JLPT N4 grammar comparison
〜だけ "only / just" vs 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"
By Nihongo PathUpdated
The difference
From the 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even" lesson
〜だけ "only / just": だけ limits neutrally (三人だけ来た). も carries surprise at a large number.
Side by side
〜だけ "only / just"
dake · JLPT N4
- Meaning
- Limits to a quantity or thing (neutral tone).
- Formation
Noun / number + だけ: 一人だけ, 日曜日だけV-plain + だけ: 見るだけ, 見ただけい-adjective + だけ: 安いだけな-adjective + なだけ: 便利なだけParticles: だけが / だけを (or だけ alone), にだけ / とだけ
教室には学生が一人だけいます。
きょうしつには がくせいが ひとりだけ います。
There is only one student in the classroom.
見るだけで、買いません。
みるだけで、かいません。
I'm just looking, not buying.
〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"
mo (suuryou kyouchou) · JLPT N4
- Meaning
- After a number, も stresses that the amount is large; with negatives, that it is zero ("not even one").
- Formation
Number + counter + も + affirmative: 三時間も待った (as long as three hours)一 + counter + も + negative: 一人も来なかった (not a single person came)何 + counter + も: 何回も (many times), 何年も (for years)も replaces を / が; with other particles it follows them: 十か国にも行った
昨日は十時間も寝た。
きのうは じゅうじかんも ねた。
I slept a whole ten hours yesterday.
財布には一円もない。
さいふには いちえんも ない。
I don't have a single yen in my wallet.
Full lesson on 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"
Frequently asked questions
When do you use 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even" instead of 〜だけ "only / just"?
だけ limits neutrally (三人だけ来た). も carries surprise at a large number.