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<< Sa | sae-ba >>

さえ [さえ] (sae)
    Meaning: even; only; just
    Example: I can't even see it
    JLPT Level: 2
    Category: grammar
    Author: dc

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Notes:
Verb-masu stem 　尋ねさえ　　＞ just ask 　待ってさえ　＞ just wait V-te 　使ってさえ = just use Noun 　あなたさえよければ = if its OK with you 　 irregular: 　する　＞　しさえ = if you just do.. 　　　　　　勉強しさえ　= only study 　くる　＞　来さえ　（きさえ）＞　just come 　　　　　　ついてきさえ　＞ just follow often used with ーば　意見を述べさえすればよい。　If you just tell us your opinion it would be great. negative 　見えます　＞　見えさえしない　can NOT even see	(dc)
note this usage: ○　見ることさえしない　　cannot even see ○　見さえしない　　did not even look ×　見るさえない　　　incorrect	(dc)
and are slightly formal. an informal way of saying "even" is with 見ることもできない - cannot even see	(dc)
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Examples:

Note: visit WWWJDIC to lookup any unknown words found in the example(s)...
Alternatively, view this page on Rikai.com

ex #115	食べ過ぎて、イチゴさえ食べられない。 I am so full I could not even eat a strawberry.	[edit] (dc)
ex #360	食べ物がなくなれば、人間はネズミさえ食べる。 If there is no food, humans would even eat a mouse.	[edit] (Amatuka)
ex #3036	ほとんどの人がその存在さえ知らないようなこと thing which most people don't even know exists	[edit] (dc)
ex #3048	ソースコードを見つけられさえしないのに、開発するなんてもってのほかだ。 they can't even -find- the source code, let alone finish developing it!	[edit] (dc)
ex #3183	その手紙を（読んだことはともかくとして、）見たかさえ分からない I don't know if she even -saw- the letter, let alone read it	[edit] (dc)
ex #3184	見えさえしない、絶対読めない。 I can't even see it, let alone read it	[edit] (dc)
ex #3185	定規を使ってさえ、まっすぐに線が引けない。 Even using a ruler, he cannot draw a straight line.	[edit] (dc)
ex #3658	あなたさえよければ、私はかまいませんよ。 It's OK with me if it's OK with you.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3659	あなたはいわれた通りにしさえすればいい。 You have only to do what you are told.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3660	あなたの欠点でさえも私のあなたに対する尊敬の気持ちを減じはしないし、友情においてはこれが大切なことです。 Even your faults do not lessen my respect for you, and in friendship this is what counts.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3661	あなたは、彼に参加したいかどうか尋ねさえすればいい。 You have only to ask him if he'd like to join us.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3662	あなたはここで待ってさえいればいいのです。 If you just wait here, thats enough.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3663	あなたはここに来さえすればよい。 You have only to come here.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3664	あなたはこのボタンを押しさえすればいいのです。 You have only to push this button.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3665	あなたはそれを求めさえすればいいそうすれば、与えられるでしょう。 You have only to ask for it and it will be given to you.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3666	あなたはもっと一生懸命勉強しさえすればいいのです。 All you have to do is study harder.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3667	あなたは意見を述べさえすればよい。 All you have to do is to make a comment.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3668	あなたは一所懸命勉強しさえすればよい、そうすれば試験に合格するだろう。 You have only to study hard, and you will pass the test.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #3669	あなたは私についてきさえすればよい。 All you have to do is follow me.	[edit] (dbx)
ex #6126	彼は英語を勉強したことがなく、アルファベットさえ読めない。 He has never studied English, and he can't even read the alphabet.	[edit] (rubyhatchet)
ex #6127	この数日、歯が痛くて、固いものはもちろん、豆腐さえ食べられなくて困った。 I've had a toothache for the past few days, and I can't even eat tofu, let alone tough food.	[edit] (rubyhatchet)
ex #6128	食べ物がなくなれば、人間はネズミさえ食べる。 If food were to run out, people would even eat rats.	[edit] (rubyhatchet)
ex #6180	彼女は酒が好きで、料理に使う安い酒さえ飲んでしまう。 She really loves liquor (sake), and she'll even drink cheap liquor (sake) used for cooking.	[edit] (rubyhatchet)
ex #8401	今でさえ彼女を信じられない。 Even now I can`t believe her.	[edit] (karekano)
ex #8402	彼女は食費さえ惜しんだ。 She even begrudged the money for food.	[edit] (karekano)
ex #8403	子供ばかりでなく大人さえも悲鳴をあげた。 In addiction to the children, even the adults screamed.	[edit] (karekano)
ex #8404	知ってさえいたならなあ。 If I had only known!	[edit] (karekano)

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See Also:

sae-ba (The さえ in さえ～ば can also be used on its own.) [Amatuka]
dani [Miki]
even [dc]
(de)sura [dc]
karashite [rubyhatchet]

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Comments:
dc	Is there a way to use this with verbs? 　見えないさえ、絶対読めない　I can't even see it, of course I can't read it.
Miki	見えさえ_しない、絶対読めない。;) This would be more natural Japanese. 定規を使ってさえ、まっすぐに線が引けない。 Even useing a ruler, he cannot draw a straight line.
bamboo4	# sounds like a baby talk. 「満腹で」or 「食べ過ぎて」would be more appropriate. # can be improved by saying 「飢餓の極限では」(At the extreme hunger).
your name	ex# in girls talk it is used like もうお腹がいっぱい過ぎて、デザートさえ食べられないよ。
bamboo4	# is a bad Japanese, and it also does not correspond with the English version. 見さえしない means "does not even look at it" from which 絶対読めない does not follow, since it means "in no event can it be read."
bamboo4	Delete #.
dc	I changed # to be along miki's first comment. Is this correct now? I think a negative example is needed on this page.
Miki	dc, you really changed #? It's still 変 x2.
bamboo4	# is a bad example. You can change it to read 見ることさえできないのに読める筈がない.
dc	i changed # again, and added bamboos as an alt.
dc	but the alt didnt seem to get saved. hmm.
angelitosh2004	When さえ is connected to a noun, the particles "が" and　"を" are omitted.
angelitosh2004	The word さえ　defines the limits of something, and is used to emphasize the statement made following it. It may imply a feeling of surprise or blame.
dc	angeli - good comments - but could you give examples please?
prachi	sae is an emphatic partical which express the idea of EVEN or ONLY, in conditional clauses. this word can be used as a noun following partical or following a te-form. in the combination with ba form (conditional), it is used as JUST or IF
bamboo4	parachi's comment is all garble to me. Come up with an example to show what you mean.
gahoangdai	About the translation of Example 3644..The translation i suggest is that..The only thing you have to do is to press this button..I think..If we understand by this way..We are able to emphasize the wanna talk to the opposite people..I am so sorry if there was something wrong.

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