Apenas
Apenas
(time phrases)
B1 (¡Ya le agarras la onda!)Used EVERYWHERE 🇲🇽Colloquial 🗯️
🧠 What it means
Ok, ok, I admit that this isn’t really a chunk in the traditional sense.
BUT it’s so ubiquitous and such an easy way to sound more Mexican that I just couldn’t resist including it.
Here’s what it means:
👉 just / just now / just recently / as soon as
So yeah, when Mexicans use apenas in a time context, they’re essentially saying something happened a moment ago or very recently.
Apenas llegué. = I just got here.
Oh, and you might also come across the diminutive form: apenitas.
Apenitas voy por el segundo capítulo.
I’m only on episode two.
I think we’re just now starting to move away from that a bit…
And Jesús uses apenas like only just when I ask him how fast the car was going when he jumped out of it (at approx. 13:13): —¡Órale! ¿Iba rápido?
—Pues apenas iba como que a querer encarrerarse, entonces yo agarro y me aviento…
—Whoa! Was it going fast?
—Well, it was only just starting to pick up speed, so I jumped out… ⚠️ Don’t confuse this one with apenas meaning barely/hardly (which is what most dictionaries say).
I’m only on episode two.
Real examples from Voces de México
Erika’s cuñado Ricardo uses apenas like just now when talking about how Mexico is only just starting to confront racism and classism (at approx. 32:06): Apenas creo que estamos rompiendo un poco con eso…I think we’re just now starting to move away from that a bit…
And Jesús uses apenas like only just when I ask him how fast the car was going when he jumped out of it (at approx. 13:13): —¡Órale! ¿Iba rápido?
—Pues apenas iba como que a querer encarrerarse, entonces yo agarro y me aviento…
—Whoa! Was it going fast?
—Well, it was only just starting to pick up speed, so I jumped out… ⚠️ Don’t confuse this one with apenas meaning barely/hardly (which is what most dictionaries say).
🌪️ When to whip it out
Whenever you want to emphasize that something happened very recently:
Apenas voy saliendo de la oficina.
I’m literally just leaving the office.
Apenas nos conocimos la semana pasada.
We only met last week.
Apenitas llegué a la oficina, había un buen de tráfico.
I literally just got to the office; there was a lot of traffic.
— ¿Cuándo fuiste a Cancún?
— Apenas.
— When did you go to Cancun?
— Just recently.
It can also mean as soon as or just as (in a VERY Mexican way!):
Apenas baje del coche, camino para allá.
As soon as I get out of the car, I'll walk over there.
La alarma sísmica empezó a sonar apenas me metí a bañar.
The earthquake alarm went off just as I was getting in the shower.
⚠️ Tone
✅ Works in casual or formal settings.
✅ It’s a REALLY easy way to sound more Mexican!
🚫 Not to be confused with other apenas meanings like barely or hardly!
🔁 Similar chunks
🎥 Heard in
🦜 El Rincón del Cotorreo
