Decoded Slug: ～さえ (～sae)
Japanese JLPT Grammar Point
～さえ (～sae)
～さえ (～sae)
Short explanation:
Emphasizes a specific item or action; 'even', 'if only', 'as long as'.
Formation:
Noun + さえ, Verb-casual + さえ, い-Adjective + さえ, な-Adjective + ださえ
Examples:
お金さえあれば、世界中を旅行できる。
Okane sae areba, sekaijuu wo ryokou dekiru.
If only I have money, I can travel around the world.
彼は英語さえ話せれば、その仕事ができるだろう。
Kare wa eigo sae hanasereba, sono shigoto ga dekiru darou.
As long as he can speak English, he can do that job.
彼女は頭がいいだけでなく、運動も上手だ。テニスさえできる。
Kanojo wa atama ga ii dake denaku, undou mo jouzu da. Tenisu sae dekiru.
Not only is she smart, she is also good at sports. She can even play tennis.
明るい場所で本を読むのが好きだ。部屋の電気さえつけなくても大丈夫だ。
Akarui basho de hon wo yomu no ga suki da. Heya no denki sae tsukenakute mo daijoubu da.
I like reading books in bright places. I'm fine as long as the room lights are not even turned on.
Long explanation:
The ～さえ grammar point is used to emphasize a specific item, person, or action, implying that it alone is sufficient, remarkable or an exception. It can be translated as 'even', 'if only', or 'as long as' in English. The formation differs depending on whether it is used with a verb, い-adjective, な-adjective, or noun.
