B1 noun #900 le plus courant

~しか

Comment l'utiliser

When you want to express “only” with a negative nuance in Japanese, you use ~しか (~shika). This grammar point always pairs with a negative verb ending. It emphasizes the exclusivity or limitation of something. For example, if you say “I only have 100 yen,” it implies you wish you had more or that 100 yen is not enough.

The structure is [noun] + しか + [negative verb].
Let’s look at some examples:

  • 1. 私はコーヒーしか飲みません。(Watashi wa kōhī shika nomimasen.)
    Hint: “I only drink coffee.” (Implying: nothing else)
  • 2. 彼は少ししか食べなかった。(Kare wa sukoshi shika tabenakatta.)
    Hint: “He only ate a little.” (Implying: not much)
  • 3. ここには一人しかいません。(Koko ni wa hitori shika imasen.)
    Hint: “There is only one person here.” (Implying: no one else)

Erreurs courantes

A common mistake is using ~しか (~shika) with a positive verb. Remember, it always requires a negative verb ending.

Incorrect: 私はコーヒーしか飲みます。(Watashi wa kōhī shika nomimasu.)
Correct: 私はコーヒーしか飲みません。(Watashi wa kōhī shika nomimasen.)

Another mistake is confusing ~しか (~shika) with ~だけ (~dake). While both can mean “only,” ~だけ (~dake) has a neutral or positive nuance, whereas ~しか (~shika) carries a negative or limiting nuance.

Compare:

  • コーヒーだけ飲みます。(Kōhī dake nomimasu.) – “I only drink coffee.” (Neutral, simply stating a fact)
  • コーヒーしか飲みません。(Kōhī shika nomimasen.) – “I only drink coffee.” (Negative nuance, implying I wish I could drink something else, or that coffee is the only option).

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