JLPT N1・N3 Grammar – Difference between “〜さえ” and “〜すら”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜さえ” and “〜すら”
2. 〜さえ
3. 〜すら
4. Let’s Compare
5. Expressing minimum conditions
6. Formation
7. Summary
8. Quiz
9. Similar Articles
10. Comment

Q: Can “〜さえ” and “〜すら” be interchangeable?

A: Both ”〜さえ” and “〜すら” are used when expressing extreme matters. While they are generally interchangeable, let’s delve deeper into their usage to understand more.

〜さえ (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
“Even” (implies that if one thing is true, then others should naturally be true as well)

[Rule]　
[Ｎ] Noun＋さえ

[Examples]
もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、レストランで注文ちゅうもんさえできません。
Even though I’ve lived in America for three years, I can’t even order at a restaurant.
⇒ Since I can’t even order at the restaurant, it’s only natural that I can’t do other things.
　
学生がくせいの頃ころは貧乏びんぼうで、食たべ物ものを買かうお金かねさえありませんでした。
Back when I was a student, I was so poor that I didn’t even have money to buy food.
⇒ If I can’t buy food, naturally I can’t buy other things either.

のどが痛いたくて、水みずさえ飲のめません。
My throat hurts so much that I can’t even drink water.
⇒ If I can’t drink water, then of course I can’t drink anything else or eat anything either.

〜すら (JLPT N1)

[Meaning]
“Even” (implies that if one thing is true, then others should naturally be true as well)
It’s often used to express something negative, including the speaker’s surprise or astonishment.

[Rule]　
[Ｎ] Noun ＋すら

[Examples]
もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、アルファベットすら読よめません。
Even though I’ve lived in America for three years, I can’t even read the alphabet.
⇒ Since I can’t even read the alphabet, naturally, I can’t do anything else.
　 The speaker has a negative feeling about this fact.
　
今日きょうは忙いそがしすぎてトイレに行いくことすらできませんでした。
Today, I was so busy that I couldn’t even go to the bathroom.
⇒ I can’t even go to the restroom, so naturally, I can’t do anything else.
　The speaker has a negative feeling about this fact.

祖父そふは海外かいがいはもちろん、となりの県けんにすら行いったことがありません。
My grandfather has never been to a foreign country, let alone a neighboring prefecture.
⇒ Grandfather has never even been to a neighboring prefecture, so naturally, he hasn’t been anywhere else.
　 The speaker is surprised by this fact.

Let’s Compare

Let’s compare ”〜さえ” and “〜すら“ using the examples above.

[Examples]
もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、レストランで注文ちゅうもんさえできません。
もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、レストランで注文ちゅうもんすらできません。
Even though I’ve lived in America for three years, I can’t even order at a restaurant.

もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、アルファベットさえ読よめません。
もうアメリカに3年ねん住すんでいるのに、アルファベットすら読よめません。
Even though I’ve lived in America for three years, I can’t even read the alphabet.

This way, while these example sentences are interchangeable, the crucial point for differentiation lies in the speaker’s emotions.

“〜すら” extracts extreme scenarios, encompassing surprise or unexpected feelings from the speaker. For instance, phrases like “Can’t even order at a restaurant” or “Can’t even read the alphabet” after living in America for 3 years depict surprise amidst the expectation that living in America should naturally enable such actions.

“〜すら” carries a stronger negative connotation compared to “〜さえ,” indicating a significant disappointment for the speaker.

Let’s explore more examples that include feelings of surprise, disappointment, or unexpectedness:

[Examples]　
え、この時代じだいにケータイすら持もってないの！？
Wow, you don’t even have a mobile phone in this day and age!?
⇒ The speaker expresses astonishment at the listener not having a cell phone.

忙いそがしくて寝ねる時間じかんすらないです。
I’m so busy that I don’t even have time to sleep.
⇒ This conveys a sense of disappointment due to the lack of sleep.

この問題もんだいは子こどもですらわかるのに、夫おっとはわからないみたいです。
Even a child understands this problem, but my husband doesn’t.
⇒ The speaker expresses surprise at the unexpected situation where the husband doesn’t comprehend something that even a child does.

When expressing minimum conditions

For instance, when a certain condition must be met for something to be possible, we must use “〜さえ.” It’s used in conditional forms like “Ｎさえ～ば・Ｎさえ～たら,” so remember this.
　
[Examples]
アルファベットさえ読よめれば、アメリカの生活せいかつが楽らくになるでしょう。
If only you could read the alphabet, life in America would be easier.
⇒ This illustrates that the minimum requirement for a better life in America is being able to read the alphabet.

母ははの許可きょかさえもらえれば、留学りゅうがくができます。
If only I could get my mother’s permission, I could study abroad.
⇒ Here, the minimum requirement for studying abroad is obtaining permission from the mother.

Formation

“〜さえ” and “〜すら” can both be followed by the particle “で” to form “〜でさえ” and “〜ですら.”
In this case, the particle “で” can be included or omitted without affecting the meaning. When included, it’s often attached to the nominative case (living beings) or used with numbers.

[Examples]　
最近さいきんの子供こどもの名前なまえは、日本にほん人じんでさえ読よめない漢字かんじの名前なまえが多おおいです。
最近さいきんの子供こどもの名前なまえは、日本にほん人じんですら読よめない漢字かんじの名前なまえが多おおいです。
Recent children’s names often include kanji which even Japanese people can’t read.

のどが痛いたくて、水みず一いっ滴てきでさえ飲のめません。
のどが痛いたくて、水みず一いっ滴てきですら飲のめません。
My throat hurts so much that I can’t even drink a drop of water.

These expressions can also connect with particles other than “で,” but they cannot be followed by “は,” “が,” or “を.”

[Examples]　
× 事故じこでけがをしてしまい、歩あるくことがすらできない状態じょうたいです。
I’m in a condition where I can’t even walk due to the injury from the accident.

× 忙いそがしくて寝ねる時間じかんはさえありません。
I’m so busy that I don’t even have time to sleep.

× 彼かれは自分じぶんの名前なまえをすら書かけません。
He can’t even write his own name.

○ 引っ越ひ　こしのことは親友しんゆうにさえ話はなしていません。
I haven’t even talked to my best friend about the move.

Summary

• “〜さえ” and “〜すら” denote extreme examples, but “〜すら” is preferred when expressing even more extreme cases or surprising feelings of the speaker.
• “〜さえ” alone is used to indicate minimum conditions. Remember to use “〜さえ” in the form of “Nさえ条件形” when expressing minimum conditions.
• While these expressions often precede particles like “で,” they cannot be followed by “は,” “が,” or “を.”

Quiz

Are these sentences correct? Please answer with ◯ or ×!

Click on the question to check the answer.

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