When we use the word komaj in Slovenian, it's typically to express that something happened with great difficulty, or that something was achieved by a very narrow margin. It often implies a sense of struggle or a near miss.
For example, if you say "Komaj sem ujel avtobus," it means you only just caught the bus, implying you almost missed it. It can also be used to emphasize a small amount or degree, like "Komaj kaj jem," meaning you're hardly eating anything at all.
Hello there, Slovenian learners! Today we're diving into a very useful Slovenian adverb: komaj. It might seem simple, but it's one of those words that really helps you express yourself naturally. Let's get straight into it.
- Slovenian Word
- komaj (adverb)
- CEFR Level
- A1
- Definition
- only just; almost not
Think of komaj as meaning you barely managed something, or that something just barely happened. It implies a narrow margin or difficulty.
§ How to use it in a sentence
Komaj is an adverb, so it typically modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It doesn't require any specific prepositions and generally stays in its form. Its placement can sometimes vary for emphasis, but usually, it comes before the verb or the phrase it modifies.
§ Basic Sentences with Komaj
Let's look at some common ways to use komaj in everyday Slovenian.
Komaj čakam na vikend. (I can hardly wait for the weekend. / I'm really looking forward to the weekend.)
This is a very common expression. When you 'hardly wait,' it means you're eagerly anticipating something. In English, we might say "I can't wait," but in Slovenian, komaj čakam is the natural equivalent for expressing strong anticipation.
Komaj je shodil. (He only just started walking.)
Here, it emphasizes that the action of walking just started, implying it's a recent development or that he's still a beginner.
Komaj smo prišli domov, ko je začelo deževati. (We had hardly arrived home when it started to rain. / We just barely made it home when it started to rain.)
This sentence structure (komaj...ko) is common and signifies that one event happened immediately after another, with a very small time gap. It's similar to "no sooner...than" in English.
§ Expressing Difficulty or Near Failure
Komaj is often used to describe situations where something was difficult to achieve, or where success was narrow.
Komaj sem dihal. (I could hardly breathe. / I was barely breathing.)
This conveys a sense of struggle or physical difficulty.
Komaj je preživel nesrečo. (He barely survived the accident.)
Here, it highlights the severe nature of the accident and the slim chance of survival.
§ "Komaj da..." - A slightly different nuance
Sometimes you might see komaj followed by da. This construction often emphasizes the idea of "hardly" or "barely" even more, suggesting a very minimal action or state.
Komaj da je kaj pojedel. (He barely ate anything.)
This implies he ate a negligible amount, almost nothing.
§ Practice Sentences
Here are a few more examples to help you get a feel for komaj.
Govori tako tiho, da ga komaj slišim. (He speaks so quietly that I can hardly hear him.)
Po dolgi hoji smo komaj prišli do vrha. (After a long walk, we barely made it to the top.)
Od utrujenosti komaj stojim. (From exhaustion, I can hardly stand.)
§ Key Takeaways
Komaj means 'only just' or 'almost not'.
It's an adverb and doesn't change its form.
It's frequently used to express anticipation (komaj čakam), recent events, or actions performed with difficulty.
The construction komaj...ko is useful for linking two events that happened in quick succession.
Keep practicing these sentences, and you'll soon be using komaj like a native speaker! Great job, and see you in the next lesson.
§ What 'komaj' Means
- Slovenian Word
- komaj
- Word Type
- Adverb
- CEFR Level
- A1
- Definition
- Only just; almost not; barely; hardly; scarcely.
§ Understanding 'komaj'
The Slovenian word 'komaj' is an adverb that you will hear very often in everyday conversations. It's used to express that something happened with difficulty, or that there was very little of something. Think of it like saying 'barely', 'hardly', or 'scarcely' in English. It implies a narrow margin or a near-miss.
When you say 'komaj', you're emphasizing that the action or state described was achieved with difficulty, or that it was very close to not happening at all. It's a useful word for conveying a sense of effort, limitation, or a tight squeeze.
