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adverb

malapena

barely

Definition & meaning

Malapena means “barely,” “hardly,” or “scarcely.” It indicates that something happens only just, or to a very limited extent. It is normally used in the phrase a malapena: “barely” or “with difficulty.”

  • Riesco a malapena a sentirti. — “I can barely hear you.”
  • Aveva a malapena vent’anni. — “They were barely twenty years old.”

Grammar & Word origin

Malapena is a feminine noun, but it is used almost exclusively in the adverbial phrase a malapena. It comes from mala (“bad”) and pena (“pain,” “effort” or “difficulty”).

Synonyms & antonyms

  • appena — “barely” or “just”; it can also mean “as soon as” or “a moment ago.”
  • a stento — “with difficulty” or “barely”; it emphasizes the effort involved.
  • facilmente — “easily”; an opposite when a malapena refers to difficulty.

Common phrases & collocations

  • a malapena — barely; with difficulty.
  • riuscire a malapena — to barely manage.
  • vedere a malapena — to barely see.

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Examples

Era così stanca che riusciva a parlare a malapena.adverb

She was so tired that she could barely speak.

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