〜てくれさえすれば: 'If Only You Would Do' (Meaning + Examples)
Naming the one thing that would be enough
〜てくれさえすれば isolates a minimal favor or action from someone else, and states that if just that happens, the speaker will be satisfied — implying nothing more is being asked for.
もちが一言謝ってくれさえすれば、やったんはすぐに許すつもりだ。
もちが ひとこと あやまってくれさえすれば、やったんは すぐに ゆるす つもりだ。
If Mochi would just say one word of apology, Yattan intends to forgive him right away.
くれさえすれば pinpoints the single minimal act (one word) that would be enough.
連絡さえしてくれれば、いつでも迎えに行くよ。
れんらくさえ してくれれば、いつでも むかえに いくよ。
Just contact me, and I'll come pick you up anytime.
さえ can shift position (連絡さえしてくれれば), but the meaning — 'just this much is enough' — stays the same.
子供が元気でいてくれさえすれば、他には何も望まない。
こどもが げんきで いてくれさえすれば、ほかには なにも のぞまない。
As long as my child stays healthy, I don't want anything else.
Form: Verb-て + くれさえすれば
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (て-form) | Vてくれさえすれば | 手伝ってくれさえすれば（if you'd just help me） |
| Verb (て-form) | Vさえしてくれれば (word order variant) | 電話さえしてくれれば（if you'd just call） |
返事さえくれれば、それでいい。
へんじさえ くれれば、それで いい。
Just give me a reply, and that's all I need.
Sharper than plain 〜てくれれば
Plain 〜てくれれば is a normal conditional favor ("if you would do X for me"), with no particular emphasis on minimality. Adding さえ turns it into "even just X would be enough" — it implicitly contrasts with a bigger ask the speaker is not making. 手伝ってくれれば助かる ("it'd help if you helped") is neutral; 手伝ってくれさえすれば助かる ("just helping — even a little — would already help") stresses how low the bar is.
The short version
- 〜てくれさえすれば = "if you'd just do … (for me), that alone would be enough."
- Attaches to: the て-form of a verb + くれる, with さえ inserted before すれば (or before してくれれば).
- Nuance/register: emotional, minimal-condition emphasis; often sounds like a plea.
- Don't confuse with: plain 〜てくれれば, a neutral conditional favor with no "just this much" nuance.
Practice it
Choose てくれさえすれば when the sentence stresses that one small favor alone would be enough.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
たった一言謝っ＿＿＿、モチは許すつもりだ。
Where 〜てくれさえすれば fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- Conditional 〜たら · N4 — 〜たら is Japanese's most flexible conditional: just add ら to the plain past. Learn the formation, the 'if/when' meaning, the discovery use, and how it beats ば/と for requests.
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- 〜てくれる · N5 — 〜てくれる means someone does something FOR you as a kindness: モチが手伝ってくれた. Learn the form, the polite 〜てくださる, the request 〜てくれませんか, and how it differs from 〜てあげる and 〜てもらう.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜てばかりは · N2 — 〜てばかりは pairs 'only/nothing but doing X' with a contrastive は to set up a negative like いられない or いけない — 'I can't just keep only doing X (something else needs attention).' It flags an action as excessive or one-sided.
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜ては — 〜ては attaches to the て-form and links to a following verb to describe a repeating back-and-forth cycle — 食べては寝る生活 ('a life of eating then sleeping, over and over'). It can also mark an undesirable 'if X, then Y' consequence.
- 〜からには — 〜からには means 'now that... / since...' — given a decision or situation is already true, the speaker draws a strong obligation or determined conclusion from it. Attaches after the plain form of a verb; the main clause carries duty, resolve, or advice.
- 〜のも当然だ — 〜のも当然だ attaches to a plain-form clause to mean 'it's only natural that…' or 'no wonder…'. It frames an outcome as an obvious, expected consequence of a stated cause, not a surprise.
- 〜一方で — 〜一方で adds a contrasting side to what you just said, or names a second action happening alongside the first — like 'on the other hand' or 'while also.' Attaches after a plain-form verb, adjective, or noun+である.
- 〜にもかかわらず — にもかかわらず means 'despite / in spite of,' marking a strong contrast between a circumstance and an unexpected outcome (雨にもかかわらず、試合は行われた). It's more formal and emphatic than のに.
- 〜てほしくない — 〜てほしくない is the negative of 〜てほしい — it says you don't want someone else to do something. 嘘をついてほしくない = 'I don't want you to lie.' Compare with the near-twin 〜ないでほしい.