How to Say "barely" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “barely” is “apenas” — use 'apenas' when 'barely' refers to a very small quantity, amount, or degree of something..
apenas
/ah-PEH-nahs//aˈpenas/
Examples
Apenas tengo dinero para un café.
I barely have enough money for a coffee.
Ella apenas habla; es muy tímida.
She hardly speaks; she's very shy.
Hay apenas diez personas en la fiesta.
There are just ten people at the party.
Where to Place 'Apenas'
You'll almost always see 'apenas' right before the action (verb) it's describing. For example, 'Apenas duermo' (I barely sleep).
One Word vs. Two Words
Mistake: “Me levanté a penas.”
Correction: Me levanté apenas. While 'a penas' (two words) exists, it's very formal and means 'with great difficulty'. For 'hardly' or 'barely', always use 'apenas' (one word).
justo
/HOOS-toh//ˈxusto/
Examples
Llegué justo cuando empezaba la película.
I arrived just as the movie was starting.
Eso es justo lo que necesitaba.
That's exactly what I needed.
La farmacia está justo en la esquina.
The pharmacy is right on the corner.
The Form That Never Changes
When 'justo' works as an adverb (telling you how, when, or where something happens), it never changes its ending. It's always 'justo', no matter what you're talking about.
Barely: 'Apenas' vs. 'Justo'
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