Structure
Verb + だけで
Noun + だけで
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About だけで
だけで is a combination of the adverbial particle だけ, and the case marking particleで. 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 で 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.
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.
Synonyms
Examples
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パーティーに行くだけで楽しい。
Just (by) going to a party is fun.
顔を見ただけで、彼はいい人だと分かった。
I could tell he was a good person just by his face.
一緒に時間を過ごすだけで、仲良くなりました。
We became good friends just by spending time together.
彼を見ただけで性格が悪いと分かった。
Just by looking at him I determined that he had a bad personality.
家族と一緒に居るだけで、幸せ。
Just by being with my family I am happy.
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Japanese Test 4 You
だけで breakdown and examples
JLPT 先生
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Tobira
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Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 245
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だけで – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (5 in total)
eefara
Hmm. So if you changed the sentence to
見舞いに行くだけいいよ。, how would that change the meaning? Would that be ungrammatical now?mrnoone
だけいい can be used in some context but will mean a little bit different thing. While Aだけでいい will mean that something is good enough and nothing else is needed,
Aだけいい will mean that the situation is not good, but A is better than nothing (or better than some other situation that is mentioned). Basically comparison.
You can also say the same thing using だけまし.たとえ5分しかいなくても、来るだけいいよ。
Coming even if just for 5 minutes is better than nothing.あの生徒は見舞いに来るだけいいよ。他の生徒はひとりも来ないんだから。
deltacat3
そういうことを言ってくれるだけで、君は優しいと分かる。
Just by you saying that I know that you are nice.Why is 優しい marked with と? Is this a quotation of sorts?
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