The だけ (dake) particle is a common and essential grammar point in Japanese that is used to express limitation, exclusivity, and extent. It is often translated as “only,” “just,” or “as much as” in English.
Understanding how だけ works will allow you to construct more natural and precise sentences in Japanese. In this guide, we’ll explore its different uses with detailed explanations and examples.
Table of Contents
Expressing Limitation (“Only / Just”)
The most common use of だけ is to indicate that something is limited to a specific amount or condition. This is similar to saying “only” or “just” in English.
Structure:
[Noun / Verb / Adjective] + だけ (Only [this amount] or Just [this much])Examples:
この店は会員だけ入れます。
(Kono mise wa kaiin dake hairemasu.)
"Only members can enter this store."
お金だけあれば、大丈夫です。
(Okane dake areba, daijoubu desu.)
"As long as I have money, I'll be fine."
私は水だけ飲みます。
(Watashi wa mizu dake nomimasu.)
"I only drink water."
彼は仕事のことだけ考えています。
(Kare wa shigoto no koto dake kangaete imasu.)
"He thinks only about work."だけ can be used with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and even entire phrases to indicate that something is exclusive or limited to a certain amount.
Expressing Sufficiency (“Just by ~”)
The phrase だけで is a powerful way to express that doing something alone is enough to achieve a certain result.
Structure:
[Verb (dictionary form)] + だけで
[Noun] + だけでExamples:
この本を読むだけで、文法が理解できます。
(Kono hon o yomu dake de, bunpou ga rikai dekimasu.)
"Just by reading this book, you can understand grammar."
名前を書く だけで 申し込み完了です。
(Namae o kaku dake de moushikomi kanryou desu.)
"Just by writing your name, your application is complete."
一回聞くだけで、覚えられます。
(Ikkai kiku dake de, oboeraremasu.)
"I can remember it just by hearing it once."だけで implies that something is sufficient or enough to achieve a result.
だけ vs. しか – What’s the Difference?
Both だけ and しか express limitation, but they have different nuances.
| Particle | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| だけ | Neutral | 水だけ飲みます。 (Mizu dake nomimasu.) | “I only drink water.” |
| しか | Negative nuance (used with ない) | 水しか飲みません。 (Mizu shika nomimasen.) | “I don’t drink anything except water.” |
だけ can be used in both positive and negative sentences, while しか is always followed by a negative verb.
Expressing Exclusivity (“The Only”)
When だけの is placed before a noun, it emphasizes exclusivity or the only one that meets a certain condition.
Structure:
[Verb / Adjective] + だけの + [Noun]Examples:
彼には信頼できるだけの経験がある。
(Kare ni wa shinrai dekiru dake no keiken ga aru.)
"He has just enough experience to be trustworthy."
必要なだけのお金を持って行きます。
(Hitsuyou na dake no okane o motte ikimasu.)
"I'll bring only as much money as I need."
あなたに言うだけの価値がある話ではありません。
(Anata ni iu dake no kachi ga aru hanashi de wa arimasen.)
"This isn’t a story worth telling you."だけの adds a feeling of qualification or sufficiency to the noun that follows it.
だけ vs. ばかり vs. ばっかり – Subtle Differences
| Word | Usage | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| だけ | “Only” (neutral) | 一人だけ来た。 (Hitori dake kita.) | “Only one person came.” |
| ばかり | “Nothing but” (a lot of something) | ゲームばかりしている。 (Geemu bakari shite iru.) | “He does nothing but play games.” |
| ばっかり | Informal version of ばかり | 食べてばっかりいる。 (Tabete bakkari iru.) | “He’s always eating.” |
だけ sounds neutral and precise, while ばかり and ばっかり suggest an excess of something.