Today’s Grammar Point: ～さえ
Yesterday, I talked about the ～まで to describe a/the limit (“to ～” or “up to ～”) or to emphasise the extreme nature of a situation (“to the extent of ～” or “even ～”). You cannot replace the limit setting ～まで with ～さえ but the ～まで for describing extremeness of a situation can sometimes be replaced with ～さえ. Today, I’m going to talk about ～さえ which can replace ～まで.
～さえ actually has 3 different meanings/usages but the ～さえ that can be replaced with ～まで is when ～さえ is used to describe “accumulation” and it can be translated using “besides” or “as well as ～.” This ～さえ is often used in a negative connotation like “something was already bad enough but even ～ happened to make it worse” but it can be used in a positive meaning. If you add も afterwards, ～さえも emphasises the accumulation even more.
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 of emphasis
雨が降っていたのに、風さえ吹きだした。
＝雨が降っていたのに、風まで吹きだした。
As if the rain wasn’t bad enough, the wind started to blow a gale.だんだん暗くなって、雪さえも降ってきた。
＝だんだん暗くなって、雪までも降ってきた。
It got darker and darker, and, what is worse, it began to snow.雨が止んで、太陽さえ顔を見せた。(Today’s Caption)
＝雨が止んで、太陽まで顔を見せた。
The rain stopped and even the sun showed up.強風で屋根さえも飛んだ。
＝強風で屋根までも飛んだ。
Even the roof was blown off by the strong wind. (there are many things blown off and even the roof blew off)先生さえジョンさんの嘘を信じてしまった。
＝先生までジョンさんの嘘を信じてしまった。
Even the teacher believed John’s lie. (there are many people who believed John’s lie and even the teacher was added to the list)水さえ有料だ。
＝水まで有料だ。
Even water is charged. (You have to pay for lots of things and even for water)お腹がすいて盗みさえしたそうだ。
＝お腹がすいて盗みまでしたそうだ。
He was so hungry that he went to the extent of committing theft.水を飲むことさえ難しい。
＝水を飲むことまで難しい。
Even drinking water is difficult.カンニングをしてさえ、いい点が取りたいんですか。
＝カンニングをしてまで、いい点が取りたいんですか。
Will you go as far as cheating in order to get good marks?命を賭けてさえ守りたいものがありますか。
＝命を賭けてまで守りたいものがありますか。
Is there anything you want to protect risking everything including life?
Answer to today’s question: c (for meaning see above)
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- さえ
～さえ･･･ば、—。
～さえ/～でさえ
～さえ
