Qubyte Codes

Using も, だけ, and しか can add nuance to amounts of things.

Many using も

By inserting も after a number or counter, it adds the nuance that the speaker feels that the quantity is large.

Example:

• Mark has ten cars.
• マークさんは車(くるま)を十台も持(も)っています。

Not many using だけ

Similar to も, you can use だけ after a number or counter to add nuance. In this case the nuance added is that the speaker feels the quantity is low.

Example:

• Mark only has one pen.
• マークさんはペンを一つだけ持(も)っています。

Not many using しか

Similar to だけ, you can use しか after a number or counter to add the nuance that the speaker feels the quantity is low. Unlike だけ, しか requires that the verb used is in its negative form.

Example:

• Mark only has one pen.
• マークさんはペンを一つしか持(も)っていません。

I'd entirely forgotten how to use しか since early on I'd learnt about だけ, which doesn't negate the verb (making it easier for me to remember).