〜てはじめて

About

The 〜て初はじめて pattern combines the adverb 初はじめて with a て form verb, and has two main usages:

• 

  ① Describing the result of doing X: "It wasn't until someone did A/it wasn't until B happened, that..."

E.g. 飼かってみて初はじめて、自分じぶんが犬いぬアレルギーだとわかった。 "It wasn't until I tried having a dog that I realized I had an allergy."

E.g. 病気びょうきになって初はじめて健康けんこうのありがたさがわかった。 "It wasn't until I got sick that I realized how thankful I am to be healthy."

• 

  ② Describing the minimum requirements of Y: "It's not until C requirement is fulfilled that..."

E.g. あの大学だいがくは、先生せんせいからの推薦すいせんがあって初はじめて受験じゅけんをすることができる。 "For that university, you can only take the (entrance) test once you have a reference from a teacher."

E.g. 寿司すし職人しょくにんは、10年ねん以上いじょう働はたらいて初はじめて一人前いちにんまえと言いわれるらしい。 "For sushi chefs, apparently it's not until they've worked for over 10 years that they can be called qualified."

Summary

• 

  〜て初はじめて is a combination of the adverb 初はじめて and a て form verb

• 

  〜て初はじめて has two main usages: ① Describing the result of doing X: "It wasn't until someone did A/it wasn't until B happened, that...", ② Describing the minimum requirements of Y: "It's not until C requirement is fulfilled that..."