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LingakuLingaku案の定 + [sentence]
Standalone adverb; typically placed at the beginning of a clause. The sentence that follows describes a (usually negative) outcome that matches the speaker's prior expectation.
案の定 (あんのじょう) is an adverb meaning "just as expected", "sure enough", or "as one thought". It is used when something turns out exactly as the speaker had predicted or feared. The outcome confirmed by 案の定 is almost always negative or undesirable – it expresses a sense of "I knew this would happen" when things go wrong.
案の定 comes from the noun あん案 (expectation, idea) combined with ただし定 (certainty), literally meaning "as was certain from one's expectation."
案の定 typically appears at the beginning of a clause or sentence, modifying what follows. It signals that the result matches a prior concern or prediction.
Unlike やはり or やっぱり, which can be used for both positive and negative outcomes, 案の定 is strongly associated with negative or unfortunate results. It carries a tone of resignation – the speaker foresaw a bad outcome, and it came true. Using it for happy surprises would sound unnatural.