hardly, barely, as soon as
Apenas lo conozco, y ya me importa.
I barely know him, and I already care about him.
— La escafandra y la mariposa (2007)
Murió cuando tenía apenas treinta años.
He died when he was barely thirty years old.
Tom y Mary apenas se casaron el año pasado.
Tom and Mary only got married last year.
Es demasiado joven para conducir, apenas tiene catorce años.
He's too young to drive, he's only fourteen years old.
Apenas me gano la vida, no espero nada bueno de la vida.
I barely make a living, I don't expect anything good from life.
— El síndrome asténico (1989)
Sus ingresos apenas la mantienen en la clase media baja.
Her income barely keeps her in the lower middle class.
Apenas había niños en la clase.
There were hardly any children in the class.
I was here just yesterday.
Apenas me puedes ver porque estoy de pie contra al sol.
You can barely see me because I'm standing against the sun.
— Elena (2011)
Se llamaba Armando, y apenas le recuerdas.
His name was Armando, and you barely remember him.
— Durante la tormenta (2018)
Apenas había terminado de hablar cuando él la interrumpió.
She had barely finished speaking when he interrupted her.
Apenas se fueron, comenzó a llover.
As soon as they left, it started to rain.
Él apenas hace nada que no sea leer libros.
He hardly does anything other than read books.
Un disparo y una caída de un tren, y aún así parece apenas herido.
A gunshot and a fall from a train, and yet he seems barely injured.
— El imperio de las sombras (2016)
Te esperaba más tarde, apenas acabo de salir del trabajo.
I was expecting you later, I just got off work.
— Sin amor (2017)
Apenas hace dos o tres semanas dijo que podría ver el cometa.
Just two or three weeks ago he said he might be able to see the comet.
— Your Name (2016)
Apenas hay violencia en esa ciudad.
There is hardly any violence in that city.
Esta fiesta apenas está empezando.
This party is just getting started.
Apenas alzó la cabeza y enseguida se cayó deslizándose lentamente.
He barely raised his head and immediately fell, sliding slowly down.
— La infancia de Iván (1962)
She barely touched her lunch.
Apenas la hemos visto últimamente honestamente, nunca estuvimos muy unidos.
Honestly, we’ve barely seen her lately; we were never very close.
— Caché (Escondido) (2005)
I know, but they hardly are.
— Buena suerte, pásalo bien, no mueras (2026)
Apenas tengo tiempo de prepararme.
I barely have time to prepare.
Apenas consciente de la existencia de los hobbits.
Barely aware of the existence of hobbits.
— El señor de los anillos: La comunidad del anillo (2001)
Incluso si es verdad, apenas importa.
Even if it's true, it hardly matters.
Tom durmió tres horas apenas.
Tom barely slept three hours.
Apenas un tercio del país tiene acceso a la red.
Barely a third of the country has access to the network.
Pondrá en tu contra al muchacho apenas pueda.
He'll turn the boy against you as soon as he can.
Pero Daesung apenas logró meterse al final.
But Daesung barely managed to get in at the end.
— The Host (2006)
Apenas me había metido en el baño, cuando sonó el teléfono.
I had barely gone into the bathroom when the phone rang.
Apenas había salido de casa cuando empezó a llover.
I had barely left the house when it started to rain.
We barely know each other.
Apenas habíamos esperado cinco minutos cuando llegó el bus.
We had barely waited five minutes when the bus arrived.
Apenas se les paga el salario mínimo.
They’re barely paid minimum wage.
Tom siempre habla en voz tan baja que apenas le entiendo lo que dice.
Tom always speaks in such a low voice that I can barely understand what he's saying.
Apenas abrió la puerta salió un gato corriendo.
As soon as he opened the door, a cat ran out.
Tom saltó de la cama apenas sonó la alarma.
Tom jumped out of bed as soon as the alarm went off.
Más allá de eso, apenas conozco nada.
Beyond that, I hardly know anything.
She barely speaks Japanese.
Apenas la conocí, me enamoré de ella.
I fell in love with her as soon as I met her.
Caben cincuenta personas apenas en esta sala.
This room can barely fit fifty people.
Conocí a Tom y María apenas el otro día.
I met Tom and Maria just the other day.
Fio, apenas termine la pelea iremos a la iglesia.
Fio, as soon as the fight is over we'll go to church.
— Porco Rosso (1992)
Apenas te hice y aprendiste a caminar, te escapaste.
No sooner had I made you and you learned to walk than you ran off.
— Pinocho (2019)
Tom apenas seguía vivo cuando lo encontramos.
Tom was barely alive when we found him.
I only realized it yesterday.
Nuestras acciones apenas tienen eco en la prensa.
Our actions barely register in the press.
— Un lugar en ninguna parte (1988)
Apenas puedes pagar la renta, ¿y me vienes con sermones?
You can barely afford the rent, and you're lecturing me?
— Haz lo que debas (1989)
Han pasado diez años, apenas me acuerdo.
Ten years have passed; I barely remember.
— Asesinos (2015)
Tras un año de práctica, ella apenas sabe tocar el piano.
After a year of practice, she barely knows how to play the piano.
Los fuegos artificiales comenzarán apenas se oscurezca.
The fireworks will begin as soon as it gets dark.
Apenas tenemos tiempo para desayunar.
We barely have time for breakfast.
Los edificios están muy juntos y apenas entra luz natural.
The buildings are very close together and hardly any natural light gets in.
I hardly ever eat meat.
Apenas llega el cartero, él sale corriendo a recoger su correo.
As soon as the postman arrives, he runs out to collect his mail.
El perro se fue corriendo apenas solté la correa.
The dog ran away as soon as I let go of the leash.
Apenas llegues al semáforo, gira a la derecha.
