就How to Use 就: "Right Away", "As Soon As" and "Then"

就 for "right away"

Subject + 就 + verb.

就 before a verb says the action will happen very soon. It often comes after a time word such as 现在, 一会儿 or 很快. 我就来 is what you call out when someone is waiting for you.

1. 等一下，我就来。Děng yíxià, wǒ jiù lái.Hang on, I'm coming.
2. 我现在就去。Wǒ xiànzài jiù qù.I'll go right now.
3. 我们一会儿就到。Wǒmen yíhuìr jiù dào.We'll be there in a moment.
4. 你等一下，我很快就好。Nǐ děng yíxià, wǒ hěn kuài jiù hǎo.Wait a moment, I'll be ready soon.

Sooner than expected

When 就 comes after a clock time or a length of time, it shows that something happened early or quickly, sooner than you might expect. For something that has already happened, put 了 at the end.

The opposite idea, "not until" or "only then", uses 才, an HSK 3 word.

1. 他七点就起床了。Tā qī diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.He was up as early as seven.
2. 火车八点就开了。Huǒchē bā diǎn jiù kāi le.The train left as early as eight.
3. 他十分钟就做完了。Tā shí fēnzhōng jiù zuòwán le.He finished it in just ten minutes.

一……就: "as soon as"

Subject + 一 + action 1, (subject) + 就 + action 2.

The second action happens straight after the first. It can be a one-off event or something that happens every time. Both words go after their own subject and in front of the verb. If the two parts have different subjects, as in 他一来，我就走, each subject comes before its 一 or 就.

Remember the tone of 一: it is yí before a fourth tone (一到 yí dào, 一下班 yí xiàbān) and yì before the other tones (一来 yì lái).

1. 我一到家就给你打电话。Wǒ yí dào jiā jiù gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.I'll call you as soon as I get home.
2. 他每天一下班就回家。Tā měi tiān yí xiàbān jiù huí jiā.Every day he goes home as soon as he finishes work.
3. 他一上车就睡着了。Tā yí shàng chē jiù shuìzháo le.He fell asleep as soon as he got in the car.
4. 他一来，我就走。Tā yì lái, wǒ jiù zǒu.As soon as he arrives, I'll leave.

就 meaning "then"

就 also links an action to what comes after it. After a first action, often verb + 了 + object, 就 says the second one follows straight on. After a condition, it works like "then" in "if... then", even when there is no word for "if" in the sentence.

那就 or 那我就 at the start of a reply means "in that case".

1. 我们吃了饭就去看电影。Wǒmen chī le fàn jiù qù kàn diànyǐng.We'll go to the cinema after we eat.
2. 你到了就告诉我。Nǐ dào le jiù gàosu wǒ.Let me know when you get there.
3. 不舒服就回家休息吧。Bù shūfu jiù huí jiā xiūxi ba.If you don't feel well, go home and rest.
4. 那我就不去了。Nà wǒ jiù bú qù le.Then I won't go.

Common mistakes

In English, "right away" and "then" can go at the end of a sentence. 就 never does: say 我就去, not 我去就. It always goes after the subject and straight before the verb.

With 一……就, learners often put 一 in front of the subject (一我到家) or leave 就 out. Say 他一下课就去打篮球, not 他一下课去打篮球. For something that has already happened, keep 了 at the end of the sentence.

1. 他一下课就去打篮球。Tā yí xiàkè jiù qù dǎ lánqiú.He goes to play basketball as soon as class finishes.
2. 她一看见我就笑了。Tā yí kànjiàn wǒ jiù xiào le.She smiled as soon as she saw me.

Printable worksheet

Practise this grammar point on paper: 16 exercises using only HSK 2 words, with an answer key on a separate page. Free to print and copy for your class.

Check your own sentences

Every example on this page uses only words up to HSK 2. Paste your own sentences into the level checker to see which words, if any, are above your level.

More HSK grammar

• 比 How to Compare Two Things with 比 HSK 2
• 从……到 How to Say "From... To" with 从……到 HSK 2
• 地 How to Use 地 (de) to Say How Something Is Done HSK 2
• 的 得 地 的, 得 or 地: Which de to Use HSK 2
• 得 How to Use 得 (de) to Describe How Someone Does Something HSK 2
• 跟……一起 How to Use 跟……一起 (Together With) HSK 2

All grammar points