§ Where You'll Hear 'komaj'
You'll find 'komaj' popping up in various situations – at work, in school, when talking about daily tasks, or even in the news. It's a common word for describing situations where things are just on the edge, or where something is achieved with minimal resources or effort.
At Work: Describing tight deadlines or resource limitations.
In School: Talking about difficult tests or just making the grade.
Everyday Life: Discussing finances, traffic, or energy levels.
News: Reporting on close elections, economic struggles, or survival stories.
§ Examples in Context
Here are some practical examples to show you how 'komaj' is used in real Slovenian sentences. Pay attention to how it changes the meaning, making it clear that something was difficult or nearly didn't happen.
Do komaj sem prišel domov.
(I barely made it home.) This implies you were very tired, had a long journey, or faced some difficulty getting home.
Imamo komaj dovolj denarja za hrano.
(We hardly have enough money for food.) This shows a financial struggle, indicating that resources are very limited.
Komaj čakam vikend!
(I can hardly wait for the weekend!) While seemingly positive, 'komaj' here emphasizes the strong anticipation, almost to the point of impatience.
Otrok je bil komaj
(The child was barely alive when they found him.) This sentence highlights a critical condition, emphasizing the narrow margin between life and death.
Učitelj je rekel, da sem komaj opravil izpit.
(The teacher said I only just passed the exam.) This implies you passed by a very small margin, perhaps by one point, suggesting difficulty.
Imel sem komaj dovolj časa, da sem pojedel zajtrk.
(I barely had enough time to eat breakfast.) This signifies a rush or a very limited amount of time.
§ Practice Using 'komaj'
The best way to learn 'komaj' is to start using it. Try to describe situations in your own life where you just barely managed something, or where you had hardly any of something. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel.
Think about a time you were very tired: "Komaj sem odprl oči zjutraj." (I barely opened my eyes in the morning.)
Consider a difficult task: "Komaj sem dokončal to nalogo." (I hardly finished this task.)
By incorporating 'komaj' into your daily Slovenian practice, you'll sound more natural and be able to express subtle nuances of meaning that are important for clear communication.
Niveau de difficulté
Short, common word.
Short, common word.
Common sound combinations.
Clear pronunciation.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
Komaj is often used with 'da' (that) or 'ko' (when) to introduce a clause describing an event that happened immediately after another, similar to 'hardly... when' or 'scarcely... when' in English. It emphasizes the immediacy.
Komaj sem prišel domov, ko je začelo deževati. (I had only just arrived home when it started to rain.)
When komaj is used with a negative verb, it reinforces the idea of 'almost not' or 'barely'.
Komaj vidim brez očal. (I can barely see without glasses.)
Komaj can be used to express difficulty or a narrow escape.
Komaj smo preživeli nevihto. (We barely survived the storm.)
It can also indicate a small quantity or amount, meaning 'just a little' or 'only a few'.
Komaj kaj denarja mi je ostalo. (I had only a little money left.)
Komaj can precede an adjective or adverb to emphasize a minimal degree of a quality or action.
Komaj slišno je šepnil. (He whispered barely audibly.)
Exemples par niveau
Komaj čakam poletje.
I can hardly wait for summer.
Used with 'čakati' (to wait) to express impatience.
Komaj sem prišel domov, že je začelo deževati.
I had barely arrived home when it started to rain.
Often used with 'že' (already) to indicate something happened immediately after another event.
Komaj diham.
I can barely breathe.
Expresses difficulty in performing an action.
Komaj sem ga prepoznal.
I barely recognized him.
Indicates a task was done with difficulty or narrowly achieved.
Avtobus je komaj ustavil pred drevesom.
The bus barely stopped in front of the tree.
Shows a close call or a narrow escape.
Komaj govorim slovensko.
I barely speak Slovenian.
Indicates a low level of ability.
Komaj smo končali projekt pravočasno.
We only just finished the project on time.
Emphasizes that something was achieved with little time to spare.
Komaj slišim, kaj govoriš.
I can barely hear what you're saying.
Expresses difficulty in perceiving something.
Komaj čakam, da grem na morje.
I can hardly wait to go to the seaside.
