How to Use ‘Apenas’ in Spanish: Definitions and Common Phrases
You barely got here in time for a lesson about how to use apenas in Spanish!
Apenas has many different translations and meanings such as “barely,” “as soon as,” “hardly,” and many more.
Read ahead to learn how to say apenas correctly in different contexts—and be sure to test your new knowledge with the quiz at the end of this post!
¡Apenas terminemos te daré un tip para hablar español más rápido!
As soon as we finish, I’ll give you a tip to speak Spanish faster!
Functions of Apenas in Spanish
Apenas in Spanish is a very common word. It is an adverb of quantity, negation, and a conjunction.
Let’s break it down:
Adverb
An adverb is a single word or phrase that grades, rates, modifies or qualifies a verb, adjective or other adverbs. An adverb has different expressions that have to do with quantity, time, place, manner, degree, cause or circumstance.
Adverb of Quantity
An adverb of quantity is a word that indicates amount. Some examples of this kind of adverb are:
- demasiado – too much
- menos – less
- nada – nothing
- todo – everything
- algo – something
- muy – very
- apenas – barely
Adverb of Negation
Adverbs of negation are used to deny, contradict, or disclaim a statement. The most common ones are:
- nunca – never
- casi nunca – rarely
- no mucho – not very
- no más – no longer
- apenas – scarcely
- apenas – hardly
Temporal Conjunction
Apenas is also a temporal conjunction. A conjunction is a word that joins two sentences or ideas. Some temporal conjunctions are:
- antes – before
- enseguida – at once
- al principio – at first
- hasta – until
- cuando – when
- desde – since
- apenas – as soon as
What function does apenas play in a sentence?
Apenas modifies the meaning of the sentence because it specifies how tight or precise the amount of something is. It can sometimes be the star of the statement and the whole point of a conversation.
Let’s see this in action!
Llámame apenas llegues.
Call me as soon as you get there.
This is a call to action that has the word apenas in Spanish as key and as the most important part of the sentence. The verb (call) needs to be done at a certain, specific time: upon the person’s arrival.
Useful Meanings of Apenas
The Spanish word apenas has different meanings.
As an adverb it means:
- scarcely
- barely
- hardly
- only
- newly
- rarely
Apenas pude cargar todas las maletas.
I could hardly carry all the bags.
Hace apenas una semana que sabemos la noticia.
We have known the news only for a week.
Si apenas puedes con un plato, ¿para qué pides dos?
If you can barely handle one plate, why do you order two?
Apenas nació y toda la familia fue a verla.
She was newly born and all the family went to see her. / She was recently born and all the family went to see her.
Apenas me enfermaba cuando iba de viaje.
I would rarely get sick while traveling.
As a conjunction apenas means:
- as soon as
- just after
- just at the moment
Inscríbete en clases de español apenas llegues a la escuela.
Enroll in Spanish classes as soon as you get to school.
Toma tus medicinas apenas comas.
Take your medicine just after eating.
Mainly, use apenas to emphasize that something is just what you say it is (not better, not faster, not more) or that it happened when you said it did (not before or after).
Useful Synonyms of Apenas
How do you say apenas without saying apenas? Replacing this word isn’t hard since there are plenty of synonyms you can use.
Any of these translations from Spanish are correct, just be sure to place them in the correct context.
As a Quantity Adverb
- Escasamente – scarcely
- Casi – almost
- Poco – little
- Muy poco – very little
- Aproximadamente – approximately
- Nada más – only
As a Negation Adverb
- Difícilmente – hardly
- Con dificultad – with difficulty
- Casi no – almost no
As a Manner Adverb
- Ligeramente – lightly
- Levemente – slightly
- Pobremente – poorly
- Limitadamente – limitedly
- Sólo – only
- Solamente – only
- Raramente – rarely
- Rara vez – rarely
- Meramente – merely
- Simplemente – simply
As an Exclusion Adverb
- Tan solo – just
As a Phrasal Verb
- Acabar de – about to
As a Time Adverb
- Recién – recently
- Hace poco – lately
- Enseguida que – right away
- Inmediatamente que – Immediately
As a Temporal Conjunction
- Tan pronto como – as soon as
- En cuanto – as soon as
- Al punto que – to the point
Examples
In this section, see for yourself how to say apenas in different situations.
Hardly:
Apenas recuerdo lo que pasó.
I hardly remember what happened.
Apenas pude creer lo que ella dijo en su discurso.
I could hardly believe what she said in her speech.
Only:
Ella tenía apenas diez años.
She was only ten years old.
Ellos apenas tomaron una decisión hoy.
They have only come to a decision today.
As soon as:
Él se fue apenas llamaste.
He left as soon as you called.
Supe que era mentira apenas lo dijo.
I knew it was a lie as soon as he said it.
Llámame apenas llegues.
Call me as soon as you get there.
Just:
¿Apenas llegaste?
Did you just arrive?
Apenas voy a ir, no pude antes.
I’m just going to go, I couldn’t before.
No fui a la escuela porque apenas desperté.
