What is the difference between 「はじめてのX」 {hajimete no X} and 「はじめのX」 {hajime no X}?


There is a song with title {hajimete no asa} and another song with title
{hajime no hi}. There is also a manga title {hajimete no aku}, and not to
forget the popular boxing manga {hajime no ippo}.

So what is the difference between 「はじめてのX」 {hajimete no X} and 「はじめのX」 {hajime
no X}? How do we choose to use one over the other?




はじめ _hajime_ is "the beginning", so はじめの日 _hajime no hi_ should be translated
as "The day of the beginning" or "The day it begun" and はじめの一歩 _hajime no
ippo_ as "The step that started it".

はじめて _hajimete_ is "for the first time", so はじめての朝 _hajimete no asa_ would be
"(My) first morning" and はじめてのあく _hajimete no aku_ would be "My first Aku"
(apparently officially "My first Mr. Akuno").

In normal English both expressions would usually be translated as "first"
though: "The first day", "The first step".

Compare:

  * 初めのキス _hajime no kisu_ \- **_The_** first kiss _("The kiss with which it began")_
  * 初めてのキス _hajimete no kisu_ \- **_(My)_** first kiss _("(My) first experience of kissing")_




はじめ _hajime_ is "the beginning", so はじめの日 _hajime no hi_ should be translated
as "The day of the beginning" or "The day it begun" and はじめの一歩 _hajime no
ippo_ as "The step that started it".

はじめて _hajimete_ is "for the first time", so はじめての朝 _hajimete no asa_ would be
"(My) first morning" and はじめてのあく _hajimete no aku_ would be "My first Aku"
(apparently officially "My first Mr. Akuno").

In normal English both expressions would usually be translated as "first"
though: "The first day", "The first step".

Compare:

  * 初めのキス _hajime no kisu_ \- **_The_** first kiss _("The kiss with which it began")_
  * 初めてのキス _hajimete no kisu_ \- **_(My)_** first kiss _("(My) first experience of kissing")_

