The minimum expectation
In this section, we'll
learn various ways to express the minimum expectation. This grammar is not used
as often as you might think as there are many situations where a simpler
expression would sound more natural, but you should still become familiar with
it.
Using 「（で）さえ」 to describe the minimum requirement
Vocabulary
1. 私 【わたし】 - me; myself; I
2. 子供 【こ・ども】 - child
3. 食べる 【た・べる】 (ru-verb) - to eat
4. 行く 【い・く】 (u-verb) - to go
5. 言う 【い・う】 (u-verb) - to say
6. 読む 【よ・む】 (u-verb) - to read
7. 宿題 【しゅく・だい】 - homework
8. 多い 【おお・い】 (i-adj) - numerous
9. トイレ - bathroom; toilet
10. 時間 【じ・かん】 - time
11. ある (u-verb) - to exist (inanimate)
12. お金 【お・かね】 - money
13. 何 【なに／なん】 - what
14. 出来る 【で・き・る】 (ru-verb) - to be
able to do
15. お弁当 【お・べん・とう】 - box lunch
16. 買う 【か・う】 (u-verb) - to buy
17. あんた - you (slang)
18. 楽ちん 【らく・ちん】 (na-adj) - easy
19. ビタミン - vitamin
20. 健康 【けん・こう】 - health
21. 保証 【ほ・しょう】 - guarantee
22. する (exception) - to do
23. 自分 【じ・ぶん】 - oneself
24. 過ち 【あやま・ち】 - fault, error
25. 認める 【みと・める】 (ru-verb) - to
recognize, to acknowledge
26. 問題 【もん・だい】 - problem
27. 解決 【かい・けつ】 - resolution
28. 教科書 【きょう・か・しょ】 - textbook
29. もっと - more
30. ちゃんと - properly
31. いる (ru-verb) - to
exist (animate)
32. 合格 【ごう・かく】 - pass (as in an exam)
33. 一言 【ひと・こと】 - a few words
34. くれる (ru-verb) - to give
35. こんな - this sort of
36. こと - event, matter
37. なる (u-verb) - to become
In English, we might
say, "not even close" to show that not even the minimum expectation
has been met. In Japanese, we can express this by attaching 「さえ」 to the object or verb that miserably failed
to reach what one would consider to be a bare minimum
requirement. Conversely, you can also use the same grammar in a positive sense
to express something is all you need.
Using 「（で）さえ」 to describe the minimum requirement
·
For
nouns: Attach 「さえ」 or 「でさえ」 to the minimum requirement.
Examples
1. 私さえ - even me
2. 子供でさえ - even children
·
For
verbs: Change the verb
to the stem and attach 「さえ」. For verbs in te-form,
attach 「さえ」 to 「て／で」.
Examples
1. 食べる → 食べさえ
2. 行く → 行き → 行きさえ
3. 言ってくれる → 言ってさえくれる
4. 読んでいる → 読んでさえいる
Examples
1. 宿題が多すぎて、トイレに行く時間さえなかった。
There was so much homework, I didn't even have time to
go to the bathroom.
2. お金さえあれば、何でも出来るよ。
The least you need is money and you can do anything.
3. お弁当を買うお金さえなかった。
I didn't even have money to buy lunch.
For
nouns only, you can add 「で」 and use 「でさえ」 instead of just 「さえ」. There are no grammatical differences but it
does sound a bit more emphatic.
1. 私でさえ出来れば、あんたには楽ちんでしょう。
If even I can do it, it should be a breeze for you.
You can also attach 「さえ」 to the stem of verbs to express a minimum
action for a result. This is usually followed up immediately by 「する」 to show that the minimum action is done (or
not). If the verb happens to be in a te-form, 「さえ」 can also be attached directly to the end of
the 「て」 or 「で」 of the te-form.
1. ビタミンを食べさえすれば、健康が保証されますよ。
If you just eat vitamins, your health will be guaranteed.
