Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 8: 14/18

しか～ないThere's only, Nothing but

Structure

Noun + しか + Verb［ない］

Details

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About しか～ない

The adverbial particle しか is often compared to だけ, in that it also expresses 'only'. However, unlike だけ, しか can only be used in negative statements. Due to this, しか～ない is regularly translated as 'there's only (A)', or 'there's nothing but (A)'. しか～ない may be used to express numbers, or nouns. In this lesson we will examine nouns.

Like しか～ない, the construction used for expressing numbers, when used before a noun, this expression will mean that nothing apart from that one 'thing' exists. Any verb may be used after しか, but it must be in its ない (or ありません) form.

Caution

When しかない directly follows a verb, the translation is a little bit different, and means that 'nothing apart from (A) can be done'. This is a separate grammar point that we will study a bit later.

  • 明日(あした)から雨(あめ)が降(ふ)るから、今日(きょう)行(い)くしかない。
    Since it will start raining tomorrow, we have no choice but to go today.

Synonyms

Examples

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    座(すわ)るところがここしかありません。

    There is nowhere else to sit but here.

    遠(とお)いので、車(くるま)で行(い)くことしか出来(でき)ない。

    Because it is far away, you can only go by car.

    「はい」と「いいえ」しか言(い)わない人(ひと)とは話(はな)しにくい。

    It is difficult to talk to people who only respond with 'yes' and 'no'.

    すみませんが、午後(ごご)しか空(あ)いていないみたいです。

    I am sorry, but it looks like there is only space open in the afternoon.

    冷蔵庫(れいぞうこ)に牛乳(ぎゅうにゅう)しか残(のこ)っていない。

    There is nothing but milk in the fridge.

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      しか～ない – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (11 in total)

      • Daru

        Daru

        Because the clause does not affect you actually living there or not, but it does affect the decision of doing so. And since it’s a yes-or-no decision, it can only be positive or negative, not declaring a continuous state.

        Hope this helps!

      • CrisH

        CrisH

        Right, I see! Thanks

      • NearlyRemy

        NearlyRemy

        I’m a little confused about the comment added to the translation of this sentence:

        遠いので、車で行くことしかできない。

        Because it is far away, you can only go by car.
        [Since Verb→Noun + しかない implies inability, using の as a nominalizer cannot work here]

        I’m not sure how の acts differently here, it’s probably a misunderstanding on my part regarding the difference between the two, but at my current level of understanding I translate both options as “you can only go by car”

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