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一 … 就 … (as soon as / whenever)
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The moment you arrive
- Your friend's dog gets excited every time someone rings the doorbell.
- doorbell门铃as soon as一echo响，it它then就to run跑(verb suffix)过去。 — "As soon as the doorbell rings, it runs over."
as soon as一 A，then就 B = as soon as A, B
- as soon as一 + verb A，(Subject) then就 + verb B = B happens immediately after A.
- as soon as一 and then就 each go after their own subject: I我as soon as一arrived到，he他then就left走(completed / change)了.
I我as soon as一arrived到home家，then就rain下雨了。
Complete: “As soon as class ended, he left.” 一下课，他____走了。
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一 A，就 B.
Whenever: a habit
- he他as soon as一drinks喝coffee咖啡then就can't sleep睡不着。 — "Whenever he drinks coffee, he can't sleep."
- I我as soon as一to see看then就to understand懂(completed / change)了。 — "I understood the moment I looked."
he他whenever一drinks喝coffee咖啡then就can't sleep睡不着。
Build: “Whenever he drinks coffee, he can't sleep.”
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Subject + 一 + verb, 就 + result.
Placement of as soon as一 and then就
- as soon as一 goes before the first verb, after its subject: I我as soon as一arrived到, not as soon as一I我arrived到.
- then就 goes after the second subject: he他then就left走(completed / change)了, not then就he他left走(completed / change)了.
Which sentence is correct?
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我一到家，他就走了 is right: 一 and 就 each come after their own subject (我一…, 他就…).
as soon as一…then就… versus just刚…then就…
- as soon as一…then就… = whenever / as soon as (also habits).
- just刚…then就… = had only just … when (a single past event): I我just刚arrived到，he他then就left走(completed / change)了.
I我just刚arrived到，he他then就left走了。
一…就… can describe a habit.
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It means whenever as well as as soon as.
Recap
- as soon as一 A，then就 B = as soon as / whenever A, B.
- as soon as一 and then就 each after their own subject; just刚…then就… for a single just-happened event.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Complex sentence patterns.
Your friend's dog gets excited every time someone rings the doorbell. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.