barely
word
/ˈbɛɹɫi/
BAIR-lee
/bˈeəli/
BAIR-lee
Definition
Used to say that something happens only just, in a very small amount, or almost not at all. It often shows that a situation is close to not happening or not being true.
Usage & Nuances
Common in everyday English. 'Barely' often suggests difficulty or a very small margin: 'barely passed', 'barely visible', 'barely had time'. It is stronger than 'hardly' in some contexts when you want to emphasize 'only just'. Be careful: 'barely' is not the same as 'only' in all cases.
Spanish: apenas - por pocoPortuguese (BR): mal - por poucoPortuguese (PT): mal - por poucoChinese (Simplified): 几乎不 - 勉强Chinese (Traditional): 幾乎不 - 勉強Hindi: मुश्किल से - लगभग नहींArabic: بالكاد - تقريبًا لاBengali: কিন্তু-কিন্তু - মোটেই না - সামান্যRussian: едва - еле - чутьJapanese: かろうじて - ほとんど～ないVietnamese: hầu như không - chỉ vừa đủKorean: 간신히 - 겨우 - 거의 ~ 않다Turkish: zar zor - neredeyse hiçUrdu: بمشکل - بمشقت - قریب قریب نہیںIndonesian: nyaris - hampir tidak
Example Sentences
I can barely hear you.
basic
She barely passed the test.
basic
We have barely any milk left.
basic
I barely made it to the train on time.
natural
After two hours of sleep, I'm barely awake.
natural
We barely know each other, so this feels a little awkward.
natural