Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 1: 10/18

だけで
Just by, Just with

Structure
Verb + だけ
Noun + だけ
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
だけで is a combination of the 副助詞(ふくじょし) (adverbial particle) だけ, and the 格助詞(かくじょし) (case-marking particle) . This expression is regularly thought of as meaning ‘just by (A), (B)’. However, the literal translation is a bit closer to ‘with only (A), (B)’. This reflects the particle’s standard usage of showing a ‘tool’ that is being used to achieve a certain result.
To use だけで, simply attach it to the end of any (non ます) form of verb, or noun.
  • 彼女(かのじょ)話(はな)だけで楽(たの)し
    Just talking with my girlfriend is fun. (We don’t need to do anything else, because talking is fun enough)
  • これ電子(でんし)レンジだけでオーブン機能(きのう)ついていない
    This is just a microwave, an oven function is not included.
Fun Fact
だけ differs from しか in one very important way. だけ highlights that there is/was more than one option, but that only one thing was chosen/used. However, しか implies that there is only one possible option to begin with.
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パーティーに行(い)くだけで楽(たの)しい
Just going to a party is fun.
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顔(かお)見(み)ただけで彼(かれ)いい人(ひと)分(わ)かった
I could tell he was a good person just by his face.
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一緒(いっしょ)に時間(じかん)過(す)ごすだけで、仲良(なかよ)くなりました。
We became good friends just by spending time together.
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Books
Tobira
Page 309
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 245