Amounts of quantification

以 prefix

じょう means “above”, “exceeding”. means “below”, “not exceeding”. がい means “excepting”. ない means “within”.

Used with nouns.

Example

時間じかん以内わります。 It will be finished within an hour.

せいぜい

Means “at the most”. Used before a noun of time or a verb.

Example

せいぜい頑張がんばります。 I’ll do my best.

この木はせいぜいねんです。 This tree is at most 3 years old.

さらに

さらに means “even more”, “more and more”, “in addition to”. Used with time, quantity, etc.

Example

あたらしい仕事しごとはじめめてさらにうれしいになりました。 I’ve become even happier with my new job.

別に~ない

べつに means “not really”, “not particularly”. Used with words in negative form.

Example

どうしてエアコンをきましたか。いま別にあつくないよ。 Why did you turn on the AC? It’s not that hot right now.

わずかに

Means “slightly”, “only”, “a little”. Used at the beginning of a phrase to indicate a particularly small amount of something.

Example

いつでもとなりひとおとわずかにこえます。 You can always hear the neighbours a little bit.

No matter how

どんなに~ても

どんなに +

V (て)

い-Adj くても

な-Adj + でも

N + でも

Means “no matter how much”. Also used as いくら~ても.

Example

どんなに練習れんしゅうても、マラソンをはしれない。 No matter how much I train, I cannot run a marathon.

どうしても

Means “no matter what”.

Example

どうしても花火はなびに行きたい。 No matter what, I want to go see the fireworks.

At least

少なくとも

すくなくとも means “at least”. Implies an obligation.

Example

少なくとももっと三人さんにん必要ひつようです。 At least three more people are required.

せめて

Means “at least”. Implies a request.

Example

せめてしゅう一度いちど勉強べんきょうしてください。 Please study at least once a week.

だけましだ

V

い-Adj

な-Adj + な

N + である

+ だけましだ

Means “should be grateful for”, “at least”, “better than”. Means that while something is not good, or not as good as one wishes, it’s still better than nothing or an alternative.

Examples

給料きゅうりょうがちょっとすくない、就職しゅうしょくだけましだ。 The salary is a little low, but at least I found a job.

Very

てしょうがない・てしかたがない

V (て)

い-Adj くて

な-Adj +

+ しょうがない・しかたがない

Means both “extremely” and “can’t be helped”. See てしょうがない・てしかたがない

Example

今日きょうあつてしょうがない。 Today is extremely hot.

なかなか

なかなか +

Adj

の + N

Means “very”, “quite”. See also なかなか~ない.

Example

今日きょうなかなかさむいね。 It’s quite cold today.

だけ

V (dictionary)

い-Adj

な-Adj + な

N

+ だけ

Means “as much”. See also だけ.

Example

私ははらうんでだ、だけ飲んで! I’ll be paying, so drink as much as you can!

なるべく・できるだけ

Means “as much as possible”. なるべく is a bit softer than できるだけ.

Example

なるべくしずかにしてください。 Please be as quiet as possible.

あまり

V

N + の

+ あまり

Means “so much… that”. Nominalized adjectives can be used as nouns. See ~さ adjective as noun and ~み adjective as noun.

Example

おいしさのあまり、このレストラン毎日まいにち行きたい。 The food is so delicious that I want to eat in this restaurant every day.

あまりにも

あまりに(も) +

V

Adj

あまりの +

N

Means “so much… that”. A version of あまり that can also be used with adjectives.

Example

先生せんせいあまりにきびしくて、わたしはじめった。 The teacher was so strict that I started to cry.

Not at all

ちっとも~ない

Means “not at all”. Has a nuance of perhaps happening once or twice. It is casual. Used with a verb in the negative (ない) form.

Example

ちっとも学校がっこうやすまない。 I never miss school.

少しも~ない

少しも +

V (ない)

い-Adj + くない

な-Adj + ではない

N + ではない

すこしも~ない means “not at all”. Has a nuance of perhaps happening once or twice. Mostly used in writing.

Example

そのアパートは少しも大きくなかった。 That appartment was really not big.

全く~ない

まったく~ない means “not at all”. Has a nuance of absolutely never happening. Used with a verb in the negative (ない) form.

Example

全くしんじられない。 That is absolutely unbelievable.

として~ない

Means “not at all”. Has a nuance of absolutely never happening. Insists more on the duration: “not even”. Used before a a duration, a number, etc.

Example

彼女かのじょ一日いちにちとして仕事しごとおくれなかった。 She has never missed a day of work, not even one day.

全然

全然ぜんぜん means “not at all”.

⚠ In more casual settings, it can be used for positive meanings: “completely”, “totally”.

Example

全然らなかった。 I had no idea.