「〜てはじめて」- Realizing Importance After Experience

Explanation

"〜てはじめて" is a common Japanese expression used to convey that the importance of something is only realized after experiencing a certain situation. It is formed by attaching the verb's て form followed by はじめて, emphasizing that a fact or feeling is only understood for the first time after experiencing a specific event.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
〜てはじめて	Verb て form + はじめて	Indicates that a fact or feeling is only realized for the first time after experiencing a certain situation.

Usage Details

〜てはじめて is primarily used to describe how someone gains a new understanding or feeling only after experiencing a particular situation. Common verbs like “分わかる” (understand), “気き付づく” (notice), “知しる” (know), and “感かんじるじる” (feel) often appear in the latter part of the sentence to express this new realization.

Basic Usage

The basic structure of 〜てはじめて is as follows:

• Verb て form + はじめて + (result)

For example:

• 一ひと人りで暮くらしてはじめて、家かぞ族くがどんなに大たい切せつかがわかる。
• Hitori de kurashite hajimete, kazoku ga donna ni taisetsu ka ga wakaru.
• Only after living alone did I realize how important family is.
  

Example Analysis

Here are some examples using 〜てはじめて to better understand its practical application.

• 今いままで好すきっていう感かん情じょうがよく分わからなかったけど、彼かれに出で会えてはじめて分わかったような気きがする。
• Ima made suki tte iu kanjou ga yoku wakaranakatta kedo, kare ni deaete hajimete wakatta you na ki ga suru.
• I didn’t really understand what love felt like until I met him.
  

• 指し摘てきされてはじめて間ま違いに気きづいた。
• Shiteki sarete hajimete machigai ni kizuita.
• Only after being pointed out did I notice the mistake.
  

• 実じっ家かを離はなれてはじめて親おやのありがたみを知しった。
• Jikka o hanarete hajimete oya no arigatami o shitta.
• Only after leaving home did I realize how grateful I am to my parents.
  

Deep Dive

〜てはじめて emphasizes that a fact or feeling is only realized for the first time after experiencing a specific event. This expression is often used to describe a new understanding or feeling, which is why verbs like “分わかる” (understand), “知しる” (know), and “気き付づく” (notice) frequently appear in the latter part of the sentence.

Real-Life Scenarios

Here are some conversational examples showing how 〜てはじめて is used in everyday dialogue.

• A: 初はじめて海かい外がいに行いった時とき、どんな気きもちでしたか？
• B: 自じぶんの国くにを離はなれてはじめて、世せかい界かいがこんなに広ひろいと気きづきました。
• A: Hajimete kaigai ni itta toki, donna kimochi deshita ka?
• B: Jibun no kuni o hanarete hajimete, sekai ga konna ni hiroi to kizukimashita.
• A: How did you feel when you first went abroad?
• B: Only after leaving my country did I realize how vast the world is.
  

• A: いつから料りょう理りを始はじめたんですか？
• B: 一ひと人りぐらしをしてはじめて、自じぶんで料りょう理りをするようになりました。
• A: Itsu kara ryouri o hajimeta n desu ka?
• B: Hitori-gurashi o shite hajimete, jibun de ryouri o suru you ni narimashita.
• A: When did you start cooking?
• B: Only after living alone did I start cooking for myself.
  

Summary

〜てはじめて is a highly practical expression used to describe a new understanding or feeling gained after experiencing a certain situation. By mastering its usage and structure, and applying it in real-life conversations, you can effectively convey this nuanced concept in Japanese.