initially
word
/ˌɪˈnɪʃəɫi/
/ɪnˈɪʃəlˌi/
Definition
At the beginning or at first, before anything changes or develops further.
Usage & Nuances
'Initially' is formal and common in both spoken and written English, often used in explanations or stories to contrast with what happened later. It usually comes at the beginning of a sentence or clause. Avoid using in very informal speech.
Spanish: inicialmente - al principioPortuguese (BR): inicialmente - a princípioPortuguese (PT): inicialmente - ao inícioChinese (Simplified): 最初 - 起初Chinese (Traditional): 最初 - 起初Hindi: शुरुआत मेंArabic: في البداية - أولاًBengali: প্রাথমিকভাবে - শুরুতেRussian: изначально - первоначальноJapanese: 最初は - 初めはVietnamese: ban đầu - lúc đầuKorean: 처음에 - 최초에Turkish: başlangıçta - ilk baştaUrdu: ابتدائی طور پر - شروع میںIndonesian: awalnya - pada awalnya
Example Sentences
Initially, I wanted to be a doctor.
basic
The project was hard initially.
basic
We met initially at a conference.
basic
Initially, I thought this job would be easy, but it turned out to be quite challenging.
natural
Although it was confusing initially, I understood everything after a few days.
natural
The company initially planned to expand overseas, but changed its mind.
natural