How to Say "just" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “just” is “solo” — use 'solo' when 'just' means 'only' or 'merely,' indicating a limitation or small quantity..
solo
/SO-lo//ˈso.lo/
Examples
Solo hablo un poco de español.
I only speak a little bit of Spanish.
Tenemos solo diez minutos antes de que empiece la película.
We have just ten minutes before the movie starts.
No te preocupes, es solo una pregunta.
Don't worry, it's just a question.
The Form That Never Changes
When 'solo' means 'only', it's an adverb. That's a fancy way of saying it never changes its ending. It's always 'solo', no matter what else is in the sentence.
Using 'sola' for 'only'
Mistake: “Sola quiero agua.”
Correction: Solo quiero agua. When you mean 'only', the word is always 'solo', even if you're female.
solamente
/so-la-MEN-teh//solaˈmente/
Examples
Solamente necesito cinco minutos para terminar.
I only need five minutes to finish.
Ella solamente habla de su trabajo y nada más.
She only talks about her job and nothing else.
Para resolver este problema, solamente se requiere paciencia.
To solve this problem, only patience is required.
The Meaning of -mente
Solamente ends in '-mente,' which is the Spanish equivalent of the English '-ly.' It tells you how something is done or modifies the whole sentence, giving it a restrictive meaning.
Interchangeable with Solo
When solo is used as an adverb meaning 'only,' it is completely interchangeable with solamente. Solamente is often considered slightly more formal or emphatic.
Placement Error
Mistake: “No quiero solamente comer.”
Correction: Solamente quiero comer. (It usually sounds most natural when placed before the verb it modifies or at the beginning of the sentence.)
justo
/HOOS-toh//ˈxusto/
Examples
Llegué justo cuando empezaba la película.
I arrived just as the movie was starting.
El profesor es muy justo con todos los estudiantes.
The teacher is very fair with all the students.
Necesito la cantidad justa de azúcar para la receta.
I need the exact amount of sugar for the recipe.
Estos pantalones me quedan un poco justos.
These pants are a bit tight on me.
Making it Match: Gender and Number
When 'justo' is used to describe something (as an adjective), it needs to match the thing it's describing. It changes its ending: justo (for masculine things), justa (for feminine things), justos (for masculine plural), and justas (for feminine plural).
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.
Using 'justo' for 'only'
Mistake: “Quiero justo un café.”
Correction: Quiero solo un café. (I only want one coffee.) Use 'solo' or 'solamente' when you mean 'only' or 'just' in the sense of quantity.
simplemente
/seem-pleh-MEN-teh//simple'mente/
Examples
No estoy enojado, simplemente estoy cansado.
I'm not angry, I'm just tired.
Para empezar, simplemente presiona el botón verde.
To start, simply press the green button.
A veces, la mejor solución es simplemente esperar.
Sometimes, the best solution is simply to wait.
Where to Put 'Simplemente' in a Sentence
'Simplemente' is pretty flexible. You can often put it right before the verb or the part of the sentence you want to emphasize. For example, 'Simplemente no entiendo' (I just don't understand) and 'No entiendo, simplemente' both work.
Confusing 'Simplemente' and 'Solo'
Mistake: “Using 'simplemente' when you mean 'alone'. For example, 'Viajo simplemente.'”
Correction: To say 'I'm traveling alone,' you must use 'solo': 'Viajo solo/sola.' 'Simplemente' means 'just' or 'simply,' not 'alone'.
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).
exactamente
/ek-sak-ta-MEN-teh//eɡˈsak.taˈmen.te/
Examples
El tren llega a las seis exactamente.
The train arrives at exactly six o'clock.
Necesito exactamente cien gramos de queso.
I need exactly one hundred grams of cheese.
Esto es exactamente lo que buscaba.
This is exactly what I was looking for.
Making Adverbs with '-mente'
Many Spanish adverbs are made by adding '-mente' to the end of another word. The trick is to find the feminine form of the adjective first. For 'exacto', the feminine form is 'exacta', so you get 'exacta-mente'.
Using 'Exacto' instead of 'Exactamente'
Mistake: “El tren llega exacto a las seis.”
Correction: El tren llega exactamente a las seis. To describe *how* an action happens (arrives exactly), you need the adverb 'exactamente'. 'Exacto' is used to describe a person or thing (un resultado exacto - an exact result).
justamente
/jus-ta-MEN-te//xus.taˈmen.te/
Examples
Llegué justamente a tiempo para ver el inicio de la película.
I arrived exactly on time to see the start of the movie.
Esa es justamente la razón por la que te llamé.
That is precisely the reason why I called you.
¿Dónde está la farmacia? Está justamente aquí, a la vuelta de la esquina.
Where is the pharmacy? It's right here, just around the corner.
Adverb Formation
Most Spanish adverbs ending in -mente are formed by adding the suffix to the feminine singular form of the adjective (justo -> justa -> justamente).
Confusing 'Just' and 'Justamente'
Mistake: “Using 'justo' instead of 'justamente' to mean 'exactly' when describing a verb's action.”
Correction: Use 'justamente' when modifying a verb (e.g., 'justamente llegué'). 'Justo' is usually an adjective or a very informal adverb for proximity.
recién
Examples
El bebé recién nacido duerme mucho.
The newborn baby sleeps a lot.
precisamente
preh-see-sah-MEN-tay/pɾeθiˈsamente/
Examples
¿Es aquí donde vives? — Sí, precisamente aquí.
Is this where you live? — Yes, precisely here.
Llegó precisamente cuando todos se iban.
He arrived just when everyone was leaving.
Eso es precisamente lo que habíamos acordado.
That is exactly what we had agreed upon.
Adverb Placement
'Precisamente' is flexible. It can go before the verb, after the verb, or at the start of a sentence to emphasize the whole idea.
justo
/HOOS-toh//ˈxusto/
Examples
El profesor es muy justo con todos los estudiantes.
The teacher is very fair with all the students.
Necesito la cantidad justa de azúcar para la receta.
I need the exact amount of sugar for the recipe.
Estos pantalones me quedan un poco justos.
These pants are a bit tight on me.
Llegué justo cuando empezaba la película.
I arrived just as the movie was starting.
Making it Match: Gender and Number
When 'justo' is used to describe something (as an adjective), it needs to match the thing it's describing. It changes its ending: justo (for masculine things), justa (for feminine things), justos (for masculine plural), and justas (for feminine plural).
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.
Using 'justo' for 'only'
Mistake: “Quiero justo un café.”
Correction: Quiero solo un café. (I only want one coffee.) Use 'solo' or 'solamente' when you mean 'only' or 'just' in the sense of quantity.
recto
REK-toh/ˈrek.to/
Examples
Es un hombre recto y siempre cumple su palabra.
He is an upright man and always keeps his word.
Buscamos un líder con un carácter recto y principios firmes.
We are looking for a leader with an honest character and firm principles.
Permanent Quality
When describing permanent moral qualities, 'recto' is always used with the verb 'ser' (to be) because it defines the person's nature.
Distinguishing 'just' for time vs. 'just' for fairness
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