Even: 〜さえ・〜でさえ
Noun (+ particle) + さえ / でさえ
Noun (+ particle) + さえ / でさえ: “even”, an extreme case that lets you guess the rest; さえ replaces が and を, but goes after に, と, etc.
In short
〜さえ puts forward an extreme case to imply that everything else goes without saying: “even”. 水さえ飲めない: “I can't even drink water” (let alone eat). It's used mainly in negative sentences or to highlight something surprising.
- 忙しくて、昼ご飯を食べる時間さえない。いそがしくて、ひるごはんをたべるじかんさえない。I'm so busy I don't even have time for lunch.
- そんなこと、子どもでさえ知っている。そんなこと、こどもでさえしっている。Even a child knows that.
- 彼は、親にさえ本当のことを話さなかった。かれは、おやにさえほんとうのことをはなさなかった。He didn't tell anyone the truth, not even his parents.
The basics
さえ picks the most extreme, most obvious example and shows that it isn't even achieved (or, on the contrary, that it is, which is surprising). The rest follows: “not even water” implies “so nothing else either” — English “not even”, “let alone”.
The tone is often dramatic or indignant. In everyday speech you can say the same thing with も (水も飲めない), but さえ is stronger.
I don't even have time for lunch.
- verb
- noun
- particle
- adjective
- 疲れて、立つことさえできなかった。つかれて、たつことさえできなかった。I was so tired I couldn't even stand up.
How to form it: where the particles go
さえ replaces が and を. With other particles (に, と, から…), keep them and add さえ after: にさえ, とさえ. With a human subject being highlighted, でさえ is commonly used: 先生でさえ, “even the teacher”.
| Original particle | With さえ | Example |
|---|---|---|
| が | さえ | 時間さえない |
| を | さえ | 水さえ飲めない |
| に | にさえ | 親にさえ言わない |
| と | とさえ | 友達とさえ話さない |
| highlighted subject | でさえ | 先生でさえ分からない |
- 彼は、友達とさえ話さなくなった。かれは、ともだちとさえはなさなくなった。He doesn't even talk to his friends any more.
- 京都の人でさえ、この店を知らない。きょうとのひとでさえ、このみせをしらない。Even people from Kyoto don't know this restaurant.
さえ, も, まで
も is neutral (“also, even”). さえ highlights an extreme case, especially in a negative or unfavourable sentence. まで (covered later) adds a surprising item to a list, often in a positive sentence: 先生まで笑った, “even the teacher laughed”.
At N1, you'll come across すら, which means the same as さえ but is more written.
- 子どもまで、そのゲームに夢中だ。こどもまで、そのげーむにむちゅうだ。Even the children are crazy about this game.
- 風邪で、声も出ない。かぜで、こえもでない。I've got such a cold I can't even speak.
Common mistakes
- Keeping を or が before さえ: you say 水さえ, not “水をさえ”.
- Dropping に before さえ: 親にさえ言わない, not “親さえ言わない” (which would mean “even the parents say nothing”).
- Confusing さえ (even) with だけ / しか (only): 水さえ飲めない ≠ 水しか飲めない (I can only drink water).
7 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 N3 point is on the Kintetsu Kyōto Line (Competition and danger) of the Kyoto lines.