Komaj sem dočakal konec filma, bil je tako dolgčasen.
I could barely wait for the end of the movie, it was so boring.
Avtobus je bil poln, komaj sem našel prosto mesto.
The bus was full, I only just found a free seat.
Komaj je preživel nesrečo.
He almost didn't survive the accident.
Bilo je tako mrzlo, da smo komaj čutili prste.
It was so cold that we could barely feel our fingers.
Komaj govori slovensko, angleško pa tekoče.
He barely speaks Slovenian, but he's fluent in English.
Komaj sem ga prepoznal, tako se je spremenil.
I only just recognized him, he's changed so much.
Denarja je bilo komaj dovolj za preživetje.
There was barely enough money to survive.
Komaj čakam, da se naučim slovenščine in jo tekoče govorim.
I can hardly wait to learn Slovenian and speak it fluently.
Po dolgem in napornem potovanju so komaj prišli do koče pred nevihto.
After a long and arduous journey, they barely made it to the hut before the storm.
Zaradi goste megle so komaj videli cesto pred seboj.
Because of the dense fog, they could barely see the road ahead.
Komaj je preživel padec, saj ga je rešilo le nekaj metrov.
He barely survived the fall, as only a few meters saved him.
V sobi je bilo tako tiho, da sem komaj slišal lastno dihanje.
It was so quiet in the room that I could barely hear my own breathing.
Komaj verjamem, da se je to res zgodilo.
I can hardly believe that this really happened.
Čeprav je bil že pozno, so komaj uspeli dokončati projekt.
Although it was already late, they barely managed to finish the project.
Po vsem trudu so komaj dosegli želene rezultate.
After all the effort, they barely achieved the desired results.
Collocations courantes
Souvent confondu avec
'Komaj' often translates to 'hardly' in English, especially when conveying the idea of 'almost not' or 'with difficulty.' For example, 'Komaj govori angleško' means 'He hardly speaks English.'
Similar to 'hardly,' 'scarcely' is a good English equivalent for 'komaj' when talking about a very small amount or frequency. 'Komaj kaj jé' could be translated as 'He scarcely eats anything.'
'Barely' is another excellent translation for 'komaj,' emphasizing that something was achieved by a very narrow margin or with great difficulty. 'Komaj sem prišel na vlak' means 'I barely made it onto the train.'
Facile à confondre
'Komaj' can be tricky because it sounds like it might mean 'come' or 'calm' to English speakers, but it actually means 'only just' or 'almost not.' It often implies difficulty or a narrow margin.
It expresses that something was achieved with difficulty or that there was very little of something. It's about scarcity or a close call, not about arrival or tranquility.
Komaj sem dobil karto. (I only just got a ticket.) Komaj čakam. (I can hardly wait. / I'm really looking forward to it.)
'Skoraj' also relates to 'almost,' but it's about something that nearly happened but didn't quite. It's often confused with 'komaj' because both imply proximity to an event or state.
'Skoraj' means 'almost' in the sense of 'nearly' – it was close to happening, but it didn't. 'Komaj' means 'only just' – it happened, but barely, or it implies difficulty.
Skoraj sem padel. (I almost fell.) Skupaj sva skoraj eno leto. (We've been together for almost a year.)
'Malo' means 'a little' or 'a small amount.' It can be confusing when trying to distinguish it from 'komaj' because both relate to small quantities or degrees, but their nuances are different.
'Malo' refers to a small quantity or degree. 'Komaj' implies a barely sufficient quantity or a difficult achievement. Think of 'malo' as 'some, but not much,' and 'komaj' as 'just barely enough' or 'hardly at all.'
Imam malo časa. (I have a little time.) Malo morgen! (No way! / Not a chance! - informal expression)
'Samo' means 'only' or 'just' in the sense of 'nothing more than.' This can be confused with 'komaj' because both can translate to 'just' in English, but they carry different implications in Slovenian.
'Samo' is restrictive, meaning 'only' or 'no more than.' 'Komaj' is about difficulty, scarcity, or a narrow margin. 'Samo' answers 'how many/much?' with a limit, while 'komaj' answers 'how well/easily?' with 'not very' or 'with difficulty.'
