～さえ/～でさえ

Today’s Grammar Point: ～さえ/～でさえ

Yesterday, I talked about the ～さえ that indicates “accumulation” and that ～さえ can be replaced with ～まで.

Today, I’m going to talk about ～さえ which is used to give an extreme example and let others guess the rest. This ～さえ cannot be replaced with ～まで but can be replaced with emphasising も although the extreme feel gets (slightly) reduced with も.

Connections

• [noun] (+ [particle])* + さえ
• [plain form verb] + こと (+ [particle])* + さえ
  *さえ usually replaces particles は、が、を but if any other particle is needed, that stays.
• [てform verb] + さえ

Examples

息子むすこはアイスクリームさえ食たべない。（さえ is replacing を）
≒息子むすこはアイスクリームも食たべない。
My son doesn’t eat even ice cream.

あの子こは自分じぶんの名前なまえさえ書かけない。 （さえ is replacing が）
≒ あの子こは自分じぶんの名前なまえも書かけない。
That child cannot write even his own name.

トイレにさえ一人ひとりで行いけない。(This に is the destination marker thus cannot be replaced by さえ)
≒ トイレにも一人ひとりで行いけない。
I cannot go alone even to the toilet.

自転車じてんしゃでさえ10分じゅっぷんかかる。 (This で is the means marker thus cannot be replaced by さえ)
≒ 自転車じてんしゃでも10分じゅっぷんかかる。
Even on a bicycle it will take 10 minutes.

雨あめの後あとでさえ、すずしくならない。(This で is a time marker thus cannot be replaced by さえ)
≒ 雨あめの後あとでも、すずしくならない。
Even after the rain, it doesn’t cool down.

水みずを飲のむことさえ難むずかしいんです。 （さえ is replacing が/は） (Today’s Caption Sentences)
≒ 水みずを飲のむことも難むずかしいんです。
Even drinking water is difficult.

私わたしはその本ほんをまだ開あけてさえいない。
≒ 私わたしはその本ほんをまだ開あけてもいない。
I have never even opened the book.

歩あるいてさえ間まに合あう距離きょりです。
≒ 歩あるいても間まに合あう距離きょりです。
You’ll make it even if you walk.

負まけてさえ、悲かなしそうじゃない。
≒ 負まけても、悲かなしそうじゃない。
Even after losing the match, he doesn’t look sad.

～でさえ

When ～さえ follows a noun directly (as ～さえ usually replaces particles は, が or を, this happens quite often) and means “even,” で is often added before さえ, and this でemphasises the meaning of さえ even more (no pun intended). Although you don’t need to remember this, this で is not a particle specifying “means,” “place of action,” “time,” etc., but this で is the てform of the affirmative auxiliary verb です/だ.

雨あめが止やんで、太陽たいようさえ顔かおを見みせた。（≒雨あめが止やんで、太陽たいようまで顔かおを見みせた。）
≒雨あめが止やんで、太陽たいようでさえ顔かおを見みせた。
The rain stopped and even the sun showed up.

息子むすこはアイスクリームさえ食たべない。（≒ 息子むすこは アイスクリームも食たべない。 ）
≒ 息子むすこはアイスクリームでさえ食たべない。
My son doesn’t eat even ice cream.

As shown above, “[noun] + さえ” can be replaced with “[noun] + で + さえ” even when さえ can be replaced with まで but it seems to me that adding で happens more often with the さえ that can be replaced with も. Now one thing clear here is that once で is added in front of さえ, さえ can no longer be replaced with まで. So you cannot say 雨あめが止やんで、太陽たいようでまで顔かおを見みせた. However, with も the story is not that simple.

～でさえ vs ～でも

“[noun] + で + さえ” can sometimes be replaced with “[noun] + で + も” but not always. This happens because, while both “[noun] + で + さえ” and “[noun] + で + も” emphasise the extreme nature of the situation, “[noun] + で + も” has the focus on the deviation from the norm, so if the sentence does not let us assume the norm which makes a contrast with the extreme situation shown in the sentence, “[noun] + で + も” cannot be used. See below.

（✓） 日曜日にちようびでさえ仕事しごとに行いかなければならない。
（✓） 日曜日にちようびでも仕事しごとに行いかなければならない。 (I have to go to work even on Sundays, let alone on weekdays (the norm).)
I have to go to work even on Sundays.

（✓）そんなことは 子こどもでさえわかる。
（✓）そんなことは 子こどもでもわかる。 (Even a child can understand, so adults (the norm) should be able to understand.)
Even a child can understand that.

For the above examples, we can assume the norm from the sentence. However, in the examples below, we cannot assume the norm, thus we cannot replace でさえ with でも.

（✓） あの子こは自分じぶんの名前なまえでさえ書かけない。
（×） あの子こは自分じぶんの名前なまえでも書かけない。 (Wring his own name is the least expectation. There is no norm suggested here.)
That child cannot write even his own name.

（✓）のどが痛いたくて、 水みずを飲のむことでさえ難むずかしい。
（×）のどが痛いたくて、 水みずを飲のむことでも難むずかしい。 (There is no norm that suggests drinking water is an extreme deviation from it.)
As I have a sore throat, even drinking water is difficult.

Answer to today’s question: c (for meaning see above)

All the other sentences mean: “Even drinking water is difficult” but as “drinking water” is not a deviation from any norm, でも cannot be used.

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