you arrive at the school

ドアをあけるやいなやそのねこはとびだしていった

As soon as he opened the door, the cat ran out

さつえいされるやいなやデジタルかされ、インターネットにのせられました

Filming had hardly ended before it had been digitized and put on the internet

わたしがおりをあけるやいなやそのねこはとびだしていった。

As soon as I opened the cage, the cat rushed out.

しゅっぱつするやいなやうがふりだした。

As soon as I left it started to rain.

きたくするやいなやうがふりだした。

As soon as I got home it started to rain.

Good page on this here

Amatuka

Relevant grammar question & comments here (second post).

Amatuka

ex#1078 can be also said, 赤ん坊は私の顔をみるなり、泣き出した。
hmm no entry for なり?

Miki

Is it always a "negative" sentence that comes after the "yainaya"? (ie cry, shut up, rain...)

Pied

My textbook uses kanji for this grammar - や否や.
It also says that sometimes the "否や" is omitted - Aや、B.

blabby

Still it seems hard for me to difference the use ofや否や、かと思うと、なり、たとたんに. It's clear the meaning of the examples, but if I had to choose one of these in a blank, I'd probably fail.

poderesx

#pied, that is not necessary. Any action can come after や否や, like 'No sooner had he closed the door behind him than he burst into hearty laughter.' Picked this up from an old Japanese Sherlock Holmes novel I had.

Kuval Anand