firstly

Meanings

1. 1adverbnot comparable

   Used to introduce the first item in a list of points, reasons or steps.

   Grammar: Comes at the start of a sentence or clause, usually followed by secondly: firstly, we need money.

   Patterns

   • firstly, … secondly, …

   Firstly, we need to check the budget.

   I like the flat for two reasons: firstly, it is cheap, and secondly, it is close to work.

   Firstly, thank you all for coming.

2. 2adverbnot comparableformal

   At the beginning, before anything else.

   Grammar: A rarer use that suggests order in time; first is more natural here.

   Firstly, wash and dry the vegetables.

   The class firstly covers grammar basics.

   He was firstly a teacher and later a writer.

Common combinations

firstly and foremost

Firstly and foremost, safety comes first.

firstly, secondly, thirdly

The essay argues firstly, secondly and thirdly in order.

firstly, let me

Firstly, let me explain the plan.

not firstly but

This is not firstly about money but about trust.

Synonyms and how they differ

first

First is more natural and common in modern English than firstly.

to begin with

To begin with is a spoken phrase that sounds more casual.

in the first place

In the first place often introduces an objection or original reason.

initially

Initially describes what was true at the start and not a list point.

Opposites

Word family

first adverb

before anything else

secondly adverb

introduces the second point

thirdly adverb

introduces the third point

firstborn noun

the oldest child

Commonly confused: firstly or first?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “firstly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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