JLPT N2EverydayMostly set words

たてfreshly made; fresh from

Fresh: just baked, just made, just picked, and still at its best. You hear it every day in bakeries, cafés and kitchens, mostly in a handful of fixed words.

朝あさは焼やきたてのパンを出だしています。

We serve freshly baked bread in the morning.

How to form it

Verb ます-stem + たて（の + noun／だ）

焼やきます → 焼やきたて. It works like a noun: 焼やきたてのパン, 焼やきたてだ. It goes mostly on verbs for making, cooking or producing something.

The ones you'll meet

What you'll see	What it is
焼やきたてのパン	bread fresh from the oven
炊たきたてのご飯はん	rice straight from the rice cooker
できたての料りょう理り	food that has just been made
入いれたてのコーヒー	freshly made coffee
揚あげたての天てんぷら	tempura straight from the fryer
とれたての野や菜さい	vegetables just picked
生うまれたての赤あかちゃん	a newborn baby
ペンキ塗ぬりたて	"Wet paint", on a sign

このスープはできたてです。

This soup has just been made.

淹いれたてのコーヒーをどうぞ。

Please have some freshly brewed coffee.

淹いれる is 入いれる, written with the kanji for making tea and coffee.

揚あげたてですので、やけどにご注ちゅう意いください。

It's straight from the fryer, so please be careful not to burn yourself.

塗ぬりたてのベンチには、まだ座すわらないでください。

Please don't sit on the freshly painted bench yet.

New at something

A few are about someone who has only just started or learned something: 入にゅう社しゃしたて (new to the company), 習ならいたて and 覚おぼえたて (only just learned), 免めん許きょ取とりたて (newly licensed).

入にゅう社しゃしたての頃ころは、毎まい日にち緊きん張ちょうしていた。

When I was new at the company, I was nervous every day.

覚おぼえたての表ひょう現げんを会かい話わで使つかってみた。

In conversation, I tried out a phrase I had only just learned.

たて or たばかり?

たばかり goes on any verb and says when: only just. たて says what the thing is like: fresh. So the verb has to leave something fresh behind.

このパンは焼やきたてだ。

This bread is fresh from the oven.

What the bread is like: warm, and at its best.

このパンは焼やいたばかりだ。

This bread has only just been baked.

When it was baked: a moment ago.

Not said: 昼ひるご飯はんを食たべたてです。

(I've just had lunch.)

Nothing fresh is left: 食たべたばかりです.

Close neighbours

たばかりだN4

"Only just" for any verb, and it can be minutes or months ago.

彼かれは二にか月げつ前まえに店てん長ちょうになったばかりです。

He became the store manager only two months ago.

かけN3

The same shape at the other end: started and not finished.

食たべかけのパンを冷れい蔵ぞう庫こに入いれた。

I put the half-eaten bread in the fridge.

Check yourself

1"I've only just read this book."

この本ほんは（　　）です。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

この店みせのコロッケは、（　　）がいちばんおいしい。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

炊たきたてのご飯はんから湯ゆ気げが上あがっている。

Steam is rising from the freshly cooked rice.

採とれたてのトマトをその場ばで味あじわった。

We tasted the freshly picked tomatoes right there.

洗あらいたてのシーツは気き持もちがいい。

Freshly washed sheets feel wonderful.

生うまれたての子こ猫ねこは、まだ目めが開あいていなかった。

The newborn kitten hadn't opened its eyes yet.