I found many examples for ～て初めて with positive verbs, for example:

  * > 生まれて初めて寿司を食べた。It is the first time in my life I ate sushi.

  * > 病気になって初めて健康の有り難さが分かってきた。I began to know the value of health only after I was ill.

# Question

Can ～て初めて be used with negative verbs? Are there any examples?

## Bonus question

Is it correct to use ～て初めて as follows?

> あの角を右へ曲がって初めて先生の家が見えます。The teacher's house will be visible only after you
> turn right at that corner.
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2016-06-21T16:18:16.567
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grammar
Can ～て初めて grammar be used with negative verbs?
Sure, you can use it with a negative predicate no problem:
生まれて初めておいしいケーキを見て食べたくならなかった。

For the second, in the case that you're giving someone directions or
something, it doesn't sound wrong, but 初めて sounds like the first time
**ever**. Maybe …曲がったところで、（やっと・やがて）先生の家が見えてくるはずなんです is better?
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2016-06-21T16:33:30.040
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While Brandon's example about Cake shows a negative verb can be used with 初めて,
I feel that in general that is an exception. I searched online and found a few
other examples where a negative verb was used after 初めて:

> 20年目に初めてやらない年になってしまいました

Here, this means that this was the first year (after 20 years) where something
wasn't done.

> 実際にいろいろ初めてやらないといけない仕事もあるので

This indicates that there is some jobs which you'll be doing for the first
time.

> はじめてしないで寝れました

This indicates that the person was able to sleep for the first time without
doing something.

As you can see, in all of these cases there is some context where it makes
sense to use a negative verb after はじめて. I can't think of any case where the
simple form "初めて" + (negative of verb) would make sense, except Brandon's
example with "食べたくならなかった". For example, this sentence seems strange to me.

> 僕は初めて見ない.

I think saying either of the below would be more natural.

> 僕は初めてじゃない。
>
> 僕は初めて見るわけじゃない。
>
> 僕は見たことがある。

Regarding the second question, I agree with what Brandon said, but here is one
other way to express that.

> あの角を右へ曲がったら先生の家が見えてきます。
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> Question: Can ～て初めて be used with negative verbs? Are there any examples?

I think you could use "negative verb + て初めて" (「～ないで初めて」「～なくて初めて」), as in:

> 「動いて当たり前と思っていた指先が動か **ないで初めて** そのありがたみを知ったわけです。」  
>  「その後もリバウンドし **なくて初めて** ダイエットが成功したと言えるんです。」

but I have a feeling that this is not very common. I think it'd usually sound
more natural to use 「～なくなって初めて」 , as in:

> 「体が動か **なくなって、初めて** 健康のありがたさが分かった。」

* * *

> Bonus question: Is it correct to use ～て初めて as follows?  
>  あの角を右へ曲がって初めて先生の家が見えます。

Your sentence sounds fine to me. Compared to the normal 「あの角を右に曲がっ **たら**
先生の家が見えます」, I think 「曲がって **初めて** ～」 and 「曲がったところで **やっと/ようやく** ～」 emphasize
that you can't see the house until you turn the corner... This is the same
thing as the English "If/When~~" vs "only after~~" "finally~~", maybe?
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