apenas
/aˈpẽ.nɐs/
In Portuguese, 'only' can be said as apenas or somente.
Meaning: without others or anything further, exclusively (adv)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| apenas | /aˈpẽ.nɐs/ (Brazil) /aˈpẽ.nɐʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
| somente | /ˌsɔˈmẽ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˌsɔˈmẽ.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
Both apenas and somente are adverbs used to mean 'without others or anything further' or 'exclusively'.
Which one should you use?
The words apenas and somente are largely interchangeable synonyms for 'only' or 'just'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word apenas is pronounced /aˈpẽ.nɐs/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the adverb só (meaning 'only') with the adjective só (meaning 'alone'), as they are spelled the same way in Portuguese.
Did you know?
- The word apenas actually has roots in the idea of a penalty or punishment, stemming from the Latin phrase *ad poenam', which originally meant 'as a penalty'.
- In casual Brazilian speech, the word só is used far more frequently than apenas or somente, which can sound overly formal or literary.
- While apenas and somente are synonyms, apenas can also be used to mean 'hardly' or 'scarcely' when describing time or quantity.
Examples in context
- Eu apenas te escuto.I hear only you.This sentence shows the use of apenas to specify a single person being heard.Tatoeba #2684462 by Ricardo14, translation #2591478 by CK
- Tom apenas foi preso.Only Tom got arrested.This sentence demonstrates how apenas can identify a specific person as the only one affected by an action.Tatoeba #8339895 by JGEN, translation #8338607 by CK
- Li apenas a manchete.I read only the headline.This sentence illustrates using apenas to limit the scope of what was read.Tatoeba #11075509 by carlosalberto, translation #10694517 by beyzanurkngr01
- Eu vou viajar somente amanhã.I will travel only tomorrow.
- Precisamos concluir o projeto apenas com os recursos disponíveis.We need to complete the project only with the available resources.
- Eu tenho dois ingressos só.I have only two tickets.
- 721 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Camila are talking about a dinner plan.
- GabrielVocê quer comer pizza hoje?Do you want to eat pizza today?
- CamilaEu quero apenas uma fatia.I only want one slice.
- GabrielSério? Você não está com fome?Really? Are you not hungry?
- CamilaTive apenas um lanche agora pouco.I only had a snack a little while ago.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “only” translations and entries apenas, somente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apenas, somente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
