Without Exception
たびに says that whenever the first thing happens, the second follows too.
- 彼に会うたびに元気をもらう。(Every time I see him I come away energised.)
The pairing must be reliable. A one-off does not fit, and neither does a coincidence.
Dictionary Form Only
Even about the past, たびに attaches to the dictionary form:
- ○ 会うたびに話した
- × 会ったたびに話した
The tense lives in the main clause.
Against と and ごとに
| Pattern | Sense |
|---|---|
| と | natural, inevitable result |
| たびに | every occasion, often with feeling |
| ごとに | at regular intervals, mechanical |
三日ごとに is a fixed interval. 会うたびに is an occasion that recurs unpredictably. たびに is the one that carries emotion.
Nouns Take の
- 旅行のたびにお土産を買う