だけ (Only/Just)
[Noun/Verb]だけ
Explanation
Limitation marker meaning "only" or "just."
Formation
Noun + だけ; Plain form verb + だけ
Examples
Usage Notes
- After nouns directly
- After plain form verbs
- Can combine with particles
- だけで (just by/with)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Position matters: particles can come before or after
- 私だけが (only I) vs 私がだけ (wrong)
- Different from しか (only + negative)
Related Grammar from "Basic Sentence Patterns"
です/だ (Copula)
[Noun/な-adj]です/だ
Links subject with predicate noun or な-adjective. "Is/am/are."
Demonstratives (これ/それ/あれ/どれ)
Ko-so-a-do system
これ (kore) - this (near speaker); それ (sore) - that (near listener); あれ (are) - that over there (far from both); どれ (dore) - which one
のほうが (Comparative)
[A]より[B]のほうが[Adjective]
"B is more [adjective] than A."