# ぶりに: for the first time in (period of time) ~

> Learn how to use ぶりに, a JLPT N3 Japanese grammar point meaning for the first time in (period of time), with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.

JLPT level: N3 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n3-buri-ni/

**ぶりに** means **for the first time in (a period of time) ~**. It is a **JLPT N3** grammar pattern used to **describe doing something again after a long time**.

This grammar point often appears in **neutral** Japanese. If you want to **express that an action happened again after a significant gap**, **ぶりに** is a useful pattern to learn.

## What does ぶりに mean?

Use **ぶりに** when you want to **describe doing something again after a long time**.

Natural translations include:
- for the first time in (period of time) ~
- for the first time in (a period of time) ~
- for the first time in (period of time)

## How to form ぶりに

Period of time + ぶりに / Noun + ぶりに (e.g., 久しぶりに)

Examples of the pattern:
- 三年ぶりに
- 一ヶ月ぶりに
- 久しぶりに

## When is ぶりに used?

Use **ぶりに** in situations like:
- reunions
- revisiting places
- picking up old hobbies

Tone and register:
- neutral
- Common in reunions, test questions, and written narratives

## ぶりに example sentences

- 三年ぶりに故郷に帰った。 — I went back to my hometown for the first time in three years.
- 久しぶりに映画館に行った。 — I went to a movie theater for the first time in a long while.
- 彼とは一ヶ月ぶりに会った。 — I met him for the first time in a month.
- 十年ぶりにピアノを弾いた。 — I played piano for the first time in ten years.
- 高校卒業以来、五年ぶりに会う友人。 — A friend I am meeting for the first time in five years since high school graduation.

## Nuance of ぶりに

The key nuance is **carries a sense of nostalgia, freshness, or emotional weight because of the gap in time**.

This matters because **〜ぶりに emphasizes the length of the gap. It is often used to highlight how much has changed or how good it feels to do something again.**

For example:
- In reunions, it sounds natural and specific.
- Compared with **以来**, it carries a different weight and implication.

## ぶりに vs 以来

Both **ぶりに** and **以来** can express **for the first time in (a period of time) ~**, but they are different.

**ぶりに**:
- means for the first time in; implies a return after a gap, often emotional

**以来**:
- means since; marks a starting point for a continuous state without implying repetition

Quick contrast examples:
- 高校以来、会っていない。 — I haven't seen them since high school.
- 高校ぶりに会った。 — I met them for the first time since high school.

## Common mistakes with ぶりに

Watch out for these mistakes:
- Using it without a time expression (needs a duration, like 三年 or 久し)
- Confusing it with 以来 (since) which is about continuous states, not returning
- Adding に after ぶり twice (correct: 三年ぶりに, not 三年ぶりにに)

## Is ぶりに on the JLPT?

Yes. **ぶりに** is commonly taught as **JLPT N3** grammar.

That means learners should be able to:
- recognize it in reading
- understand its nuance in context
- use it in simple original sentences

## Practice questions for ぶりに

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:
- Say you went to the gym for the first time in a month.
- Describe meeting a friend after a long time.
- Say you cooked your favorite dish after many years.

## Learning path for ぶりに

To learn **ぶりに** efficiently, review basic time connectors first, then focus on whether the action happens before, during, immediately after, or while something is still true.

1. First, make sure you can form **ぶりに** without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with [上で（うえで）](/blog/n3-ue-de/), [たとたん](/blog/n3-ta-totan/). These patterns are close enough that choosing between them helps you understand the nuance.
3. Finally, write short narratives where timing changes the meaning; then check whether replacing **ぶりに** with [たて](/blog/n3-tate/) changes the meaning.

## Related grammar to review next

- [上で（うえで）](/blog/n3-ue-de/) — because it helps you contrast timing, sequence, and "when" clauses.
- [たとたん](/blog/n3-ta-totan/) — because it helps you contrast timing, sequence, and "when" clauses.
- [たて](/blog/n3-tate/) — because it helps you contrast timing, sequence, and "when" clauses.
- [うちに](/blog/n3-uchi-ni/) — because it helps you contrast timing, sequence, and "when" clauses.

## Learn ぶりに with Hane

If you want to review **ぶりに** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you connect grammar, kanji, and vocabulary in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:
- [All grammar lessons](/blog/)
- [JLPT N3 grammar lessons](/blog/n3/)