Samo jaz sem bil tam. (Only I was there.) Imam samo pet evrov. (I only have five euros.)
'Težko' means 'difficult' or 'hard.' While not directly interchangeable with 'komaj,' the concept of difficulty conveyed by 'komaj' (e.g., 'komaj sem dobil' - I only just got it, implying it was hard to get) can lead to confusion.
'Težko' describes the inherent difficulty of a task or situation. 'Komaj' describes the outcome of a difficult situation or a very small margin. 'Težko' is the cause, 'komaj' often describes the effect.
To je težko delo. (This is hard work.) Težko je razumeti. (It's difficult to understand.)
Comment l'utiliser
Use komaj when you want to express that something happened with difficulty, barely, or almost didn't happen. It often implies a narrow escape or a minimal achievement.
A common mistake is confusing komaj with skoraj (almost) or šele (only then, not until). While similar in some contexts, komaj specifically emphasizes the difficulty or narrowness of the action. Incorrect: Skoraj sem prišel ob devetih. (Meaning: I almost arrived at nine – implies I didn't arrive, or arrived much later/earlier). Correct if you want to say you arrived just before nine: Komaj sem prišel ob devetih. (I only just arrived at nine.) Incorrect: Šele sem končal nalogo. (Meaning: I only just finished the task – implies the task was finished recently, not with difficulty). Correct if you want to say you finished with difficulty: Komaj sem končal nalogo. (I only just finished the task [implying it was hard/took a long time]).
Astuces
Komaj for Scarcity
Use komaj to express that something is in short supply or that there is very little of it. For example, Komaj imamo dovolj mleka. (We barely have enough milk.)
Komaj for Difficulty
Komaj can also show that an action was difficult to perform or that it happened with great effort. For instance, Komaj je dobil službo. (He hardly got the job.)
Komaj for Near Misses
When something almost didn't happen, komaj is the word to use. Consider: Komaj sem ujel avtobus. (I just barely caught the bus.)
Komaj with Negation
Interestingly, komaj often implies a negative outcome or a struggle, even without an explicit 'no'. It already carries the sense of 'almost not'. So, avoid double negatives. Komaj je videl. (He could barely see.)
Komaj vs. Skoraj
Don't confuse komaj with skoraj (almost). Skoraj means something was close to happening but didn't (e.g., Skoraj sem padel. - I almost fell, but I didn't). Komaj means something did happen, but with difficulty or just by a thread. Komaj sem prišel. (I just managed to arrive.)
Komaj in Questions
You can use komaj in questions to express doubt or surprise about whether something is true or possible. Komaj verjamem, da je res. (I can hardly believe it's true.)
Komaj with Time
When referring to time, komaj can mean 'only just' or 'not long ago'. Komaj je prišel. (He just arrived.)
Komaj and Effort
Think of komaj as conveying the idea of 'with minimal margin' or 'requiring significant effort'. It highlights the challenging nature of an action or situation.
Komaj in Compound Sentences
Komaj can connect clauses, implying a sequence where one action just barely preceded another. Komaj sem vstopil, že je začelo deževati. (I had barely entered when it started raining.)
Practice with Komaj
Try to form your own sentences using komaj. Focus on situations where something is scarce, difficult, or a near miss. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel.
Teste-toi 96 questions
Jaz sem ___ uspelo priti na avtobus. (I ___ managed to get on the bus.)
'Komaj' means 'only just' or 'almost not', which fits the meaning of barely making the bus.
Ona je ___ prepoznala svojega prijatelja. (She ___ recognized her friend.)
'Komaj' implies a difficulty or near failure in recognizing someone.
Otrok je bil utrujen in je ___ hodil. (The child was tired and ___ walked.)
'Komaj' suggests the child was walking with great effort due to tiredness.
Zaradi hrupa sem ___ slišal, kaj je rekel. (Because of the noise, I ___ heard what he said.)
'Komaj' indicates that hearing was difficult or nearly impossible due to the noise.
