At least: 〜だけましだ
plain form (N／な-adj + な) + だけましだ（だけでもましだ）
Plain form (N／な-adj + な) + だけましだ: “at least, that's something”, the bright side of a bad situation. Spoken, consoling tone.
In short
まし means “less bad, preferable”. In an unpleasant situation, 〜だけましだ picks out the one point that spares you the worst: 財布は盗まれたけど、怪我をしなかっただけましだ (my wallet was stolen, but at least I wasn't hurt). It's English “at least…”, “it could have been worse”: you console yourself, or someone else. Variants: だけでもましだ, だけまだましだ. Mostly spoken register.
- 財布は盗まれたけど、怪我をしなかっただけましだ。さいふはぬすまれたけど、けがをしなかっただけましだ。My wallet was stolen, but at least I wasn't hurt.
- 給料は安いが、残業がないだけましだ。きゅうりょうはやすいが、ざんぎょうがないだけましだ。The pay is low, but at least there's no overtime.
- 電車は遅れているけど、動いているだけましだよ。でんしゃはおくれているけど、うごいているだけましだよ。The train's late, but at least it's running.
The basics
まし is a modest word of evaluation: not “good”, but “less bad”. 〜だけましだ takes a situation that's bad overall and isolates one positive point: “at least there's that”. You weigh how lucky you were against what could have happened.
My wallet was stolen, but at least I wasn't hurt.
- other
- verb
- particle
- grammatical form
- 旅行中ずっと雨だったが、台風が来なかっただけましだ。りょこうちゅうずっとあめだったが、たいふうがこなかっただけましだ。It rained the whole trip, but at least the typhoon didn't come.
- ボーナスは減ったけど、もらえるだけまだましだ。ぼーなすはへったけど、もらえるだけまだましだ。The bonus has gone down, but at least I still get one.
How to form it
The plain form goes before だけ: verbs and い-adjectives as they are, な-adjectives and nouns with な. It's often reinforced with まだ (だけまだましだ) or でも (だけでもましだ).
| Word | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | plain form + だけましだ | 怪我をしなかっただけましだ |
| い-adjective | 〜い + だけましだ | 駅に近いだけましだ |
| な-adjective | 〜な + だけましだ | 静かなだけましだ |
| Noun | 〜な + だけましだ | 小雨なだけましだ |
| Reinforced | だけまだまし／だけでもまし | 動いているだけでもましだ |
- 雨だけど、小雨なだけましだね。あめだけど、こさめなだけましだね。It's raining, but at least it's only drizzle.
Consoling, consoling yourself: mind your tact
You use it for yourself (“I'm putting things in perspective”) or to comfort someone. But saying 「〜だけましですよ」 to someone who's suffering can seem to belittle their misfortune: depending on the situation, a sympathetic remark goes down better. And for genuinely good news, you say よかった, not まし.
- 事故にあったけど、軽い怪我で済んだだけましだと思う。じこにあったけど、かるいけがですんだだけましだとおもう。I had an accident, but I tell myself I got off lightly with a minor injury.
- 全員無事で本当によかった。ぜんいんぶじでほんとうによかった。What a relief that everyone is safe and sound. (real joy, not まし)
だけまし, ほうがまし, だけ
〜だけましだ finds a bright side to a situation you've already been through. 〜ほうがましだ (next point) compares two unpleasant options to choose the lesser evil. And だけ on its own (N5) means “only”: 駅に近いだけだ = “its only advantage is that it's near the station”.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜だけましだ | at least, that's something | 近いだけましだ |
| 〜ほうがましだ | I'd rather (the lesser evil) | 歩くほうがましだ |
| 〜だけだ | only, nothing more | 近いだけだ |
- この部屋のいいところは、駅に近いだけだ。このへやのいいところは、えきにちかいだけだ。The only good thing about this flat is that it's near the station.
Common mistakes
- Translating まし as plain “better”: it's “less bad”, with a hint of resignation.
- Using it for clearly good news: you say よかった, not ましだ.
- Reading だけ as “only”: here, だけ isolates the one positive point.
- Forgetting な after a な-adjective or a noun: ×静かだけまし; you need 静かなだけまし.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N2 point is on the Kamiiida Line (Health and the body) of the Nagoya lines.