Have you ever had that moment when you suddenly realize…“Wow, I haven’t done this in ages!”

Maybe you finally message a friend you haven’t talked to in months and think, “This is the first time we’ve chatted in half a year.”

Or you go back to your favorite cafe after being super busy and the staff smiles and says,
“It’s been a long time since we last saw you!”

Or maybe, let’s be honest, you finally open your Japanese notebook and whisper to yourself…, “Okay…, this is my first time studying in weeks.”

In Japanese, we use ぶりに(burini) to express exactly this feeling:
doing something for the first time in a certain period of time.

It works with any time span, for example, “for the first time in two years,” “for the first time in three months,” “for the first time in a week,” and even event-based expressions like “for the first time since the reunion.”
It’s a wonderfully useful phrase to talk about doing something again after some time has passed.

Ready to learn how to use it naturally? Let’s jump in!

Common Patterns You’ll See
[ Time period ] + ぶりに + [ Action ]

ぶりに is used when you want to say you’re doing something for the first time in a certain period of time. It highlights that a meaningful amount of time has passed, and now the action is happening again.

2年ぶりに 映画館で 映画を 見た。
2ねん ぶりに えいがかん で えいが を みた。
2nen burini eigakan de eiga wo mita.
I watched a movie in a theater for the first time in two years.

You may also see related forms like ぶりだ and ぶりの + [Noun], which express the same “time gap + restarted action” idea.

て以来（ていらい / te irai） vs ぶりに (buri ni)
When expressing time relationships in Japanese, て以来 and ぶりに both connect the present to a moment in the past, but their nuances are very different.

て以来 (te irai)
Used when something started at a point in the past and has continued up to now without stopping.

大学を卒業して以来、 東京に住んでいます。
だいがく を そつぎょうして いらい、 とうきょう に すんでいます。
daigaku wo sotsugyoushite irai, toukyou ni sundeimasu.
I’ve been living in Tokyo ever since I graduated from university.

ぶりに (buri ni)
Used when a meaningful amount of time has passed, and you’re doing something again after that gap.

大学の同級生に5年ぶりに会った。
だいがく の どうきゅうせい に 5ねんぶりに あった。
daigaku no doukyuusei ni 5nenburini atta.
I met my college classmate for the first time in five years.

2週間ぶりに日本語のテキストを開いた。
2しゅうかん ぶりに にほんご の てきすと を ひらいた。
ni-shuukan burini nihongo no tekisuto wo hiraita.
I opened my Japanese textbook for the first time in two weeks.

祖母のお葬式で、 いとこと10年ぶりに再会した。
そぼ の おそうしき で、 いとこ と 10ねん ぶりに さいかい した。
sobo no osoushiki de, itoko to juu-nen burini saikai shita.
I reunited with my cousin for the first time in ten years at my grandmother’s funeral.

数年ぶりに日本旅行が決まった！
すうねん ぶりに にほん りょこう が きまった！
suunen buri ni nihon ryokou ga kimatta!
My trip to Japan was finally decided for the first time in several years!

キャンプに行っていたので、 三日ぶりにお風呂に入った。
きゃんぷ に いっていた の で、 みっか ぶり に おふろ にはいった。
kyanpu ni itteita no de, mikka buri ni ofuro ni haitta.
I took a bath for the first time in three days because I’d been camping.

仕事が忙しすぎて、 3ヶ月ぶりに彼女とデートをした。
しごと が いそがしすぎて、 3かげつ ぶりにかのじょ と でーとをした。
shigoto ga isogashisugite, 3kagetsu burI ni kanojo to deeto wo shita.
I was so busy with work that I went on a date with my girlfriend for the first time in three months.

• Grammar Point: ぶりに (buri ni)
• JLPT Level: N3
• Meaning: For the first time in (a period of time)
  
• Quick Explanation: Use ぶりに when you want to say you’re doing something again after a certain amount of time has passed. It highlights the gap between the last time and now, perfect for expressing “it’s been a while since I last did this!”
  

So that’s how we use ぶりに!
It’s the perfect expression for talking about things you’re doing again after days, months, or even years, whether it’s meeting someone, picking up a hobby, or opening your Japanese textbook.

2か月ぶりに兄弟に会いました。
にかげつぶりにきょうだいにあいました。
nikagetsu buri ni kyoudai ni aimashita.
I met my brother for the first time in 2 months.

Now it’s your turn! Try making your own sentences with ぶりに and talk about the things you’re doing again after some time! 

Your Sensei,
Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫✨

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