【JLPT N4 Grammar】〜しか〜ない（~shika~nai）

2019年8月5日 2024年10月31日

Explanation：〜しか〜ない

Meaning
"only"
Used to emphasize limitation or insufficiency, similar to saying "only" in English. It implies that there is less or fewer than what one would prefer or expect.

Points

Expressing Limitation: しか〜ない emphasizes that there is a limited amount, often less than desired.
Negative Form Required: The verb following しか must be in the negative form to convey the sense of limitation.
Sense of Inadequacy: It often suggests that the speaker feels the amount or quantity is insufficient.

JLPT Level
N4

Note
This is always used with a negative form.

Sample sentenes

昨日きのうは　3時間じかんしか　寝ねられませんでした。
I could only sleep for as few as 3 hours last night.

今いま　財布さいふの　中なかには　300円えんしかありません。
The money left in my wallet is as few as 300 yen only.

トムさんは　１年ねん　日本語にほんごを　勉強べんきょうしたのに　ひらがなしか　書かけません。
Tom studied Japanese for a year but he can write Hiragana only.

最近さいきんの　子供こどもは　漫画まんがしか　本ほんを　読よみません。
Children nowadays read comic books only.

この　学校がっこうには　コンピューターが　２台だいしか　ありません。
There are only two computers in this school.

Vocabulary

Japanese	English
さいふ	wallet
さいきん	recent