～てはじめて

Today’s Grammar Point: ～てはじめて

はじめて means “for the first time.” It can be used after a てform and that means for the first time after ～. If the emphasis is on the latter half of the sentence, it can mean “… not until ～.”

Connections

• [てform verb] はじめて…

Examples

日本にほんに行いってはじめて相撲すもうを見みた。
I saw sumo wrestling for the first time when I went to Japan.

京都きょうとの旅館りょかんに泊とままってはじめて、湯葉ゆばを食たべた。
I ate Yuba (soy milk skin) for the first time when I stayed in an inn Kyoto.

昨日きのう生うまれてはじめて、お酒さけを飲のんだ。
Yesterday, I drank alcohol for the first time since I was born.

中学生ちゅうがくせいになってはじめて、腕時計うでどけいを買かってもらった。
It wasn’t until I became a junior high school student that I was given a watch.

日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしてはじめて、自分じぶんのしたいことがわかった。
It wasn’t until I studied Japanese that I knew what I wanted to do.

この曲きょくを聞きいてはじめて、モーツアルトが好すきになった。
It wasn’t until I heard this song that I fell in love with Mozart.

試験しけんに落おちてはじめて、もっと勉強べんきょうしようと思おもった。
It wasn’t until I failed the exam that I decided to study more.

赤あかん坊ぼうが生うまれてはじめて、親おやのありがたみがわかった。
It wasn’t until the baby was born that I truly appreciated my parents.

停電ていでんになってはじめて、どんなに電気でんきに頼たよっているかわかった。
It wasn’t until the power outage that I realized how much we are relying on electricity.

病気びょうきになってはじめて、健康けんこうの大切たいせつさがわかる。
Only when you get sick can you understand the importance of good health.

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