なり

nari

JLPT N1 #3 of 243 in N1

As soon as; right after ~

Nari marks an immediate succession, meaning 'as soon as' or 'right after' an action or event.

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How to form it

Attach to the dictionary (plain present) form of a verb. It does not attach to past forms, ます-stem, or て-form. It is not used with nouns or adjectives.

What it means

This pattern expresses that the second action or state occurs immediately after the first, often with a sense of suddenness or inevitability. It is a written, formal construction, frequently found in literary works, news reports, or narrative prose. In conversation, you'll rarely hear it; people would use ～たとたん or ～しだい instead.

The nuance is that the second event follows without any pause, and often the first event triggers the second. For example, 家に帰るなり、叫び出した means 'the moment I got home, I started screaming.' Because it's formal, it can sound dramatic or literary.

Be careful with the placement: it attaches directly to the verb's dictionary form, but not to the ます-stem or て-form. Also, note that the subject of the two clauses can be the same or different, but the pattern emphasizes the quick succession.

Example sentences

彼は部屋に入るなり、大声で笑い出した。

Kare wa heya ni hairu nari, oogoe de warai dashita.

As soon as he entered the room, he burst out laughing loudly.

電車を降りるなり、タバコに火をつけた。

Densha o oriru nari, tabako ni hi o tsuketa.

The moment he got off the train, he lit a cigarette.

彼女はメールを見るなり、顔色が変わった。

Kanojo wa meeru o miru nari, kaoiro ga kawatta.

The instant she saw the email, her expression changed.

Don’t confuse it with

～たとたん（に）

Both mean 'as soon as', but なり is used with dictionary form only, while たとたん is used with past form only. Also, なり is more formal and literary; たとたん is common in both speech and writing. なり often implies a more dramatic or unexpected reaction, whereas たとたん is neutral.

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話

When to use it

This is a formal, written-style pattern, common in narrative prose and news, but rarely used in everyday conversation.

Next in the N1 path

4

にしてat/on/under conditions (time, position)

5

ものでbecause; for that reason

6

ようが / ようとeven if; no matter how/what ~

7

つ〜つand ~ (indicates 2 contrasting actions)

See the whole Grammar Path →

Questions

What does なり mean?

As soon as; right after ~. Nari marks an immediate succession, meaning 'as soon as' or 'right after' an action or event.

How do you form なり?

Attach to the dictionary (plain present) form of a verb. It does not attach to past forms, ます-stem, or て-form. It is not used with nouns or adjectives.

Example of なり in a sentence

彼は部屋に入るなり、大声で笑い出した。 — As soon as he entered the room, he burst out laughing loudly.

～たとたん（に） — what is the difference?

Both mean 'as soon as', but なり is used with dictionary form only, while たとたん is used with past form only. Also, なり is more formal and literary; たとたん is common in both speech and writing. なり often implies a more dramatic or unexpected reaction, whereas たとたん is neutral.

What JLPT level is なり?

JLPT N1 (advanced), number 3 of 243 in Nihoner's learning order for N1.