JLPT N3 Grammar (te hajimete)

Meaning

not until; only after [x] did I

How to use

Verb (てform)はじめて
te hajimete てはじめて jlpt n3 grammar meaning 文法 例文 japanese flashcards

Learn Japanese grammar: 【てはじめて】(te hajimete). Meaning: not until; only after [x] did I~.

はじめて (hajimete) literally means ‘first time’. So this pattern basically expresses after doing [A], for the first time I did [B].


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- Example Sentences

Each example sentence includes a Japanese hint, the romaji reading, and the English translation.

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Example #1

にほんにきてはじめてラーメンをたべた。
nihon ni kite hajimete raamen o tabeta.
I had never eaten ramen before coming to Japan.
Example #2

にほんごをべんきょうしてはじめて、べんきょうのたのしさがわかった。
nihongo o benkyou shite hajimete, benkyou no tanoshisa ga wakatta.
Only after I started studying Japanese did I realize the joys of studying.
Example #3

しけんにおちてはじめて、ちゃんとべんきょうしないといけないとおもった。
shiken ni ochite hajimete, chanto benkyou shinaito ikenai to omotta.
I felt like I really needed to start studying seriously after failing that exam.
Example #4

せんせいにおしえていただいてはじめて、プログラミングのおもしろさがわかりました。
sensei ni oshiete itadaite hajimete, puroguramingu no omoshirosa ga wakarimashita.
I didn’t realize how interesting programming was until my teacher taught me.
Example #5

かいがいにいってはじめて、じぶんのせかいのせまさをしった。
kaigai ni itte hajimete, jibun no sekai no semasa o shitta.
Only after going abroad, did I realize how small my world was.
Example #6

じぶんのこどもができてはじめて、おとなになったきがした。
jibun no kodomo ga dekite hajimete, otona ni natta ki ga shita.
I did not feel like I had become an adult until I had my own child.
Example #7

はいしゃにいってはじめて、むしばがあることをしった。
haisha ni itte hajimete, mushiba ga aru koto o shitta.
I didn't know I had a cavity until I went to the dentist.
Example #8

しゃかいじんになってはじめて、せきにんかんをもつようになった。
shakaijin ni natte hajimete, sekininkan o motsu you ni natta.
I didn't feel a sense of responsibility until I became a working adult.

Vocabulary List

KanjiKanaEnglish
勉強べんきょうstudies; to study
楽しさたのしさenjoyment; fun
分かったわかったto understand
海外かいがいabroad
自分のじぶんのone's own
世界せかいworld
狭させまさnarrowness; smallness
知ったしったto know
子供こどもchild
大人おとなadult
気がするきがするto feel
試験しけんtest; exam
落ちるおちるto fail; to fall

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JLPT N3 vocabulary list

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