Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 9: 13/23

だけはTo do all that one can, As much or many ~ as one could

Structure

Verb + だけは + Verb［た］(*)
Verb + だけは + Verb［ている］(*)

(*) The same Verb has to be repeated

Details

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About だけは

だけは is another one of the many grammar patterns in Japanese that includes the particle だけ, meaning 'just' or 'only'. In this particular structure, だけ pairs with は, and presents a specific verb as the topic to indicate that it is being done 'as much as one can'. The same verb will be repeated both before and after だけは, with the one coming second usually appearing in its past-tense or ている form.

Imagining that the target verb was 食(た)べる 'to eat', the literal translation of something like 食(た)べるだけは食(た)べた would be 'I ate just what I could eat'. Because this pattern frequently discusses possibilities, it is also very common for the first verb to be in the potential れる or られる form.

Caution

It is also relatively common to see する omitted following the first verb, and only being used after だけは. In this kind of pattern, the target verb itself will not usually be repeated after だけは.

Examples

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    食(た)べられるだけは食(た)べた。食(た)べ放題(ほうだい)だからさ。

    I ate all that I could. It was an all you can eat after all.

    このナッツを砕(くだ)くだけは砕(くだ)いた。

    I crushed these nuts as much as I could.

    儀式(ぎしき)だからやるだけはやっているが、さっぱり意味(いみ)が分(わ)からない。

    Since it is a ceremony, I am doing as much as I can. However, I have no idea what any of it means.

    感想(かんそう)を書(か)くだけは書(か)いてみたが、まだメールで送(おく)っていません。

    I wrote out my impressions the best I could, but I still haven't sent it out (via email).

    今日(きょう)着(き)たい服(ふく)を乾(かわ)かすだけは乾(かわ)かして家(いえ)を出(で)た。

    I dried the clothes I want to wear today as much as I could and then left the house.

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      だけは – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

      • melink14

        melink14

        I just learned a similar grammar from Kanzen Master via my Japanese teacher but it had some slight differences.

        • は isn’t used. In the examples, I have だけ by itself is giving the meaning of all that is possible.
        • verb is often repeated but doesn’t need to be it seems. (知っているだけのことはおしえてください）
        • adjectives can also be used

        Since the meaning is similar I wonder if the usage of だけ I’m seeing is a different grammar point or if the bunpro item is just covering it from a different angle…

        Thanks!

      • melink14

        melink14

        I see that what I’m thinking of is probably covered in https://japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/learn-jlpt-n3-grammar-だけ-dake-2/

        I think some of the concepts are being combined in KM (since the repeated verb pattern happens) but I guess maybe the addition of は might be in a different grammar point…

        I’m not sure of the exact difference just reading japanesetest4you so I’ll check some other references as well.

        I didn’t find a bunpro entry for the non は variant though unless my search fu is just failing me.

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