だけ: Saying 'Only' and 'Just' in Japanese (N5 Grammar)
What だけ limits
だけ is a limiting particle: it fences off one item, amount, or action and says "that and nothing else" — English "only" or "just." It rides directly on whatever you're limiting, no extra particle needed. It works on nouns (水だけ = only water), on quantities (三回だけ = just three times), and on verbs in plain form (見るだけ = just look, no buying). The tone is plain and factual.
ヤッタンは水だけ飲みます。
ヤッタンは みずだけ のみます。
Yattan drinks only water.
パーティーにヤッタンだけ来ました。
パーティーに ヤッタンだけ きました。
Only Yattan came to the party.
見るだけです。買いません。
みるだけです。かいません。
I'm just looking. I won't buy anything.
見るだけ = just look — verb plain form + だけ.
だけ vs しか〜ない
The one you'll be tested against is しか〜ない. Both translate as "only," but they feel different. だけ simply states the limit and stays positive: 水だけ飲む ("I drink only water"). しか〜ない always pairs with a negative verb and carries a stronger, more limiting nuance — closer to "nothing but" or "only … and that's not much." So 水しか飲まない literally says "I don't drink anything but water," which can sound like a complaint or a shortage. Use だけ when the fact is neutral; reach for しか〜ない when you want to stress that nothing else is there.
Where だけ sits — and what it does to を and が
だけ attaches directly to the word it limits. Nothing changes shape — you just add it on.
| Attach to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | noun + だけ | 水だけ = only water |
| Number / quantity | number + だけ | 一つだけ = just one |
| Verb (plain form) | verb + だけ | 見るだけ = just look |
| い-adjective | adjective + だけ | 安いだけ = only cheap |
The placement matters: だけ goes right after the limited word, so ヤッタンだけ来た ("only Yattan came"), never だけヤッタン来た. On verbs, keep the plain form — 見るだけ, not 見ますだけ.
The trickier part is the particles around it. When the noun would normally take を (object) or が (subject), that particle is usually dropped after だけ. So 水を飲む becomes 水だけ飲む — the を quietly disappears, and the same goes for が in many sentences. Other particles like に, で, and と don't drop; they combine, sitting before or after だけ: 友だちとだけ話す ("talk only with friends").
モチだけが知っています。
モチだけが しっています。
Only Mochi knows.
だけ + が — here が stays for emphasis.
弟はゲームだけします。
おとうとは ゲームだけ します。
My little brother only plays games.
ヤッタンはサラダだけ食べました。
ヤッタンは サラダだけ たべました。
Yattan ate only the salad.
サラダを → サラダだけ; the を drops out.
だけ in use
Beyond simple nouns, add だけ to a quantity to mean "just that many," and to a plain-form verb to mean "just do (and no more)."
切手を一枚だけください。
きってを いちまいだけ ください。
Please give me just one stamp.
先生は少しだけ休みました。
せんせいは すこしだけ やすみました。
The teacher rested just a little.
ヤッタンは寝るだけです。
ヤッタンは ねるだけです。
Yattan just sleeps.
寝る + だけ = does nothing but sleep.
Watch-outs
- Adding を or が back in. After だけ those particles usually drop: say 水だけ飲む, not 水をだけ飲む.
- Using a negative verb with だけ. だけ takes a positive verb. The negative pattern is しか〜ない (水しか飲まない), not 水だけ飲まない for "only."
- Putting だけ in the wrong spot. It goes right after the limited word: ヤッタンだけ来た ("only Yattan came"), not だけヤッタン来た.
- Forgetting plain form before だけ on verbs. Use the dictionary/plain form: 見るだけ, not 見ますだけ.
The short version
- だけ = only / just; attach it directly to a noun, number, or plain-form verb.
- を and が usually drop after だけ; に・で・と combine with it.
- Verb + だけ = "just do (and nothing more)": 見るだけ.
- For a stronger, negative "nothing but," use しか〜ない instead.
Practice it
Choose the correct use of だけ (and tell it apart from しか〜ない).
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
さすがに偉大な学者＿＿＿あって、彼はその問いに容易に答えた。
Frequently asked questions
What does だけ mean?
It means 'only' or 'just.' You attach it directly to a noun, a number, or a plain-form verb: 水だけ ('only water'), 一つだけ ('just one'), 見るだけ ('just look').
Does を or が stay after だけ?
Usually no. The object marker を and the subject marker が typically drop after だけ — 水を飲む becomes 水だけ飲む. Particles like に, で, and と combine with だけ instead.
What's the difference between だけ and しか〜ない?
Both mean 'only.' だけ is neutral and uses a positive verb (水だけ飲む). しか〜ない always uses a negative verb and feels stronger and more limiting (水しか飲まない = 'nothing but water').
Can I put だけ after a verb?
Yes — use the plain form: 見るだけ ('just look'), 寝るだけ ('just sleep'). It means doing that action and nothing more.
Where だけ fits
Don't confuse it with
- を · N5 — を marks the direct object of a verb (パンを食べる), the path you move along (道を歩く), and the place you leave (家を出る). Learn all three uses with examples.
- が · N5 — が marks the grammatical subject and introduces new information. Learn how to use が with question words, existence (ある/いる), ability, and likes such as 好き — plus how が differs from は.
Compared side by side
See how this pattern differs from the ones it's confused with:
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- も — The particle も means 'also/too' and replaces は, が, or を. Learn 〜も〜も ('both…and'/'neither…nor') and も with numbers for 'as many as' or 'not even.'
- 〜てあげる — 〜てあげる means you do an action FOR someone as a favour, from the giver's side. Learn the て-form + あげる pattern, the に particle, the さしあげる/やる politeness levels, and the condescension trap.
- 〜てくれる — 〜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.
- 〜てもらう — 〜てもらう means you receive the favor of someone doing something for you: the receiver is the subject, the doer takes に. Learn formation, the polite ていただく, and how it differs from てくれる and てあげる.
- 〜てください — 〜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.
- なんて / なんか — なんか softens or gives a vague example ('something like'); なんて means 'such as / things like,' often dismissive or surprised. Learn the nuance, formation, and when to avoid them.