Words that mean only
I hear that there are a lot of words that mean only. Can you tell me the difference between each of them
3 Answers
When learning a foreign language, it helps to have a clear understanding of your own (or another language you have already got a good grasp on). The English 'only' is a powerful word that can replace at least three different words and many others in different scenarios.
Only can be used in the following ways:
1) Used for showing that a statement does not apply to anything or anyone else except the person, thing, action, place etc that you are mentioning. Adverb.
The flowers grow wild only on the island of Maui.
Everyone promised they would come, but in the end only Ted and Jack showed up.
The Spanish equivalent most commonly used is 'sólo' with the accent. If I remember correctly, the RAE no longer necessitates the usage of the accent. I urge you to use it anyway for clarity (and backward compatibility, lol, if that's important).
Las flores sólo crecen de forma espontánea en la isla de Maui.
Todo el mundo han prometido que vengan, pero por último sólo se presentaron Ted and Jack.
Alternatives include solamente. Solamente is pretty much equivalent to sólo.
2) Used for showing that there are no other things or people of the same kind as the one or ones that you are mentioning.
David's the only one of us who has a computer.
My only reason for coming here was to see you.
The Spanish equivalent is 'solo' (without the accent) but it is used almost exclusively in the 'a single' or 'lonely/alone' sense. único is much more common for 'unique/the only one' cases. With only child, only man, for example, you usually want hijo único, hombre único etc.
David es el único de nosotros que tiene un ordenador.
Mi único motivo para venir aquí fue verte/Sólo vine aquí para verte.
3) Used for emphasizing that an amount, number, size, age, percentage etc is small or smaller than expected
The police station was only 150 metres away.
The company was established in Lanarkshire only eight months ago.
You will usually see this rendered by the adverb 'sólo' in conjunction with the verb..
4) Used for emphasizing that something must happen before something else can happen
You pay the agent only if you sell the house.
A further statement will be issued only when the investigation has been concluded.
This is directly translated as 'sólo'. 'Only if' is rendered very frequently as simply 'si', as per Linguee. 'Only when' as 'sólo cuando', but as I said earlier, many places forego the accent and use 'solo' to mean the same thing. I also saw 'únicamente cuando' used in the same sense if you can replace the only with a 'uniquely'.
Pagas el agente si vendas la casa.
Se pronuncie una declaración inducida sólo cuando la investigación haya terminado.
5) Used for saying that something is not better, worse, more important, more difficult etc than you are saying it is
Don't get upset – I was only joking.
We are only trying to help.
Use 'sólo'/don't translate.
No te preocupes - (sólo) estaba de broma.
Sólo intentamos ayudar.
6) No earlier than a particular time, day, week etc
It is only now that the technology exists to transmit high quality images.
Only when the government stops interfering will we see any improvement in our schools.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of only
7) Used for adding a comment to something that you have just said which makes it less true or correct
Fiction is like real life, only better.
You can use 'sólo' or 'lo único que'.
La literatura es como la vida, sólo mejor/lo único que es mejor.
7) a) Used when you are going to mention a problem or a reason why something is not possible
I would dance, only I didn't know how.
I would do it only I haven't the time
Use 'pero' for but or 'sólo que'.
Yo bailaría, pero no sé cómo.
Lo haría, sólo que no tengo tiempo.
8) Used for saying that the result or effect of something is bad or not wanted and has no positive qualities
His failure to respond to the criticism only made matters worse.
I never complain – it only causes more trouble.
Like 1, really.
9) Used for showing that something or someone is the best
You should get a motorbike. Believe me, it's the only way to travel.
You should use a superlative instead of a replacement for 'only' (unless you really mean that there is a single way to travel).
Deberías comprar una moto. Créeme, es la mejor forma de viajar.
Regarding 'other ways of saying only', if you want synonyms, google 'sinonimos de sólo'. Like in English, you will get some synonyms that are only partly synonyms, applying for specific jobs of the word only. Running 'only' through the SD translators might also help. 'únicamente' is 'uniquely', which often works. 'singular' for singular and raro for rare can also be used depending on situation.
Just is frequently a synonym of 'only' (in some of the above uses). In its sense of 'exactly', just can often be replaced by 'justo'. Justo also suffices for many other niche uses of 'just' (run justo through the SD to get a small list). Just for emphasis ('just listen to me') is not translated, or translated as 'solamente'/'sólo'.
'only just' is a frequently used phrase with 'just', which can be translated as 'recién' or 'acabar de' (a useful construct you can look up by running acabar through the SD).
There are many phrases with 'just' that can be translated to Spanish equivalents. You will probably be able to look up translations/ask for help here as they come up.
There's a lot of stuff I am not clear on, so if you find any mistake, I apologize and urge you to point it out for correction and share your personal knowledge. I took the help of Google for some examples, used the SD thread lookup for a few sentences and used Linguee to translate phrases.
Solamente = Only Unicamente = Only
Más que can also be translated as 'only'.
No he pasado en Honduras 'más que' unos días.
I've only spent a few days in Honduras.
