As Soon As, All Gone -자마자

You buy a new phone and drop it immediately. There is hardly a moment between the events, and the damage is already done. -자마자 closes the time gap; -아/어 버리다 highlights the completed result and your reaction to it.

One Event Follows Immediately

Attach -자마자 directly to an action verb stem: 사자마자, 도착하자마자, 끝나자마자. Put past or future tense on the final verb. Unlike a general after-expression, it leaves no meaningful delay.

Finished, With a Feeling About It

Use the -아/어 form plus 버리다: 먹어 버리다, 잊어버리다, 끝내 버리다. It emphasises completion, often with regret, frustration, or relief. The feeling comes from the situation; 버리다 does not always make the result bad.

Vocabulary