Breakdown of sono shunkan, omoidashimashita.
そのsono
that
思い出すomoidasu
to remember
瞬間shunkan
an instant; moment
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Questions & Answers about sono shunkan, omoidashimashita.
Why is it その瞬間 and not その瞬間に?
Both can be correct, but they feel slightly different.
- その瞬間 = that moment / at that moment, used a bit more like a time expression on its own
- その瞬間に = explicitly marks the time with に
In Japanese, some time expressions can appear without に, especially when they already clearly function as a time setting. So:
- その瞬間、思い出しました。
- その瞬間に、思い出しました。
Both are natural. The version without に can sound a little smoother or more literary in some contexts.
What does その mean here?
その means that, usually referring to something close to the listener or something just mentioned in the conversation or text.
Japanese has three main demonstratives:
- この = this
- その = that
- あの = that over there / that we both know
So その瞬間 means that moment, usually a moment that has just been mentioned or is understood from context.
What exactly does 瞬間 mean?