Po dolgem delovniku sem ___ odprl oči. (After a long workday, I ___ opened my eyes.)
'Komaj' expresses the effort or difficulty in opening one's eyes due to tiredness.
Bilo je tako mrzlo, da sem ___ čutil prste. (It was so cold that I ___ felt my fingers.)
'Komaj' conveys the sense of almost not feeling the fingers due to extreme cold.
Choose the best translation for 'komaj sem spal'.
'Komaj' means 'only just' or 'barely', indicating a minimal amount.
Which sentence uses 'komaj' correctly?
This sentence means 'He barely came home, and he already fell asleep', which is a correct use of 'komaj'.
What does 'Komaj vidim.' mean?
'Komaj' implies a difficulty or limitation in seeing.
The sentence 'Komaj govorim slovensko' means 'I speak Slovenian fluently'.
No, 'Komaj govorim slovensko' means 'I barely speak Slovenian'.
If you say 'Komaj čakam', you are expressing impatience.
'Komaj čakam' means 'I can barely wait' or 'I can't wait', expressing eagerness.
The word 'komaj' suggests a large quantity or amount.
'Komaj' suggests a small or minimal quantity/amount, almost none.
What are they barely waiting for?
Do they have a lot of time?
How well does he speak Slovenian?
Read this aloud:
Jaz komaj razumem.
Focus: Komaj
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Read this aloud:
Komaj poznam to mesto.
Focus: Komaj poznam
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Read this aloud:
Komaj sem pojedel zajtrk.
Focus: Komaj sem pojedel
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Write a sentence saying you 'only just' arrived.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Komaj sem prišel domov. (I only just came home.)
Write a sentence saying you 'almost didn't' see something.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Komaj sem te videl. (I almost didn't see you / I only just saw you.)
Write a sentence about something that 'only just' fits.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ta obleka mi komaj paše. (This dress only just fits me.)
What does the speaker mean by 'Komaj hodim'?
Read this passage:
Jaz sem zelo utrujen. Komaj hodim. Hočem spati.
What does the speaker mean by 'Komaj hodim'?
'Komaj' implies a struggle or difficulty. So, 'Komaj hodim' means walking with difficulty.
'Komaj' implies a struggle or difficulty. So, 'Komaj hodim' means walking with difficulty.
What is the problem with swimming in the water?
Read this passage:
Voda je zelo mrzla. Komaj plavam v njej.
What is the problem with swimming in the water?
The passage states 'Voda je zelo mrzla' (The water is very cold), which makes swimming difficult ('Komaj plavam').
The passage states 'Voda je zelo mrzla' (The water is very cold), which makes swimming difficult ('Komaj plavam').
What does the speaker have 'komaj' enough space for?
Read this passage:
Imam majhno mizo. Komaj je dovolj prostora za mojo knjigo.
What does the speaker have 'komaj' enough space for?
The sentence 'Komaj je dovolj prostora za mojo knjigo' translates to 'There is only just enough space for my book.'
The sentence 'Komaj je dovolj prostora za mojo knjigo' translates to 'There is only just enough space for my book.'
'Komaj' (only just/almost not) is at the beginning, followed by the verb 'čakam' (I wait), and then the noun 'počitnice' (holidays). The sentence means 'I can hardly wait for the holidays.'
The personal pronoun 'Jaz' (I) comes first, then 'komaj' (hardly), followed by the verb 'govorim' (speak), and finally the adjective 'slovensko' (Slovenian). The sentence means 'I can hardly speak Slovenian.'
The noun 'Otrok' (The child) is followed by 'komaj' (hardly) and then the verb 'hodi' (walks). The sentence means 'The child can barely walk.'
This means 'I can't wait for summer.'
This means 'I barely ate the whole pizza.'
This means 'I can barely hear you.'
Read this aloud:
Komaj je prišel domov.
Focus: Komaj, prišel
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Read this aloud:
Komaj sem dobil sedež.
Focus: Komaj, dobil, sedež
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Read this aloud:
Komaj verjamem, da je res.
