……
Breakdown of gonghange dochakhajamaja taeksireul tayo.
~에~e
destination particle
~를~reul
object particle
택시taeksi
taxi
타다tada
to take
공항gonghang
airport
도착하다dochakhada
to arrive
~자마자~jamaja
as soon as
Questions & Answers about gonghange dochakhajamaja taeksireul tayo.
What is the function of -자마자 in 도착하자마자?
-자마자 is an adverbial connective meaning “as soon as.” It attaches to a verb stem (drop -다) to show that the main clause action happens immediately after the first action finishes. In 도착하자마자, it means “as soon as (I) arrive.”
How does -자마자 differ from -고 나서 and -으면?
Here’s a quick comparison:
• -자마자: B happens with no gap after A (“as soon as A, B”)
• -고 나서: B happens after A is completed, but there may be some delay (“after A, B”)
• -으면: B happens if/when A happens, without stressing immediacy
Why is the case particle -에 used in 공항에 도착하다?
The verb 도착하다 takes -에 to mark the location of arrival. 공항에 도착하다 literally means “to arrive at the airport.” If you used 공항에서, it would mean “from the airport” (as in departing).
Why does the main verb use -요 as in 택시를 타요?
The -요 ending creates a politely informal style. It’s common in everyday conversation. In more formal speech you’d say 택시를 탑니다, and among close friends you might use the plain form 택시를 타.
Could the main verb be in the past tense, like 택시를 탔어요?
Yes. -자마자 itself doesn’t carry tense. Tense is shown on the main verb. To express a past event, change 타요 to 탔어요:
공항에 도착하자마자 택시를 탔어요 “As soon as I arrived at the airport, I took a taxi.”
How do you form -자마자 with other verbs?
- Take the dictionary form (e.g., 가다, 먹다).
- Drop -다 to get the stem (가, 먹).
- Add -자마자 → 가자마자, 먹자마자.
Can -자마자 be used with nouns?
No. -자마자 attaches only to verb stems. If you have a noun, you must either use it in a verb form (e.g., 공부하다 → 공부하자마자) or choose a different structure.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do speech levels work in Korean?”
Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning KoreanMaster Korean — from gonghange dochakhajamaja taeksireul tayo to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions