Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 7: 1/13

だけ

Only, Just

Structure

Verb + だけ
［い］Adjective + だけ
［な］Adjective + な + だけ
Noun + だけ

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Particle

  • Word Type

    Adverbial Particle

  • Register

    Standard

  • 品詞

    助詞

  • 単語の種類

    副助詞

  • 使用域

    一般

About だけ

だけ is used in Japanese in a similar way to 'only' or 'just' in English. The basic meaning of this word is that 'while there are/were several possibilities, only (A) is true/was chosen'. だけ is used by attaching it to the base (dictionary) form of any word, except for な-Adjectives, which require な when being used adjectivally.

Due to な-Adjectives being able to be used as either a noun or an adjective, the meaning of a sentence will be different depending on whether だけ is used with the noun form, or the adjective form.

Basically this difference just highlights whether something is being discussed in a measurable way (an adjective), or an immeasurable way (a noun).

Examples

  • 一人(ひとり)だけです。

    Only one person.

    • それだけです。

      Only that.

      • サッカーだけが好(す)き。

        I only like soccer.

        This more naturally translates to 'Soccer is the only thing I like'.

        • 私(わたし)だけ行(い)きます。

          Only I am going.

          • その映画(えいが)は長(なが)いだけ。

            That movie is just long.

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              • みんなの日本語 I

                Page 74 [CH 11]

              • [DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar

                Page 93

              • Marugoto Elementary 2 (A2) Rikai

                Page 91

              • Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide

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            だけ – Grammar Discussion

            Most Recent Replies (16 in total)

            • Pablunpro

              Pablunpro

              Hello,

              Whilst reading a short story, I came upon のみ as a literary version of だけ. Could this be added as a fun fact to this grammar point?

              Thank you very much for your consideration. よい週末を

            • cheesegyudonman

              cheesegyudonman

              Hello,

              What would be the difference between the two sentences:
              彼女は綺麗なだけ
              彼女は綺麗だけ

              Thank You

            • Pablunpro

              Pablunpro

              Hi!

              I take this chance to reiterate this request, i.e. to add のみ as a fun fact to this grammar point. In fact, のみ appears indirectly in this grammar point: のみならず.

              Thank you very much for your consideration.

              よい週末を

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