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文法 · JLPT N3 grammar
〜てはじめて
te hajimete · only after ~ (did I realise)
〜てはじめて means only once A happened did B: 病気になってはじめて、健康の大切さが分かった, only after falling ill did I realise how precious health is.
How to form it
| V-て + はじめて | 失ってはじめて |
How it is used
The second half is usually a realisation: 分かる, 気づく, 知る.
It is a fixed pattern; はじめて here means for the first time, after that.
Examples
Tap a kanji for its reading.
- 病気になってはじめて、健康の大切さが分かりました。Only when I fell ill did I understand the value of health.
- 一人で住んではじめて、親のありがたさに気づいた。Only after living alone did I appreciate my parents.
- 日本に来てはじめて、本物の寿司を食べました。I only had real sushi once I came to Japan.
- 失ってはじめて、その大切さを知る。You only know what something is worth once you lose it.