だけ
📘 Level:
JLPT N5
Meaning
🔹 Grammar Template
Noun + だけ
Verb (dictionary / plain form) + だけ
い-adjective + だけ
な-adjective + な + だけ
How to Use
だけ is used to mean “only / just”, showing limitation or restriction.
🔹 Basic Meaning
- “only …”
- “just …”
- “no more than …”
🔹 When to use だけ
- To say something is limited
- To say there is nothing else besides that
- To emphasize “only this”
- Very common in daily conversation (N5)
🔹 Simple Examples
水だけ飲みます。
→ I drink only water.
一人だけ来ました。
→ Only one person came.
日本語を話すだけです。
→ I only speak Japanese.
簡単なだけです。
→ It’s just simple.
🔹 Difference (N5-friendly)
だけ means “only” in a neutral way, while しか also means “only” but is used with negatives.
⭐ The Grammar Summary
- だけ = “only / just”
- Shows limitation or restriction
- Used with nouns, verbs, and adjectives
- Very common and important in JLPT N5