Happy Sunday Japanophiles, we’re back!

Here’s the 44th issue of the Hai Japan Newsletter — your Weekly Dose of Japan!

Today, we’re simply going through some grammar:

だけ: The "Only" Particle (from tofugo.com)

For Japanese beginners, understanding だけ is key to expressing limitations or emphasizing exclusivity in sentences.

This guide breaks down its usage step by step, with examples and romaji for practice.

The Basics of だけ

だけ is a particle meaning "only" or "just." It shows the limit or extent of something.

• 漢字だけ勉強している。
  Kanji dake benkyou shiteiru.
  I’m only studying kanji.

• 毎日、一時間だけ勉強している。
  Mainichi, ichijikan dake benkyou shiteiru.
  I study for just one hour every day.

By attaching だけ, you emphasize the limited scope, like "just one hour" or "only kanji."

Patterns of Use

1. Noun + だけ

Attach だけ directly to nouns to show exclusivity.

• 朝ごはんはジュースだけだった。
  Asagohan wa juusu dake datta.
  My breakfast was just juice.

• 朝ごはんはジュース１杯だけだった。
  Asagohan wa juusu ippai dake datta.
  My breakfast was just one glass of juice.

2. Adjective + だけ

For い-adjectives, attach だけ directly. For な-adjectives, use the stem + なだけ.

• サウナなんて暑いだけじゃん。
  Sauna nante atsui dake jan.
  Saunas are just hot (and nothing else).

• 有名なだけでしょ？
  Yuumei na dake desho?
  They’re just famous, right?

3. Verb + だけ

Attach だけ to verbs to limit the action.

• 行くだけだよ？
  Iku dake da yo?
  We’re only going (and that’s it), alright?

• ちょっと見るだけだよ。
  Chotto miru dake da yo.
  I’m just checking it out a little.

4. Clause + だけ

When だけ follows a clause, it adds emphasis to the "just" meaning.

• [親が有名だった] だけ。
  Oya ga yuumei datta dake.
  It’s just that his parents were famous.

• [あんたが知らない] だけで、みんな知ってることだよ。
  Anta ga shiranai dake de, minna shitteru koto da yo.
  You just don’t know it, but everyone else does.

Location of だけ in a Sentence

The placement of だけ can change the meaning.

• 朝はジュースを飲むだけ。
  Asa wa juusu o nomu dake.
  In the morning, I just drink juice (and that’s all).

• 朝はジュースだけを飲む。
  Asa wa juusu dake o nomu.
  In the morning, I drink only juice.

これだけ & それだけ for “Only This” or “That Much”

• これだけは聞いて！
  Kore dake wa kiite!
  Just listen to this!

• は？それだけ？
  Ha? Sore dake?
  Huh? Is that all?

• それだけがんばってれば、受かるでしょ！
  Sore dake ganbattereba, ukaru desho!
  If you’re working that much, you should pass the exam!

Beyond The Basics

だけ vs しか

• チョコレートが一つだけある。
  Chokoreeto ga hitotsu dake aru.
  There is only one chocolate (neutral).

• チョコレートが一つしかない。
  Chokoreeto ga hitotsu shika nai.
  There’s only one chocolate (and it’s not enough!).

だけ vs たったの

Use たったの to emphasize small amounts.

• このカバン、たったの百円だったんだよ。
  Kono kaban, tatta no hyakuen dattan da yo.
  This bag was only 100 yen.

• このカバン、百円だけしかかからなかったんだよ。
  Kono kaban, hyakuen dake shika kakaranakatta n da yo.
  This bag cost only 100 yen.

だけ vs のみ

のみ is formal and often used in announcements.

• 当日券は現金購入のみとなります。
  Toujitsuken wa genkin kounyuu nomi to narimasu.
  Same-day tickets are available for cash purchase only.

• 当日券は現金購入だけなんだって。
  Toujitsuken wa genkin kounyuu dake nan datte.
  They say same-day tickets are available for cash purchase only.

That’s all folks!

Let me know if you enjoyed this simple grammar run-through :)

Have a great Sunday!