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JLPT N3Emphasis

さえ— Even That Much

Highlights an extreme or surprising example to imply 'if even this, then surely everything else too'. It picks the most unexpected case to make a point, often carrying an emotional charge of surprise, disappointment, or emphasis.

Grammar path · 練習

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A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 30 · EMPHASIS

Structure · 形

[Noun] (+ particle) + さえ / [Verb て-form] + さえ

Examples · 例文

  • 彼は自分の名前さえ書けなかった。

    Kare wa jibun no namae sae kakenakatta.

    He couldn't even write his own name.

    さえ picks the most basic example (one's own name) to stress how extreme the inability is.

  • 忙しくて、水を飲む時間さえない。

    Isogashikute, mizu wo nomu jikan sae nai.

    I'm so busy I don't even have time to drink water.

    さえ attaches to 時間 to show even the smallest amount is lacking.

  • 専門家でさえこの問題は解けない。

    Senmonka de sae kono mondai wa tokenai.

    Even an expert can't solve this problem.

    で + さえ marks an expert as the surprising extreme case that still fails.

Usage notes · 注意

  • With subjects/objects さえ often replaces が/を; with other particles it stacks (でさえ, にさえ).
  • Register: neutral, usable in speech and writing.
  • Do not confuse the standalone emphatic さえ with the conditional さえ〜ば.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones さえ is tested against.

vsも

さえ picks a deliberately extreme/surprising example ('even this'), while も simply adds 'also/too' without the emphatic surprise.

vsすら

すら means nearly the same 'even', but is more formal/literary and slightly more emphatic; さえ is the everyday choice and also forms the 〜さえ〜ば conditional.

More emphasis

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