やがて
Before long, All too soon, In the end, Eventually
Structure
Explanation
軈て is an adverb placed at the start of a clause to show that a certain event or state, which has not yet occurred, will take place after some time has passed. The time frame is usually short but undefined. Common English translations include 'before long', 'soon', and 'eventually'.
In most situations, やがて is written using hiragana.
- あの新しいカフェはいつも空いている。やがて閉店するだろう。That new cafe is always empty. It will probably close down before long.
- ピアノの練習を続ければ、やがて難しい曲も弾けるようになるよ。If you keep practicing the piano, you'll eventually be able to play difficult pieces.
- もう３月だから、やがて雪も溶けるだろう。It's already March, so the snow will probably melt soon.
Caution
When やがて is used together with a specific period of time, it takes on the meaning of 'almost' or 'nearly'.
- うちの犬もやがて１０歳になるが、まだまだ元気だ。My dog is nearly 10 years old, but he's still full of energy.
- この会社で働き始めて、やがて３年が経ちます。Nearly three years have passed since I started working at this company.
Fun-fact
Historically, やがて had a broader range of applications, all revolving around introducing something that was not yet present. This led to it having various meanings, such as 'that is to say', 'straight away', and 'in a moment'. Each of these older uses implied that what followed was an anticipated or predictable outcome.
Examples
この青虫は軈てきれいな蝶になるでしょう。
This caterpillar will eventually become a beautiful butterfly.
この店も軈て創業１０周年を迎える。
This shop will soon celebrate its 10th anniversary.
一生懸命練習を続けたら、軈てピアノが上手に弾けるようになった。
I continued to practice with all my might, and before long, I became good at playing the piano.
どんなに辛い記憶でも、軈て薄れていくものだ。
No matter how painful a memory is, it's the kind of thing that will fade in time.
研究者：「この実験を続ければ、軈て新薬が完成するはずだ！」
Researcher: 'If we continue this experiment, we should eventually be able to complete the new medicine!'
寒い冬も終わり、軈て暖かい春が来る。
The cold winter will end, and soon the warm spring will come.
小さな種から芽が出て、軈て大きな木に育った。
A sprout came out of the small seed and eventually grew into a large tree.
軈て息子も高校生か。なんだか信じられないな。
My son will be a high school student all too soon. I can't quite believe it.
二人は長い付き合いを経て、軈て結婚した。
After dating for a long time, the two of them eventually got married.
ＡＩ技術は軈て、私たちの生活に欠かせないものになるだろう。
AI technology will before long become an indispensable part of our lives.
あきらめずに努力を続ければ、軈て夢はかなうと信じている。
I believe that if you keep working hard without giving up, your dreams will eventually come true.
空は曇っていたが、軈て晴れて太陽が顔を出した。
The sky was cloudy, but after a while, it cleared up and the sun came out.