JLPT N3 Grammar
· Intermediate
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· Intermediate
if only / as long as
Category: Conditions and Hypotheses
The grammar pattern 'Noun + さえ + Verb (ば形) / Noun + さえ + い形容詞 (ければ) / Noun + さえ + な形容詞・名詞 (であれば)' emphasizes the minimum condition required for a result to occur. It implies that as long as this single condition is met, everything else will follow. This pattern is often used to express a hypothetical or conditional situation. For example, 'お金さえあれば幸せになれる' means 'If I have enough money, I will be happy.'
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (ば形) | Noun + さえ + Verb (ば形) | お金さえあれば幸せになれる |
| Adjective (ければ) | Noun + さえ + Adjective (ければ) | この薬さえ飲めばすぐに風邪は治ります |
| Adjective/Noun (であれば) | Noun + さえ + Adjective/Noun (であれば) | 天気さえいいであれば明日のキャンプは最高に楽しい |
お金さえあれば幸せになれると思っていたが、現実は違った。
okane sae aruba shiawase ni nareru to omotte ita ga, genjitsu wa chigatta.
I thought that as long as I had enough money, I would be happy, but reality was different.
お金 (money) さえ (as long as) あれば (if I have) 幸せになれる (I will be happy) と (that) 思っていた (I thought) が (but) 現実 (reality) は (was) 違った (different)
この薬をさえ飲めばすぐに風邪は治りますよ。
kono kusuri o sae nomemeba sugu ni kaze wa kiarimasu yo.
If I just take this medicine, I will be cured of the cold right away.
この薬 (this medicine) を (to take) さえ (as long as) 飲めば (if I take) すぐに (right away) 風邪 (cold) は (is) 治ります (cured)
天気さえいいであれば明日のキャンプは最高に楽しいはずだ。
tenki sae ii de araba ashita no kyanpu wa saikō ni tanoshii hazuda.
If the weather is just fine, tomorrow's camping trip will be the best.
天気 (weather) さえ (as long as) いい (good) で (if) あれば (then) 明日の (tomorrow's) キャンプ (camping trip) は (is) 最高に (the best) 楽しい (fun)
This pattern is used to express a hypothetical or conditional situation, emphasizing the minimum condition required for a result to occur. It is often used in situations where the speaker is expressing a hope or a possibility. The pattern can be used with both positive and negative adjectives/nouns. In formal writing, the pattern is often used with the verb form 'であれば'.
While 'dake' implies 'only', 'sae' implies 'even/if only this'. Using 'dake' instead of 'sae' can change the meaning of the sentence.
For example, *nomu ba sae is incorrect. The correct sentence is 'お金さえあれば幸せになれる'.
While 'koso' is used for emphasis, 'sae' is used to express a hypothetical or conditional situation.
In the JLPT exam, this pattern is often tested in the reading comprehension section. Pay attention to the context and the meaning of the sentence to determine whether the pattern is used correctly.
お金______、幸せになれると思っていたが、現実は違った。
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