apenas
Lemma Details
Translation: hardly; barely; scarcely; just; as soon as
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'ad' (to) + 'poenas' (with difficulty, hardly), which evolved into Old Spanish 'a penas'. The word literally meant 'with pain/difficulty' originally, which explains its primary meaning of 'hardly/barely'. The temporal meaning ('as soon as') developed later in Spanish, creating a dual usage that doesn't exist in English cognates like 'pain' or 'penalty'.
Commonality: 85%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Apenas puedo ver sin mis gafas.
I can hardly see without my glasses.
Apenas llegué a casa, empezó a llover.
As soon as I got home, it started to rain.
El niño apenas tiene cinco años.
The child is barely five years old.
Apenas si me saludó cuando nos vimos.
He hardly even greeted me when we saw each other.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'a penas' as 'with pain/difficulty' to remember the meaning 'hardly/barely'
- For the temporal meaning, imagine someone saying 'I had barely arrived when...' which connects to 'as soon as'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Used frequently in both written and spoken Spanish. The dual meaning (both 'hardly' and 'as soon as') can be confusing for learners but is essential to master for natural-sounding Spanish.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'apenas' is an adverb meaning 'hardly' or 'as soon as', 'a penas' (written as two words) is an outdated form that is no longer used in modern Spanish. Today, only the single-word form 'apenas' is correct.
Notes: The separation into 'a penas' might be seen in very old texts but is considered incorrect in contemporary Spanish.
Mnemonic: Remember: always write it as one word in modern Spanish - 'apenas'.
Explanation: While 'apenas' means 'hardly/barely' or 'as soon as', 'solo' means 'only' or 'just'. They can sometimes be used in similar contexts but have different connotations.
Confused word:
Solo comí un bocadillo.
I only ate a sandwich.
Notes: The difference is subtle but important for precise communication.
Mnemonic: Think of 'apenas' as emphasizing the minimal amount ('barely'), while 'solo' emphasizes exclusivity ('only').