<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='567'>彼女（かのじょ）</span>は<strong>せめて</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='168'>ドア</span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='61' data-vocab-id='77'>くらい</span>閉（し）めて行（い）けば<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>のに…

<span class='name-highlight'>ライトノベルの主人公（しゅじんこう）</span>：「君（きみ）は居候（いそうろう）<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='154'>だから</span>、<strong>せめて</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='905'>自分（じぶん）</span>の<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='626'>料理（りょうり）</span>は<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='905'>自分（じぶん）</span>で<span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='138'>する</span>べきだ<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='78'>よ</span>。」

泊（と）まらなくても<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>ので、<strong>せめて</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='765'>温泉（おんせん）</span><span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='43' data-vocab-id='259'>だけ</span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='166'>でも</span>入（はい）っていってください。

<strong>せめて</strong>角度（かくど）<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='43' data-vocab-id='259'>だけ</span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='166'>でも</span>教（おし）えてもらえれば、<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='37' data-vocab-id='148'>その</span>形（かたち）を再現（さいげん）できるのに。

買（か）わなくても<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>ので、<strong>せめて</strong>感想（かんそう）を教（おし）えてください！

<strong>せめて</strong>観測（かんそく）結果（けっか）を教（おし）えてください。<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='30' data-vocab-id='91'>この</span>通（とお）りです！

<span class='name-highlight'>親（おや）</span>：「<strong>せめて</strong>おかず<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='43' data-vocab-id='259'>だけ</span>食（た）べて。」

マラソンで勝（か）つのは無理（むり）だけど、<strong>せめて</strong>、完走（かんそう）したい…

楽器（がっき）を寄贈（きぞう）させてください。<strong>せめて</strong>もの恩返（おんがえ）しです。

<strong>せめて</strong>着替（きが）えさせてもらえませんか？びしょ濡（ぬ）れなんです。

<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>案（あん）ではなくても<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>ので、<strong>せめて</strong>アイデア<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='43' data-vocab-id='259'>だけ</span><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='166'>でも</span>出（だ）してください。

かつてのようなパワーに達（たっ）せないけど、<strong>せめて</strong><span class='vocab-popout' data-vocab-id='408'>半分（はんぶん）</span>に達（たっ）せれば<span class='gp-popout vocab-popout' data-gp-id='7' data-vocab-id='16'>いい</span>んだけど。

<div class='writeup-body'>Coming from the verb 責（せ）める, meaning to have the 'onus to do (A)', <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span> is an <span class='info-highlight' data-term='副詞・ふくし'>adverb</span> that indicates that doing (A) is the minimum expected in order to achieve some desired outcome. It is often translated simply as 'at least' in English.<br><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span> usually alters the meaning of an entire phrase, and will appear at the beginning of sentences.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>ご飯（はん）は残（のこ）しても良（い）いから、<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>刺身（さしみ）だけは全部（ぜんぶ）たべて。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>You can leave the rice, but at least finish the sashimi please.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>国語（こくご）の宿題（しゅくだい）はやっておきなさい。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>At least finish your Japanese homework in advance.</div></li></ul>Stemming from 責（せ）める, this structure usually implies that there is some sort of onus or responsibility to do (A), rather than (A) simply being a minimum amount. Due to this, it is often used with grammar points that express desire or opinions such as たい, ほしい, てほしい, べき, and others.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>この曲（きょく）だけでも弾（ひ）けるようになりたい。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I want to be able to play this song, at least.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>えっ... たったの5千円（せんえん）だけ？<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>1万（まん）は欲（ほ）しいよ。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>What…only five-thousand yen? I want at least ten-thousand yen.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>別（べつ）に毎日（まいにち）洗濯（せんたく）をしろっては言（い）わないけど、<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>晩御飯（ばんごはん）だけは毎日（まいにち）作（つく）ってほしい。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I'm not telling you to do laundry everyday, but I want you to at least make dinner every night.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>1日（にち）に<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='573'>せめて</span>1リットルの水（みず）を飲（の）むべきだ。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>You should drink at least 1 liter of water a day.</div></li></ul></div>