Focus: Komaj, verjamem, res
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This sentence means 'I barely caught the bus.' The adverb 'komaj' usually comes at the beginning or after the conjugated verb.
This sentence means 'She barely speaks Slovenian.' 'Komaj' comes after the subject and before the verb.
This sentence means 'The child was barely walking.' 'Komaj' follows the auxiliary verb 'je' (is/was).
Po dolgem letu sem letalo dobil, a sem ___ uspel dobiti sedež ob oknu.
The sentence implies difficulty in getting a window seat, so 'komaj' (only just/barely) fits best.
Bila je tako utrujena, da je ___ hodila po stopnicah navzgor.
'Komaj' indicates she was barely able to walk, which makes sense given her exhaustion.
Zaradi glasbe v ozadju sem ga ___ slišal, kaj je rekel.
Loud background music would make it difficult to hear, so 'komaj' (barely) is the correct choice.
Po dolgi bolezni je ___ shujšal.
If someone has been ill for a long time, it's implied they've lost weight, so 'komaj' (barely) fits to mean they are barely recognizable due to weight loss.
Film je bil tako dolgočasen, da sem ga ___ gledal do konca.
A boring movie would make it difficult to finish, hence 'komaj' (barely) is appropriate.
Zaradi snega je avto ___ prišel do vrha hriba.
Snow would make driving difficult, so the car 'komaj' (barely) made it to the top.
This sentence expresses impatience for the film to end, using 'komaj' to emphasize 'almost couldn't wait.'
Here, 'komaj da' highlights that catching the bus was a very close call, almost not happening.
This sentence uses 'komaj' to show difficulty in seeing due to darkness, meaning 'almost couldn't see'.
Po dolgi bolezni je šele zdaj živeti, prej je ___ preživel vsak dan.
The sentence implies that after a long illness, he is only now truly living, suggesting that before, he barely survived each day.
Zaradi gostega prometa smo ___ prišli na letališče pravočasno.
The phrase 'due to heavy traffic' suggests that arriving on time was a struggle, hence 'komaj' (barely/only just) fits best.
Po težkem dnevu sem bil tako utrujen, da sem ___ dosegel posteljo.
Being 'so tired' implies difficulty in reaching the bed, making 'komaj' (barely/only just) the most suitable word.
Či ne bi bilo tvoje pomoči, bi ___ končal projekt pravočasno.
The phrase 'if it weren't for your help' indicates that finishing the project on time would have been very difficult, or 'barely' possible without assistance.
Voda je bila tako hladna, da sem ___ zdržal nekaj minut.
The description 'the water was so cold' implies that enduring it for a few minutes was challenging, hence 'komaj' (barely) is appropriate.
Po dolgem in napornem vzponu smo ___ dosegli vrh gore.
A 'long and arduous climb' suggests that reaching the summit was a difficult accomplishment, making 'komaj' (barely/only just) the correct choice.
Listen for 'komaj čakam' meaning 'I can hardly wait'.
Pay attention to 'komaj sem dobil dihanje nazaj' meaning 'I only just got my breath back'.
Listen for 'komaj verjamem' meaning 'I can hardly believe'.
Read this aloud:
Komaj smo ujeli vlak.
Focus: Komaj
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Read this aloud:
Komaj se spomnim njenega imena.
Focus: spomnim
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Read this aloud:
Komaj je prišla skozi vrata, že je začelo deževati.
Focus: skozi
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The adverb 'komaj' usually comes at the beginning of the sentence or before the verb it modifies. Here, it emphasizes the difficulty in catching the last train.
'Komaj' here expresses the exhaustion of the person, indicating they were 'almost not' able to stand due to working all day.
In this sentence, 'komaj' highlights the scarcity of money, meaning he had 'only just' enough for food, implying a lack of surplus.
Po dveh urah iskanja smo ___ našli parkirno mesto. (After two hours of searching, we ___ found a parking spot.)
The context implies difficulty in finding a parking spot, so 'komaj' (only just) fits best.
Njegova slovenščina je bila tako zapletena, da sem ga ___ razumel. (His Slovenian was so complicated that I ___ understood him.)
