French translation of barely is 
à peine

Meaning of "barely" in English

"Barely" is an adverb that indicates something is done with minimal effort or degree. It suggests that something has happened just slightly or to a very small extent, sometimes implying scarcity or insufficiency. For example, if someone says they're "barely awake," it means they're not fully alert. The term often accompanies situations of struggle or limitation, providing context to actions or conditions that are just above a threshold or limit.

Meaning of "à peine" in French

The French phrase "à peine" serves a similar purpose to "barely" in English. It is used to express that something is done with minimal effort, degree, or quantity. The phrase might indicate that an action has scarcely or just barely occurred. Like its English counterpart, "à peine" often conveys a sense of marginal success, presence, or sufficiency, suggesting constraints or tight conditions in various contexts.

Pronunciation of "barely" in English

Phonetic Transcription: /ˈbɛrli/
Pronunciation Variations: In American English, "barely" is typically pronounced with a clear 'r' sound, while in British English, the 'r' may be softer. Regional accents may slightly alter the length of the vowel sounds, but the overall pronunciation remains fairly consistent.

Pronunciation of "à peine" in French

Phonetic Transcription: /a pɛn/
Pronunciation Variations: In different regions of France, the pronunciation of "à peine" remains mostly consistent. However, in some areas, the emphasis on the first syllable "à" might be slightly more pronounced, but the overall pronunciation does not vary significantly.

Sentence examples in English and translation to French

1. She barely passed the exam. - Elle a à peine réussi l'examen.
2. He could barely contain his excitement. - Il pouvait à peine contenir son excitation.
3. They had barely enough food for the journey. - Ils avaient à peine assez de nourriture pour le voyage.
4. The room was barely big enough for the table. - La pièce était à peine assez grande pour la table.
5. She was barely able to speak after the marathon. - Elle était à peine capable de parler après le marathon.
6. The old man could barely walk. - Le vieil homme pouvait à peine marcher.
7. I barely know anyone at the party. - Je ne connais à peine personne à la fête.
8. We barely made it to the train on time. - Nous avons à peine réussi à attraper le train à temps.
9. He barely managed to finish the race. - Il a à peine réussi à terminer la course.
10. She barely touched her dinner. - Elle a à peine touché à son dîner.

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "barely" in English

Synonyms: scarcely, hardly, just, only, narrowly, slightly, rarely, minimally, marginally, meagerly.

Antonyms: completely, fully, entirely, wholly, substantially, amply, abundantly, broadly, generously, thoroughly.

Similar Words: almost, nearly, just about, not quite, faintly, hardly at all, by a hair, on the brink, slightly more than, on the edge.

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "à peine" in French

Synonyms: guère, juste, seulement, difficilement, presque pas, à peine tout juste, de justesse, faiblement, de peu, à peu près.

Antonyms: complètement, entièrement, complètement, totalement, beaucoup, amplement, largement, abondamment, globalement, complètement.

Similar Words: presque, à peu près, à demi, tout juste, à ras, presque pas, à peine tant soit peu, à la limite, un peu plus que, sur le bord de.

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