だけ means "only" or "just": it limits what you say to the thing in front of
it. It goes straight after a noun or a number, after the plain form of a verb
or an い-adjective, and after a な-adjective with な.
。
Only she knows that secret.
。
I only watched that movie once.
Particles with だけ
and
can follow だけ or be left out. Other particles, such as
and
, stay, and go either before だけ or after it.
。
Please speak only in Japanese.
。
This book is written only in Japanese.
。
I told only Tanaka about this.
だけ or しか
also means "only", but it always takes a negative verb, and it
stresses that there is no more than that, often that it isn't enough. だけ
goes with positive and negative verbs alike and is neutral.
。
I have just a thousand yen on me.
。
I only have a thousand yen on me.
Less than I need.
- × 千円しか持っています → 千円しか持っていません
Usage notes
These go beyond "only".
As much as
After 好きな or a verb, だけ marks an amount: as much as you like, as much as
you can.
。
Please eat as much as you like.
。
Please come as early as you can.
～だけです, "just"
At the end of a sentence, だけです says nothing more is going on.
。
She is just sitting quietly.
Lingaku