N3 Actions in Progress or State

~たて: meaning, usage and examples

~たて means: freshly... / just done...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. このパンは焼やきたてです。

   This bread is fresh out of the oven.

2. ペンキ塗ぬりたてのベンチに、座すわってしまった。

   I accidentally sat on a freshly painted bench.

3. 取とれたての野菜やさいはとても甘あまいです。

   Freshly picked vegetables are very sweet.

4. 洗あらいたてのシャツは気持きもちがいいです。

   Freshly washed shirts feel nice.

When to use it

Means something was just done and is still fresh or new: "freshly," "just." Use it for food just made (焼やきたてのパン, できたて), things just painted or washed (塗ぬりたて, 洗あらいたて), and things just learned or started, like 覚おぼえたての日本語にほんご (Japanese you just learned).

Nuance

Neutral and often positive, especially for food. It works with a limited set of verbs, so you cannot attach it to every verb. Common ones: 焼やく, 作つくる, できる, 取とれる, 生うまれる, 洗あらう, 塗ぬる, 覚おぼえる.

Compare

Compare たて with たばかり: 焼やきたてのパン (freshly baked bread, still warm) vs 昨日きのう焼やいたばかりです (I only baked it yesterday). たばかり works with almost any verb and focuses on how little time has passed; たて describes the fresh quality of a thing. Compare かけ, which means half-done.

Tip: Think of bakery and market signs: 焼やきたて, できたて, 取とれたて. If the word would fit on a freshness sign, たて fits.