I didn’t go to school because I just woke up.
Barely:
No había podido ir por mi identificación, hasta hoy apenas.
I hadn’t been able to go get my ID, barely until today.
Yo apenas salí del trabajo.
I barely got off work.
Newly / recently:
El apenas descubierto sarcófago fue trasladado a un laboratorio.
The newly found sarcophagus was transported to a lab. / The recently found sarcophagus was transported to a lab.
El hotel fue apenas construido.
The hotel was newly built. / The hotel was recently built.
Rarely:
Él apenas dejaba su casa, siempre estaba leyendo.
He would rarely leave home, he was reading all day.
Ella apenas usaba maquillaje.
She rarely used any makeup.
About:
El festival apenas va a empezar.
The festival is about to start.
Subamos al techo, apenas va a salir el sol.
Let’s go up to the roof, the sun is just about to rise.
El camión apenas se va a ir, llegaste a tiempo.
The bus is about to leave, you got here on time.
Scarcely:
Apenas dormí camino aquí.
I scarcely slept on the way here.
Después de la pelea, él apenas dijo una palabra.
After the fight, he scarcely said a word.
Apenas y lo oímos pedir ayuda.
We could scarcely hear him ask for help.
(In this last example, the word y is key, without it, the sentence translation would be: “We just heard him ask for help.”)
Other Similar Words
Here are 3 similar words and phrases to apenas in Spanish, so you can spot them and know what they mean. This section will broaden your knowledge on the subject and will help you differentiate them in the future.
A Duras Penas
The literal translation is “to hard pains” and it means with great effort or difficulty. It is a common Spanish saying and a phrase that will help you get to a new level of Spanish understanding since only natives use it.
A duras penas llegué a mi trabajo.
I barely made it to my job.
Logré caminar hasta la cima a duras penas.
I managed to walk to the top with great difficulty.
A duras penas pasé el examen.
I barely passed the exam.
Some of the synonyms of a duras penas are:
- Con dificultad – with difficulty
- Difícilmente – hardly
- Por poco – nearly
- Casi nunca – almost never
- Casi no – almost no
- Arduamente – arduously, assiduously
Apenas is Not Related to Apenar the Verb
Apenas the adverb and conjunction is not to be confused with apenas the singular, second-person conjugation of the verb apenar, which means “to embarrass.”
Using the Word Apenitas
In Spanish we use the diminutive suffixes -ita and -ito instead of the adjective pequeño which means small. It is used often as a sign of affection or to soften a word’s meaning. In Mexico it is normal to overuse it, as it happens with the word apenitas.
Apenitas is an informal word commonly used in little towns and cities and can be used instead of apenas in every situation. It adds a “smaller” connotation to it, cutting down the time or quantity of a word’s meaning even more.
For example, while apenas may mean 10 minutes ago, apenitas could mean 1 minute ago, depending on context.
Test Your Knowledge! Apenas Spanish Quiz
¡Apenas termines de practicar, haz esta prueba!
As soon as you finish practicing, solve this quiz!
1. Which one of these uses "apenas" as a conjunction?
2. "Apenas" is all of these but:
3. Which of these is a translation of "apenas"?
4. One of the synonyms of "apenas" is a popular saying, which one is it?
5. "Apenas" is sometimes used as rarely, which of these sentences corresponds?
6. What is an adverb?
7. What does "apenas" mean?
8. Select the synonyms of "apenas."
9. "Apenas" as an adverb and conjunction is not to be confused with "apenas" as a…
10. What is the translation of "levemente"?
Practice this Lesson Apenas you Finish Reading!
Why do you want to speak Spanish? Is talking to more people your goal? Talk to the 53 million people who speak Spanish in the US alone according to CNN. Do you want to earn more money? Supporting evidence collected by The Economist shows that anyone with Spanish language skills can earn at least $50,000 extra dollars. Not bad huh? Let us get you there! Here’s the tip I promised you. Learn Spanish faster by improving your conversational skills doing this:
- Tailor a Spanish package at HSA that meets your personal and professional needs.
- Practice with one of our native Spanish-speakers from Guatemala.
- Get Spanish language credit if you’re a college-bound high school student.
This journey is apenas starting. Trust our 10 years of experience and let us guide you to your goals. Sign up for a free class today!
Ready to learn more Spanish grammar? Check these out!
- 50 Useful Spanish Transition Words for Everyday Speech and Writing
- Master the 18 Spanish Tenses (and Take Our Cheat Sheet With You)
- All About Adverbial Clauses in Spanish
- The Ultimate Guide to the Differences Between ‘Pero’ and ‘Sino’ in Spanish
- A Guide to Double Negatives in Spanish
- Ver Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDF
- Common Irregular Informal Commands in Spanish
- Dialect vs Accent: Is It a Language, Dialect, or Accent?
- Learn These 20 Types of Fish in Spanish [+ More Vocab] - September 4, 2024
- The Most Extensive Guide Ever to House Vocabulary in Spanish - August 1, 2024
- What Is An Umbrella School? - June 20, 2024