no sooner than; as fast as (repeatedly)

そばから means that as soon as one thing is done, it is undone again, as a frustrating repeated pattern. Attach it to a verb's dictionary or past form. It stresses that effort is immediately negated, over and over.

Examples

• 片付かたづけるそばから、子供こどもが散ちらかす。

  Katazukeru soba kara, kodomo ga chirakasu.

  No sooner do I tidy up than the kids make a mess again.

• 習ならったそばから忘わすれてしまう。

  Naratta soba kara wasurete shimau.

  I forget things as soon as I learn them.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 片付ける to tidy up, to put away
• そば beside; near
• 子供 child
• 習う to learn
• 忘れる to forget

Related patterns · Immediacy and timing

• 〜が早いか as soon as; no sooner than
• 〜なり as soon as; the moment
• 〜や否や as soon as; the instant
• 〜を皮切りに starting with; beginning from