私は英語を始めてからもう６年になる。

Sentence Discussions Japanese
#1
English Translation

It is six years since I started to study English.

I thought that 初めて was the right way to write it when it implies “for the first time”. Is there a reason the other version is used? Is there some other reason for this form to be better here?

#2

@mike-lima
No. You cannot replace 始めて with 初めて in this sentence structure.

  • 初めて (for the first time or firstly) is an adverb, and 初めての (first-time) is an adjective.
  • 始めて as in 始めてから, on the other hand, is a gerund (verbal noun) meaning “starting”.

私は英語を「初めて」からもう6年になる = Six years have passed since firstLY my English.
==> Since firstLY is grammatically incorrect and sounds very unnatural so as 初めてから in Japanese

The original Japanese sentence can be split into two:

  • (Natural) 私は英語を始めた。それからもう6年になる = I started (learning) English. Since then, six years have passed.
  • (Incorrect) 私は英語を初めた。それからもう6年になる = I English firstly. Since then, six years have passed.

The latter is missing a verb. That’s why your proposed sentence is grammatically broken.

If you really want to use 初, you can say

  • 私が初めて英語を習い始めてから、もう6年になる。= Six years have passed since I started learning English for the first time.
  • 私が初めて英単語を覚えてから、もう6年になる。= Six years have passed since I could memorize the first English word.

As you can see, 初めて as an adverb requires a verb such as “to start” or “to memorize” etc.

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