2. 自分の過ちを認めさえしなければ、問題は解決しないよ。
The problem won't be solved if you don't even recognize your own mistake, you
know.
3. 教科書をもっとちゃんと読んでさえいれば、合格できたのに。
If only I had read the textbook more properly, I could have passed.
4. 一言言ってさえくれればこんなことにならなかった。
If you only had said something things wouldn't have turned out like this.
「（で）すら」 - Older version of 「（で）さえ」
Vocabulary
1. 私 【わたし】 - me; myself; I
2. 子供 【こ・ども】 - child
3. この - this （abbr. of これの）
4. 天才 【てん・さい】 - genius
5. 分かる 【わ・かる】 (u-verb) - to understand
6. 緊張 【きん・ちょう】 - nervousness
7. する (exception) - to do
8. ちらっと - a peek
9. 見る 【み・る】 (ru-verb) - to see
10. こと - event, matter
11. 出来る 【で・き・る】 (ru-verb) - to be
able to do
12. 人 【ひと】 - person
13. 漢字 【かん・じ】 - Kanji
14. 知る 【し・る】 (u-verb) - to know
15. 生徒 【せい・と】 - student
16. いる (ru-verb) - to
exist (animate)
「（で）すら」 is a
older variation of 「（で）さえ」 that is not as commonly used. It is
essentially interchangeable with 「（で）さえ」 except that it is generally used only with
nouns.
「（で）すら」 is used in the same way as 「（で）さえ」 for nouns
·
For
nouns: Attach 「すら」 or 「ですら」 to the minimum requirement.
Examples
1. 私すら - Even me
2. 子供ですら - Even children
Examples
1. この天才の私ですらわからなかった。
Even a genius such as myself couldn't solve it.
2. 私は緊張しすぎて、ちらっと見ることすら出来ませんでした。
I was so nervous that I couldn't even take a quick peek.
3. 「人」の漢字すら知らない生徒は、いないでしょ！
There are no students that don't even know the 「人」 Kanji!
「おろか」 - It's not even worth considering
Vocabulary
1. 愚か 【おろ・か】 (na-adj) - foolish
2. 漢字 【かん・じ】 - Kanji
3. ひらがな - Hiragana
4. 読む 【よ・む】 (u-verb) - to read
5. 結婚 【けっ・こん】 - marriage
6. ～ヶ月 【～か・げつ】 - counter for span of month(s)
7. 付き合う 【つ・き・あ・う】 (u-verb) - to go out with; to accompany
8. 結局 【けっ・きょく】 - eventually
9. 別れる 【わか・れる】 (ru-verb) - to
separate; to break up
10. 大学 【だい・がく】 - college
11. 高校 【こう・こう】 - high school
12. 卒業 【そつ・ぎょう】 - graduate
13. する (exception) - to do
This grammar comes
from the adjective 「愚か」 which means to be foolish or stupid. However,
in this case, you're not making fun of something, rather by using 「おろか」, you can indicate that something is so
ridiculous that it's not even worth considering. In English, we might say
something like, "Are you kidding? I can't touch my knees much less do a
full split!" In this example, the full split is so beyond the person's abilities
that it would be foolish to even consider it.
Examples
1. 漢字はおろか、ひらがなさえ読めないよ！
Forget about Kanji, I can't even read Hiragana!
2. 結婚はおろか、2ヶ月付き合って、結局別れてしまった。
We eventually broke up after going out two months much less get married.
3. 大学はおろか、高校すら卒業しなかった。
I didn't even graduate from high school much less college.
This grammar is rarely
used and is primarily useful for JLPT level 1. The expression 「どころか」 is far more common and has a similar meaning.
However, unlike 「おろか」 which is used as an adjective, 「どころか」 is attached directly to the noun, adjective,
or verb.
1. 漢字どころか、ひらがなさえ読めないよ！
Forget about Kanji, I can't even read Hiragana!
