How to Say "barely" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “barely” is “apenas” — use 'apenas' when you want to express that something is happening in a very small amount, degree, or quantity, or with difficulty.
apenas
ah-PEH-nahsaˈpenas
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-tohˈxusto
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.
escaso
es-KAH-soesˈkaso
Examples
Llegaron hace unos escasos minutos.
They arrived just a few minutes ago.
El corredor ganó por una escasa diferencia.
The runner won by a tiny margin.
Tiene unos escasos ahorros.
He has very meager savings.
Using with Numbers
When used before a number (like 'unos escasos cinco euros'), it acts as a way to say 'only' or 'hardly'.
Adverb vs. Adjective Confusion
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.