à peine
See also: apeine
French
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Inherited from Vulgar Latin *ad poenam. Compare Italian appena, etc.
Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): /a pɛn/
Audio (France (Toulouse)): (file) Audio (France (Vosges)): (file) Audio (France (Lyon)): (file)
Adverb
[edit]- barely, scarcely, hardly
- Il y a à peine trente personnes au concert ce soir. ― There are barely thirty people at this evening’s concert.
- À peine avait-il achevé ces paroles qu'une voiture s'arrêta devant la porte. ― Scarcely had he finished his words, when a car pulled up at the door.
- Nous avons à peine fait connaissance. ― We've only just met.
Usage notes
[edit]- Not to be confused with à grand-peine.