Erst

Erst is a German adverb with several closely related uses centered on time and scope. It often conveys a sense of postponement or limitation, translating roughly as “not until,” “only,” or “for now,” depending on the context. In everyday speech it can also function as an emphatic intensifier, marking that something is just beginning or limited in degree.

Temporal use. The most common sense is to indicate that something happens later than expected or that a moment has not yet arrived. Examples: “Ich komme erst um zehn” (I won’t come until ten), “Wir sind erst heute angekommen” (We only arrived today). In negative or restrictive statements, erst can emphasize that only a small amount of time has passed: “Er hat erst zwei Kapitel gelesen” (He’s only read two chapters so far).

Beginning or extent. Erst can signal that what is being described is still at an early stage. “Es ist erst der Anfang” (It is only the beginning). It also appears in phrases that stress a degree, such as “erst recht” (all the more, especially) and “erst mal” or “erst/default” meaning “for now” or “first of all” in planning.

Difference from similar words. Schon means “already,” while erst often implies delay or exclusivity. Nur expresses limitation more directly, without the sense of postponement inherent in erst. The negation “nicht erst” can be used to indicate that something did not happen until a later point, reinforcing the postponement nuance.

Usage notes. Erst can appear after the verb or auxiliary in main clauses: “Ich komme erst später.” It is common in spoken German and pairs with other time expressions to shape the emphasis and nuance of timing.