A Lesson on Sequential Actions for 中・上級 Learners

[KyleGoetz]

Edited to take into account masaegu's proofreading. Thanks!

Same book, same translator. Here you go!

時間的前後関係 Sequential Actions

２級
〜てはじめて
〜上で・〜上の
〜て以来
〜てからでないと・〜てからでなければ
〜うちに・〜ないうちに
〜に先立って・〜に先立つ
１級
〜てからというもの（は）

===〜てはじめて===
Used when you want to say that before an event, X was not true, but after the event, X became true and the event was the reason.

Examples:
入院してはじめて健康のありがたさがわかりました。
Once I had been hospitalized, I finally understood the preciousness of health.

スポーツは自分でやってみてはじめてそのおもしろさが わかるのです。
Once I tried out sports myself, I understood the interest [people have in sports].

===〜上で・〜上の===
When you want to say "After ~, based on that, the next action occurred."

Usage: ta-form or the noun in a する verbの＋上で

Examples:
詳しいことはお目にかかった上で、説明いたします。
I will explain the details once we meet.

どの大学を受験するか、両親との相談の上で、決めます 。
As to which university to take the entrance exam for, after talking with my parents, I will decide.

===〜て以来===
Used when you want to say "After some action, a circumstance/state became and remained true."
You cannot use it for something that occurs only once after an event/action.

Examples:
大学を卒業して以来、中山さんには一度も会っていませ ん。
Since graduating from university, I haven't met Nakayama at all.

一人暮らしを始めて以来、ずっと外食が続いている。
Since beginning to live alone, I have constantly [done nothing but] eat out.

===〜てからでないと・〜てからでなければ===
Used when you want to say that in order for ~ not to happen, it is necessary to do ~ ahead of time.
The second part of the sentence should be something troublesome or impossible.

Examples:
野菜を生で食べるなら、よく洗ってからでないと、農薬 が心配だ。
If you're going to eat vegetables raw, until you clean them well, pesticides are a concern.

木村教授には前もって電話してからでないと、お会いで きないかもしれません。
Unless you call Prof. Kimura ahead of time, you might not be able to meet with him.

===〜うちに・〜ないうちに===
Used when you want to say "while ~ is true, I will do things because once ~ is not true, doing those things becomes difficult."

Usage: present form of a clause + うちに

Examples:
独身のうちに、いろいろなことをやってみたいです。
While I am single, I want to try out many things.

「若いうちに勉強しなかったら、いったいいつ勉強する んですか。」
If you do not study while you are young, when the hell are you going to study?!"

===〜に先立って・〜に先立つ===
"Before ~ happens, in preparation ~"
The preparation should be something quite important/big.

Usage: dictionary form or the noun part of a する verb ＋に先だって

Examples:
出発に先立って、大きい荷物は全部送っておきました。
Before departing, I sent all my big luggage.

移転に先立つ調査に、時間もお金もかかってしまった。
I spent time and money on an investigation prior to transferring.

===〜てからというもの（は）===
"Since doing ~, ~ [all the time]"
The preceding event often serves as the motivation/momentum behind the second event. A person's emotions are often tied up in the outcome, too.

Examples:
たばこをやめてからというもの、食欲が出て体の調子が とてもいい。
Since giving up smoking, I have had an appetite and I have felt good.

あの本を読んでからというものは、どう生きるべきかに ついて考えない日はない。
Since reading that book, there has not been a day when I haven't thought how I ought to live.

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Examples:
詳しいことはお目にかかった上で、説明いたします。
After learning something in detail, I will explain it [to you].

"Learning"? The speaker already knows the details.

どの大学を受験するか、両親との相談の上で、決めます。
As to which university to take the entrance exam for, after talking with my parents, I decided.

Tense?

Examples:
独身のうちに、いろいろなことをやってみたいです。
While I live alone, I want to try out many things.

"Live alone"? That is not what the first word in the Japanese means.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by masaegu

"Learning"? The speaker already knows the details.

I don't know why I translated that as "learning." "I will explain in detail to you once we meet." Right?

Tense?

That was sloppy of me. "I will decide."

"Live alone"? That is not what the first word in the Japanese means.

Again, very sloppy of me. 独身する is "to be independent." IN fact, I had initially translated it that way, but my mind said "no way, that's 'to live alone'" for some dumb reason.

修正をありがとうございました。

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Again, very sloppy of me. 独身する is "to be independent." IN fact, I had initially translated it that way, but my mind said "no way, that's 'to live alone'" for some dumb reason.

修正をありがとうございました。

独身 = being single (unmarried)

There is no phrase 独身する. You may be thinking of 独立する.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by masaegu

独身 = being single (unmarried)

There is no phrase 独身する. You may be thinking of 独立する.

You are correct, sir. That is what I was thinking about. Thanks!

One side effect of learning a lot of words with a shared kanji is that this type of thing happens sometimes.

Of course, I learned both 独身 and 独立 in my second semester of Japanese IIRC, so that's not really an excuse this time. I'm just growing senile!