How to Say ‘Just started’ in Japanese
始まったばかり
hajimatsu ta bakari
[hajimat ta bakari]
💬 Usage Tip: [ばかり] after a past verb means "just did": [始まったばかり] "just started," [着いたばかり] "just arrived." It's a very handy pattern for saying something is only getting going.
Phrase Breakdown
始まっ
hajimatsu
[hajimat]
started
From 始まる, 'to begin.' Here it means something has started.
夜はまだ始まったところですよ。
The night has only just started, you know.
た
ta
[ta]
past tense marker
Marks the verb as past/completed. Combined here, it forms 'has started.'
さっき始まったばかりで、まだ静かですね。
It just started a little while ago, so it’s still quiet.
ばかり
bakari
[bakari]
just; only just
Indicates something happened just now or only recently. Very useful for saying there is still plenty of time.
二人の会話は始まったばかりです。
Our conversation has only just begun.
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