GRAMMAIRE / Dake - Shika
 コカコーラだけ飲む (Coca-cola dake nomu)
ou
コカコーラしか飲まない (Coca-cola shika nomanai)
"Je bois seulement du cafe"
"Je ne bois que du cafe"
Le second est plus exlcusif que le premier.
1. SHIKA
"[noun] shika" implies "only [noun] and nothing else", even though more was
expected. "Shika" always takes a negative verb. The particles "wa", "ga" and "o" are
usually omitted with "shika", but other particles precede it:
Tomodachi ga futari shika kite kuremasen deshita.
Only two friends came.
Hyaku-en shika arimasen.
I have only 100 yen (but I need more).
Suzuki-san wa Nihongo shika dekimasen.
Suzuki-san can only speak Japanese.
Pan shika tabemasen deshita.
I ate only bread.
Note the pattern "[verb (present plain form)] shika nai":
Matsu shika arimasen.
All we can do is wait. (Lit. There is only waiting.)
"Shika" is never found in front of "da/desu", and cannot be used where the final
verb is going to be in the negative anyway.
2. DAKE
The basic meaning of "dake" is "extent", and it is used where "pnly" refers more
to an exact limit which has not been exceeded. It is less emphatic than "shika",
and often translates as "just" as well as "only". With counters and amounts in
general, "dake" means "only" in the sense of "just/exactly":
Hyaku-en dake agete kudasai.
Please give me just 100 yen (that is all I need).
Sukoshi dake tabemashita.
I ate just a little.
After nouns, "dake" is equivalent to "just/only/at least"; "o" and "ga" are
replaced, and other particles follow:
Tomodachi dake kureba, ii desu.
I hope that only friends will come.
Kono shigoto dake shite kaerimashou.
Let's do just this job and then go home.
Tabako dake wa yamete kudasai.
Please give up smoking at least.
Unlike "shika", "dake" can be used in front of "da/desu", and when the verb is
already in the negative:
Hoshii no wa kimi dake desu.
You are the only thing I want.
Jiru-san wa tako dake tabemasen.
The only thing Jill doesn't eat is octopus.
Note that either present or past plain forms of verbs can precede "dake":
Kaze o hiite iru dake da kara, shinpai shinakute mo ii desu.
There's no need to worry since it's only a cold.
Tomodachi to eiga o mi ni itta dake desu.
I simply went to see a film with a friend.
You will also find "[noun] dake no [noun]":
Kore wa tomodachi dake no paatii desu.
This is a party for friends only.
O0kane dake no mondai de wa arimasen.
It's not a problem of money alone.
The Negative Limit-Indicating Particle
The function of "sika" is similar to that of "dake", but it
is always followed by a negative verb. Its use indicates that what
precedes it is the maximum limit, whereas "dake" indicates a
precise or specific limit.
Examples:
sen-en dake motte imasu (affirmative).
1,000 yen have
(I) have (only) 1,000 yen.
sen-en sika motte imasen (negative).
1,000 yen not have
(I) have (only) 1,000 yen [and no more].
sika is also used when the speaker wants to indicate
that what precedes it is considered small, insufficient, or
unsatisfactory.
Kanji wa nihyaku sika shirimasen.
Chinese character(s) two hundred do not know
(I) know (only) 200 Chinese characters.
Another function of sika is its use after verbs to indicate
that the action of the verb is the only course of action available.
Example:
Depaato wa shimatte ita kara akirameru sika arimasen desita.
department store closed since resign myself nothing was
Since the department store was closed, (there) was nothing
(I could do but) resign myself [to not being able to buy something].
sika is also be used following the to particle in expresssions
such as to...omou. In this usage the verb is in the potential "can" negative form.
Kare wa kurutte iru to sika omoemasen.
he is crazy can not think
(I) cannot (but) think (that) he is crazy.
[I can only think that he is crazy.]
Sample Sentences:
Biiru sika kaimasen desita.
beer not bought
(I) bought (only) beer [and nothing else].
Eigo sika dekimasen.
English cannot
(I) can (only) (speak) English.
Kyou wa asagohan sika tabete imasen.
today breakfast not eaten
Today (I) (have) (only) eaten breakfast.
Kare wa inai kara jibun de yaru sika arimasen.
he is not since myself do there is nothing
Since he is not (here), there is nothing (to do) (but) do (it) myself.
Sen-en sika motte inai kara kanojo ni kariru sika arimasen.
1,000 yen not have since she/her borrow there is nothing
Since (I) (only) have 1,000 yen, there is nothing (to do) (but) borrow (from) her.
Kare wa nemutte iru to sika omoemasen.
he is asleep can not think
(I) cannot (but) think (that) he is asleep.
[I can only think that he is asleep.]
The Precise Limit-Indicating Particle
The basic function of "dake" is to indicate that what precedes
it is a precise limit.
