Ella apenas duerme cuando hay ruido en el edificio.

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Breakdown of Ella apenas duerme cuando hay ruido en el edificio.

• cuando: when
• dormir: to sleep
• ella: she

Questions & Answers about Ella apenas duerme cuando hay ruido en el edificio.

Do I need to include the subject pronoun “Ella,” or can I drop it?

You can drop it. Spanish typically omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Both are correct:

• More natural: Apenas duerme cuando hay ruido en el edificio.
• With emphasis/contrast: Ella apenas duerme... (implies “She, unlike others, hardly sleeps...”)

What does “apenas” mean here? Could it also mean “as soon as”?

Here it means “hardly/barely.” In some contexts, especially in Latin America (and also understood in Spain), apenas can mean “as soon as”: Apenas llegó, se acostó (“As soon as she arrived, she lay down”). In your sentence there’s no second event, so only the “hardly/barely” meaning fits.

Can I say “No duerme apenas” instead of “Apenas duerme”?

Generally, no. Apenas already carries a negative/limiting sense, so adding no is usually considered redundant in standard Spanish. Better options:

• Apenas duerme.
• Apenas si duerme. (a bit more formal/literary)
• Casi no duerme. (very common)

Where should “apenas” go? Can I say “Duerme apenas”?