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Difference between "just" and "only".

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Latest post Thu, Dec 11 2008 5:54 PM by Avangi. 1 replies.
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evoPL  +  609996 Thu, 11 Dec 08 05:07 PM
Hi,

This is my first post, I'm very happy that I found this site. I make a lot of mistakes, often I forgot a lot of words so I need it :) OK, the question is:

Can somebody explain me what is the difference between JUST and ONLY?

And one more...

Why sometimes ppl use "JUST" in sentence, for example: "What did you just give me?"

Thank in advance.

P.S. If I make a mistake somewhere,correct me please.
evoPL
Joined on Thu, Dec 11 2008
New Member 08
Everything you can imagine is real ! :)
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Avangi  +  610005 Thu, 11 Dec 08 05:54 PM
Sometimes they are the same:  I just/only need five more minutes to finish this.

Sometimes you can't substitute "only" for "just."   Just do it!  (Sports equipment slogan)   "Can't we all just get along?"   - Rodney King  (A synonym for "just" in these two expressions could be "simply."

"What did you just give me?"   "Just" = "a very short time ago."    You can't say, "What did you only give me?"   But you can say "Just/Only a moment ago I felt okay."

Edit.   Kooyeen "just" used the preferred expression: "when 'only' means 'as recently as' ."    (I found out about his death only yesterday.)  "Just" and "only" are interchangeable here.

Note that "recently" is relative here, as to the length of time passed.  I'm thinking of Billy Strayhorn's lyrics, Life is lonely again, and only last year everything seemed so sure. -  (Lush Life)
Avangi
Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007
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