The sentence suggests difficulty in understanding, making 'komaj' (almost not) the appropriate choice.
Otrok je bil tako utrujen, da je ___ hodil. (The child was so tired that he ___ walked.)
Being very tired makes it difficult to walk, so 'komaj' (only just) is the correct adverb.
Zaradi goste megle smo cesto ___ videli. (Because of the dense fog, we ___ saw the road.)
Dense fog obstructs vision, so 'komaj' (almost not) accurately describes the situation.
Po dolgi bolezni je ___ spet začel delati. (After a long illness, he ___ started working again.)
A long illness would make returning to work difficult, thus 'komaj' (only just) fits the context.
Račun je bil tako visok, da smo ga ___ poravnali. (The bill was so high that we ___ paid it.)
A high bill suggests financial difficulty in paying it, so 'komaj' (only just) is the appropriate word.
The speaker is expressing eagerness.
Focus on the difficulty of breathing.
The speaker is expressing disbelief.
Read this aloud:
Komaj sem dobil vstopnice za koncert.
Focus: Komaj, dobil, vstopnice
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Read this aloud:
Komaj shaja s tako nizko plačo.
Focus: Komaj, shaja, plačo
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Read this aloud:
Komaj smo prišli do cilja pred nevihto.
Focus: Komaj, prišli, cilja, nevihto
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Which sentence uses 'komaj' correctly to express something barely happened?
'Komaj sem prišel domov, ko je začelo deževati' means 'I had barely arrived home when it started to rain,' indicating a narrow time frame, which aligns with 'only just; almost not.' The other options use 'komaj' in different contexts that don't fit this specific nuance at a C2 level.
Choose the sentence where 'komaj' signifies a great effort or difficulty.
'Komaj diham po vseh teh vajah' translates to 'I can barely breathe after all these exercises,' implying a struggle or great difficulty, fitting the C2 usage of 'komaj' in this context. The other options use 'komaj' differently.
In which sentence does 'komaj' imply a very small quantity or degree?
'Komaj je kaj snega zapadlo letos' means 'Only a little snow fell this year' or 'There was almost no snow this year,' emphasizing a small quantity. This is a common and advanced use of 'komaj' at C2 level.
The sentence 'Komaj verjamem, da se je to zgodilo' expresses strong disbelief.
'Komaj verjamem, da se je to zgodilo' means 'I can barely believe that this happened,' which correctly conveys strong disbelief, aligning with the C2 understanding of 'komaj' as 'almost not.'
If someone says 'Komaj čakam,' they are expressing impatience.
'Komaj čakam' directly translates to 'I can barely wait,' which is a common idiom in Slovenian to express strong impatience or eagerness, fitting a C2 comprehension level.
The phrase 'Komaj kaj' always refers to a large amount.
'Komaj kaj' translates to 'barely anything' or 'almost nothing,' specifically indicating a small or negligible amount, not a large one.
This sentence structure emphasizes the difficulty in comprehending the event, with 'komaj' acting as an intensifier at the beginning.
Here, 'komaj' highlights the narrow success in getting a table after a long wait, reflecting the 'almost not' aspect of its meaning.
The word 'komaj' here conveys that the sun was barely visible, struggling to break through the thick clouds, showcasing its meaning of 'only just'.
/ 96 correct
Perfect score!
Komaj for Scarcity
Use komaj to express that something is in short supply or that there is very little of it. For example, Komaj imamo dovolj mleka. (We barely have enough milk.)
Komaj for Difficulty
Komaj can also show that an action was difficult to perform or that it happened with great effort. For instance, Komaj je dobil službo. (He hardly got the job.)
Komaj for Near Misses
When something almost didn't happen, komaj is the word to use. Consider: Komaj sem ujel avtobus. (I just barely caught the bus.)
Komaj with Negation
Interestingly, komaj often implies a negative outcome or a struggle, even without an explicit 'no'. It already carries the sense of 'almost not'. So, avoid double negatives. Komaj je videl. (He could barely see.)
