apenas
“apenas” means “barely” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
barely, hardly
Also: scarcely, just
📝 In Action
Apenas tengo dinero para un café.
A2I barely have enough money for a coffee.
Ella apenas habla; es muy tímida.
A2She hardly speaks; she's very shy.
Hay apenas diez personas en la fiesta.
B1There are just ten people at the party.
Lo conozco apenas.
B1I scarcely know him.
as soon as, just when / the moment that
Also: no sooner... than
📝 In Action
Apenas llegué a casa, empezó a llover.
B1As soon as I got home, it started to rain.
Te llamaré apenas termine la reunión.
B1I'll call you as soon as the meeting ends.
Apenas abrí la puerta, el gato se escapó.
B2The moment I opened the door, the cat escaped.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: apenas
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'apenas' to mean 'as soon as'?
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📚 Etymology▼
It comes from the older Spanish phrase 'a penas' (two words), which literally meant 'with pains' or 'with difficulty'. The idea is that if you do something 'with difficulty', you can 'barely' or 'hardly' do it. Over time, it merged into a single word, 'apenas'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'apenas' and 'casi no'?
When you mean 'hardly' or 'barely', they are very similar and often interchangeable. For example, 'Apenas duermo' and 'Casi no duermo' both mean 'I hardly sleep'. However, only 'apenas' can also mean 'as soon as'.
Is 'a penas' (two words) the same as 'apenas' (one word)?
No, they are different. 'Apenas' (one word) is very common and means 'hardly' or 'as soon as'. 'A penas' (two words) is much less common, more formal, and means 'with great difficulty'. In everyday conversation, you'll almost always want to use 'apenas'.