Examples:
Itijikan dake matte kudasai.
one hour wait please
Please wait (just) one hour.
If the context indicates that the extent of the limit is neutral, (as in
the above example), then the use of dake will have the effect of "just".
If the context indicates that the extent of the limit is small, then the
use of dake will have the effect of "only".
If the context indicates that the extent of the limit is large, then the
use of dake will have the effect of "enough".
Compared with hodo "the extent-indicating particle":
Itijikan hodo matte kudasai.
one hour wait please
Please wait (about) one hour.
Hon o sansatu dake kaimasita.
book(s) three bought
(I) bought (only) three books.
Compared with hodo "the extent-indicating particle":
Hon o jussatu hodo kaimasita.
book(s) ten bought
(I) bought (about) ten books.
dake has two other major functions:
(1)
Following the verb dekiru "can" and followed by the adverbial form
of an adjective, such as: hayai "fast" ---> hayaku "quickly, early"
Dekiru dake hayaku yatte kudasai.
can quickly do please
Please do (it) (as) quickly (as) (you) can.
Dekiru dake ookiku kaite kudasai.
can large do please
Please write (it) (as) large (as) (you) can.
(2)
As part of the expression dake de naku:
Kanojo wa Nihongo dake de naku Furansugo mo dekimasu.
She Japanese French can
She can (speak) (not only) Japanese, (but) (also) French.
Sample Sentences:
Biiru dake kaimasita.
beer bought
(I) bought (only) beer.
Kinou rokunin dake kimasita.
Yesterday six people came
Yesterday (only) six people came.
Nisenen bun dake irete kudasai.
two thousand yen worth put in please
Please put in (only) two thousand yen worth.
(in talking to a gasoline station attendant)
Dekiru dake hayaku denwa site kudasai.
can soon telephone please
Please phone (as) soon (as you) can.
Dekiru dake hayaku yarimasu yo.
can quickly do
(I'll) do (it) (as) quickly (as) (I) can!
Susi dake de naku nattou mo suki desu yo.
sushi fermented soybeans like
(I) like (not only) sushi (but) (also) fermented soybeans!
The Approximate Limit-Indicating Particle
The basic function of "bakari" is to indicate a measure of
time or number that is approximate and (usually) considered
by the speaker to be small or insufficient.
Examples:
Nihongo o nijikan gurai benkyou simasita.
(I) studied Japanese (for) (about) two hours.
Nihongo o nijikan hodo benkyou simasita.
(I) studied Japanese (for) (up to) two hours.
Nihongo o nijikan dake benkyou simasita.
(I) studied Japanese (for) (only) two hours.
Nihongo o nijikan bakari benkyou simasita.
(I) studied Japanese (for) (only/about) two hours [but it wasn't enough].
Another important function of bakari is to indicate that what
precedes it is the prime thing, with no emphasis on anything else.
Examples:
Gakkou de Nihongo dake o benkyou site imasu.
school Japanese am studying
(At) school (I) am studying (only) Japanese [and no other foreign language].
Gakkou de Nihongo bakari o benkyou site imasu.
school Japanese am studying
(At) school (I) am studying (only) Japanese [to the exclusion of other things].
bakari can replace dake in the expression dake de naku to emphasize
that what precedes it is not the "only thing".
Example:
Kanojo wa Nihongo bakari de naku, Furansugo mo dekimasu.
she Japanese French can
She can (speak) not (just) Japanese, (but) (also) French.
When used after the plain past form of a verb, bakari indicates that
the action of the verb has just happened.
Examples:
Sono hon wa yomiowatta bakari desu.
that book finished reading is
(I) have (just) finished reading that book.
Kare wa sono kuruma o katta bakari desu.
he that car bought is
He has (just) bought that car.
Ima uti ni modotta bakari desu.
now home returned is
(I) have (just) now returned home.
Sample Sentences:
Kare wa mainiti patinko bakari yatte imasu.
He every day pachinko playing
He (does nothing but) play pachinko everyday.
Kanojo wa itu mo sono uta bakari utatte imasu.
She always that song singing
She is always singing (only) that song [and no other song].
Sanjuppun bakari hirune o simasita.
thirty minutes nap did
(I) napped for (only) thirty minutes.
Watasi wa Nihon ni kita bakari desu.
I Japan came is
I (have only just) come to Japan.
Juudou bakari de naku karate mo yatte mitai desu.
judo karate want to do
I want (to) do (not only) judo (but also) karate.
Ima tabeowatta bakari desu.
now finished eating is
(I) (only) now (just) finished eating.
Note: the use of desu in the above sentences has the function
primarily of only completing the sentence. It doesn't need to
be translated in making an English equivalent of the Japanese
sentences. If one wanted to force the issue, you could consider
this usage of desu as having a slight meaning of "it
is (a fact that)", but it is not necessary to include this in
an English equivalent.