As soon as you reach the traffic light, turn right.
Apenas tuvimos tiempo para cenar.
We barely had time for dinner.
Por lo tanto, está bien que apenas me veas.
Therefore, it is fine that you hardly see me.
— Elena (2011)
Hace apenas un momento que se fue.
He left just a moment ago.
Ella se puso a llorar apenas salió de la pieza.
She started crying as soon as she left the room.
Apenas había esperado un minuto cuando él llegó.
I had barely waited a minute when he arrived.
El agua apenas había empezado a hervir cuando ella agregó los ingredientes.
The water had barely started to boil when she added the ingredients.
Apenas había salido de la casa cuando se puso a llover fuerte.
I had barely left the house when it started to rain heavily.
Él apenas había acabado de desayunar cuando sonó el teléfono.
He had barely finished breakfast when the phone rang.
Apenas podemos avanzar, y la noche nos atrapa.
We can barely move forward, and night is falling.
— La sociedad de la nieve (2023)
Apenas habían empezado cuando comenzó a llover.
They had barely started when it began to rain.
La escuela queda apenas a cinco minutos caminando.
The school is just a five-minute walk away.
Mi hija apenas tiene quince años.
My daughter is barely fifteen years old.
Apenas hay gente que tenga dos coches.
There are hardly any people who own two cars.
Apenas soporto su comportamiento.
I can barely stand his behavior.
Tom apenas puede pagar la renta.
Tom can barely afford the rent.
Apenas alcanza para pagar el fertilizante.
It's barely enough to pay for the fertilizer.
— La venganza de Manon (1986)
Ella apenas salió de la universidad, así que no tiene experiencia.
She just graduated from university, so she has no experience.
We barely have any water.
No hay medicina que pueda salvarte, apenas vivirás media hora.
There is no medicine that can save you, you will barely live half an hour.
— Hamnet (2025)
El mercado apenas se había abierto cuando comenzó el fuego.
The market had barely opened when the shooting started.
Apenas termina el trabajo, él se va derecho al bar.
As soon as he finishes work, he goes straight to the bar.
Se fue corriendo apenas me vio.
He ran away as soon as he saw me.
Apenas llegó a la capital se instaló en un hotel.
As soon as he arrived in the capital, he checked into a hotel.
Fue un mínimo exceso de energía apenas.
It was just a minimal excess of energy.
Los dos pueblos están juntos, separados apenas por un puente.
The two towns are next to each other, separated only by a bridge.
Apenas un par de balas podrían incendiar el avión por completo.
Just a couple of bullets could set the entire plane on fire.
— El viento se levanta (2013)
Apenas estamos solos, se pone juguetona.
As soon as we're alone, she gets playful.
— El conformista (1971)
Apenas y puedo mover los codos aquí.
I can barely move my elbows in here.
— La increíble historia de David Copperfield (2019)
I barely speak French.
Tom y Mary apenas se conocen.
Tom and Mary barely know each other.
Pensaba que era un nerd en la prepa, pero en realidad apenas estaba comenzando.
I thought I was a nerd in high school, but in reality I was just getting started.
Aún no, Bill, pero apenas sepa algo, iremos ahí en Vivo.
Not yet, Bill, but as soon as I know something, we'll go live.
— Impacto (1981)
No quería comerla, apenas ha probado nada.
He didn't want to eat it; he's barely touched it.
— La strada (1954)
Apenas había salido cuando empezó a llover.
I had barely stepped outside when it started to rain.
Pero, apenas pasé la puerta, me quedé mudo.
But as soon as I stepped through the door, I was speechless.
— Tropa de élite 2 (2010)
No es que espere que venga a despedirse, digo, apenas nos conocemos.
It's not like I expect him to come and say goodbye, I mean, we barely know each other.
— Wicked (2024)
Apenas recuerdo su cara pero su voz la tengo grabada en la memoria para siempre.
I barely remember her face, but her voice is etched in my memory forever.
Me fui apenas vi a ese muchacho saltando al río.
I left as soon as I saw that boy jumping into the river.
— Impacto (1981)
Apenas habíamos empezado cuando comenzó a llover.
We had barely started when it began to rain.
Para entonces ella apenas salía de casa y afeitaba al gato los fines de semana.
By then she hardly ever left the house and only shaved the cat on weekends.
— It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)
Él apenas tenía dinero suficiente para comprar pan y leche.
He barely had enough money to buy bread and milk.
Yo, que he escrito apenas cinco páginas en el mayor número de días.
I, who have written barely five pages in the most days.
— Mother Night (1996)
Los primeros humanos apenas podían estar de pie.
Early humans could barely stand up.
— Bugonia (2025)
Tenemos tres días para preparar un efecto que te haga apenas aceptable.
We have three days to prepare an effect that makes you barely acceptable.
— Ahora me ves 3 (2025)
Apenas abrió el mercado, comenzó el incendio.
The fire started as soon as the market opened.
She barely speaks English.
I hardly know you.
He barely passed the exam.
He can barely speak.
No sé ni lo que digo, pero me voy a morir apenas salga de aquí.
I don't even know what I'm saying, but I'm going to die as soon as I get out of here.
— El gran diluvio (2025)
Apenas llegue te mando la dirección.
As soon as I arrive, I’ll send you the address.
— Las noches de Cabiria (1957)
Voy a escribirte apenas pueda.
I'll write to you as soon as I can.
Apenas se duerma nos vamos a jugar.
As soon as he falls asleep, we're going to play.
— Pinocho (2019)
Te voy a llamar apenas llegue a Chicago.
I'll call you as soon as I get to Chicago.
Let’s begin as soon as he arrives.
Te voy a prestar el libro apenas termine de leerlo.
I’ll lend you the book as soon as I finish reading it.