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〜たが最後・〜たら最後

once (you do it), that's it (no going back)

Verb た-form + が最後 / ら最後

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たが最後 says that once something happens, the result is inevitable and usually bad, and there's no stopping it: 彼は寝たが最後、何があっても起きない, "once he's asleep, nothing will wake him".

The first half is a trigger, and the second half is an unstoppable consequence: it spreads, you can't stop, trust can't be recovered, you can't leave without buying something. たら最後 is the more conversational form.

It's vivid and a little humorous in everyday use, but serious in warnings: 一度嘘をついたが最後、信用は取り戻せない, "once you've lied, you'll never win back trust".

Compare ばそれまでだ, "if…, that's the end of it", which is about wasted effort, not an unstoppable chain.

Examples

  • 彼かれに話はなしたら最後さいご、すぐにみんなに広ひろまってしまう。

    Tell him, and it'll be all over the place in no time.

  • 彼かれは寝ねたが最後さいご、何なにがあっても起おきない。

    Once he's asleep, nothing will wake him.

  • この本ほんは読よみ始はじめたら最後さいご、止とまらない。

    Once you start this book, you can't put it down.

  • 一度嘘いちどうそをついたが最後さいご、信用しんようは取とり戻もどせない。

    Once you've lied, you'll never win back trust.

  • あの店みせに入はいったら最後さいご、何なにか買かわずには出でられない。

    Once you go into that shop, you can't leave without buying something.

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