私は電話が鳴って初めて目が覚めた。

私は電話が鳴って初めて目が覚めた。

It was not until the telephone rang that I woke up.

私(わたし)は電話(でんわ)が鳴(な)って初(はじ)めて目(め)が覚(さ)めた。

Watashi wa denwa ga natte hajimete me ga sameta.

私 (わたし、わたくし)

I; me; private affairs; personal matter; secrecy; selfishness

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

電話 (でんわ)

telephone call; phone call; telephone (device); phone

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

鳴る (なる)

to sound; to ring; to resound; to echo; to roar; to rumble

初めて (はじめて)

for the first time; only after ... is it ...; only when ... do you ...

目 (め)

eye; eyeball; eyesight; sight; vision; look; stare; glance; an experience; viewpoint; stitch; texture; weave; ordinal number suffix; somewhat; -ish

覚める (さめる)

to wake; to wake up; to become sober; to sober up; to regain consciousness (e.g. after anaesthesia); to come to one's senses; to be disillusioned

Readings: シ、わたくし、わたし

Meanings: private, I, me

Reading: デン

Meaning: electricity

Readings: ワ、はな.す、はなし

Meanings: tale, talk

Readings: メイ、な.く、な.る、な.らす

Meanings: chirp, cry, bark, sound, ring, echo, honk

Readings: ショ、はじ.め、はじ.めて、はつ、はつ-、うい-、 -そ.める、 -ぞ.め

Meanings: first time, beginning

Readings: モク、ボク、め、 -め、ま-

Meanings: eye, class, look, insight, experience, care, favor

Readings: カク、おぼ.える、さ.ます、さ.める、さと.る

Meanings: memorize, learn, remember, awake, sober up