すると | Grammar

Structure

[sentence]。すると、[sentence]

Description

すると starts a sentence and means "and then", "whereupon": you did something, and this is what happened next. It links two sentences, and the second one tells what followed, usually something you saw or found rather than chose to do.

。、。

I opened the door. Out jumped a cat.

。、。

I pressed the button, and the screen changed.

。、。

I waited for a while, and then the bus came.

すると or それから

The sentence after すると is outside your control: a result, a discovery, a surprise. For your own next action, use それから or そして.

。、。

I went home. After that I watched TV.

× 家に帰った。すると、テレビを見た → 家に帰った。それから、テレビを見た

"So then" in conversation

In conversation すると also opens a conclusion drawn from what the other person has just said: "so then", "in that case". The sentence is often a question checking that you have understood.

きごう「、。きごう」きごう「、。きごう」

"I'm moving next month." "So then, are you leaving your job?"

きごう「。きごう」きごう「、。きごう」

"Tanaka is away on business." "So he won't be at today's meeting, then."

Examples

。、。

I turned the corner. Then, there was a big dog.

。、。

I took the medicine. Thereupon, my fever went down right away.

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I turned off the lights. Then, the stars were beautifully visible.

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I called her name. Then, she turned around.

。、。

I waited for a while. Then, the bus came.

。、。

I was walking through the forest. Then, a deer suddenly appeared.

きごう「、。きごう」きごう「、。きごう」

"I'm moving next month." "So then, are you quitting your current job?"

。、。

I flipped the switch. Thereupon, music started playing.

。、。

I sent him a letter. Then, a reply arrived the next day.

。、。

The sky started getting dark. Then, it suddenly began to rain.

きごう「。きごう」きごう「、。きごう」

"Mr. Tanaka is on a business trip." "So then, he won't attend today's meeting, right?"

。、。

I woke up. Then, I was in an unfamiliar place.

References

するとBunpro