nguyenducminhanh - Blogger: Grammar a Day - Level 1

Sunday, February 17, 2008

て初めて (tehajimete) - not until, only after

--- Examples ---
２、３日たって初めて彼が到着した。
It was not until a few days later that he arrived.

２０才になって初めて、彼女は歌手になろうと決心した。
She did not decide to be a singer until she reached the age of twenty.

あとになって初めて、それをやった理由を彼は説明した。
Only afterward did he explain why he did it.

ずっと後になって初めて私は子供の教育の大切さを理解するようになりました。
It was only much later that I came to understand the importance of child
education.

そして１４歳になって初めてピアノに触れたのです。
And I was fourteen years old before I touched a piano for the first time.

その時になって初めて私たちが置かれている危険にきずいた。
Only then did I see the danger we were in.

その時になって初めて私は危険な事態に気がついたのである。
Not till then did I realize the danger of the situation.

つい最近になって初めて彼女は考えを変えた。
It was only recently that she changed her mind.

--- Comments ---
ex#584 We usually say えっ for うぇ Eh. (contributor: Miki)

ex #3568 should end with きづいた　(気づく) (contributor: Tan)

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