haru Korean › Grammar › Level 4B › V-기(가) 무섭게
V-기(가) 무섭게 — the moment … · no sooner … than — faster than you'd believe
The moment … · no sooner … than — faster than you'd believe. Korean grammar for upper intermediate learners — Level 4B, lesson 5: 그런 일까지 있다니 (Even that happened? — reacting to news of accidents and incidents).
What it means
V-기(가) 무섭게 links two events with no gap between them — the second follows the first so fast that it is almost frightening (무섭다): 불이 나기가 무섭게 소방차가 왔어요 'the fire engines arrived the moment the fire broke out'. Add 기가 무섭게 to the stem of the first verb; 가 is often dropped, especially in speech: 끝나기 무섭게. It is close to -자마자 (Lesson 3A-10), but stronger and more vivid, so it suits stories, news and a little friendly exaggeration: 월급을 받기가 무섭게 다 써요 'my salary is gone the moment it comes in'. Two limits: the second half states what happened or what usually happens, so it cannot be a request, a suggestion or a promise (도착하자마자 전화하세요, not 도착하기가 무섭게 …); and -았/었- never goes before it — the tense goes on the final verb: 문자가 오기가 무섭게 창문을 닫았어요. It is used with verbs only, and most often about other people or things rather than your own plans.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V-기(가) 무섭게 | 동사 — 받침이 있어도 없어도 기가 무섭게 (가는 빼도 돼요) | 끝나다 + 기가 무섭게 → 끝나기가 무섭게 |
Key points
- V-기(가) 무섭게 = as soon as … — so fast it's almost frightening: the first action + 기가 무섭게, then what happened straight after: 끝나기가 무섭게 · 나오기가 무섭게. 가 can be dropped (끝나기 무섭게). Verbs only, with no -았/었- in front.
- Like -자마자 (Lesson 3A-10), but stronger and more colourful — often about other people or things, in stories and in the news. After it comes a fact (what happened, or a habit) — never -(으)세요 · -(으)ㅂ시다 · -(으)ㄹ게요.
Examples
- 앞의 일이 일어나고 바로, 무서울 정도로 빨리 뒤의 일이 일어날 때 써요: 불이 나기가 무섭게 소방차가 왔어요.
- 동사 + 기가 무섭게. 가는 빼도 돼요: 끝나기 무섭게.
- 3A 10과 -자마자와 비슷하지만 더 강하고, 실제보다 조금 더 크게 말하는 느낌이에요.
- 뒤에 -(으)세요 · -(으)ㅂ시다 · -(으)ㄹ게요는 ✗: 도착하자마자 연락하세요. (-기가 무섭게 ✗)
- 앞에 -았/었-을 붙이지 않아요. 시제는 끝에: 문자가 오기가 무섭게 창문을 닫았어요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 4B, lesson 10.
Also in this lesson
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 리(가) 없다 — there's no way … · … can't be — a strong 'that can't be true'
- N까지 (뜻밖의 끝) — even … — as far as something you'd never expect
- A/V-(으)나 — but … (in writing) — the -지만 of news, notices and forecasts