少しだけ
sukoshi dake
In Japanese, 'only a little' is said as 少しだけ (sukoshi dake).
The phrase is used to describe a small amount or a short duration of something. It is a common and versatile way to express the concept of 'only a little'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 少し (sukoshi), meaning 'a little' and だけ (dake), meaning 'only'.
Which one should you use?
While 少し (sukoshi) means 'a little', adding だけ (dake) emphasizes the limitation, which translates more precisely to 'only a little'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
少しだけ (sukoshi dake) is an informal alternative to express 'only a little'. For an even more relaxed, colloquial and conversational tone, you can use ちょっとだけ (chotto dake).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase can be used as an adverb to modify verbs, such as indicating that 'only a little bit' of an action is being performed.
How do you pronounce it?
sukoshi dake
Did you know?
- In many Japanese social contexts, saying 少しだけ (sukoshi dake) when offered something can actually be a polite way to decline a larger portion. It functions as a soft 'no' rather than a literal measurement.
- When Japanese speakers use ちょっと to mean 'only a little', they often accompany it with a gesture of bringing their thumb and index finger close together.
- In very formal Japanese, 少し is often replaced by 少々 (shōshō), which is the standard way for staff in hotels or restaurants to ask a guest to wait 'only a little' bit.
Examples in context
- 瓶には、少しだけ牛乳が残っていた。There was only a little milk left in the bottle.This sentence shows how to use 少しだけ to describe a small amount of milk remaining.Tatoeba #467370 by Namikaze, translation #475372 by blay_paul
- コップには少しだけ水が入っている。There's only a little water in the cup.This sentence shows how to use 少しだけ to describe a small amount of water in a container.Tatoeba #11753186 by small_snow, translation #11756059 by CK
- トムはメアリーより少しだけ年上だ。Tom is only a little older than Mary.This sentence shows how to use 少しだけ to describe a small difference in age.Tatoeba #2556244 by OrangeTart, translation #2583957 by CK
Example conversation
At a cafe, Hiromi asks Hiroto if he is hungry.
- 大翔 Hirotoお腹は空いている？onaka wa suite iru?Are you hungry?
- 陽葵 Himari少しだけ、空いているよ。sukoshi dake, suite iru yo.Only a little, I am.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、何か食べようか。jaa, nani ka tabeyou ka.Then, shall we eat something?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、そうしよう。un, sou shiyou.Yeah, let's do that.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
