JLPT N2 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 5: ～だけ・～限り (Only... / As long as...)

～だけ・～限り (Only... / As long as...)

JLPT N2
Shinkanzen N2 • 4 key grammar patterns
Point 1N2_L5_G1

1. ～に限り / ～限りで (Only / Limited to...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun (N) + に限かぎり
Noun (Time) + 限かぎりで

This pattern has two uses that should be distinguished.

A. N + に限り: Only / Limited to N

✓ Restricts a rule, benefit, exception, or special treatment to a particular group or case.
✓ Formal and common in announcements, regulations, and notices.

B. Time N + 限りで: Ending with... / Until the end of...

✓ Indicates that an event or activity ends at the time specified by N.
✓ Examples: 今月限りで = at the end of this month; 今週限りで = at the end of this week.

Example Sentences (5)
佐藤さとうさんは今月こんげつ限かぎりで定年退職ていねんたいしょくすることになっている。
Mr./Ms. Sato is scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
このちらしをご持参じさんのお客様きゃくさまに限かぎり、すべての商品しょうひんを1割引わりびきでお買かい求もとめいただけます。
Only customers who bring this flyer can purchase all items at a 10% discount.
その映画えいがの上映じょうえいは今週こんしゅう限かぎりで打うち切きられる。
The screening of that movie will end after this week.
欠席理由けっせきりゆうが正当せいとうな場合ばあいに限かぎり出席扱しゅっせきあつかいにしますが、それ以外いがいの欠席けっせきは認みとめません。
Only in cases where the reason for absence is justified will it be treated as attendance; other absences will not be accepted.
この病院びょういんは午後ごご6時じまでですが、急きゅうを要ようする患者かんじゃさんに限かぎり、時間外じかんがいでも診察しんさついたします。
This hospital is open until 6 PM, but for patients requiring urgent care only, we provide consultations outside of regular hours.
Point 2N2_L5_G2

2. ～限り（は） (As long as / While...)

Sentence Pattern
Verb (Plain form) + 限かぎり（は）
な-adjective だ + な + 限かぎり（は）
Adjective / Noun だ + である + 限かぎり（は）

Meaning: As long as condition/state A holds, B remains true or applicable.
✓ Clause A gives the condition or continuing state; clause B gives a result, judgment, obligation, possibility, etc. that holds under that condition.
✓ Both affirmative and negative forms are possible: Vる / Vている / Vない + 限り（は）, な-adjective + な限り, N + である限り.
✓ ～ない限り（は） often means “unless... / if ... does not...”.

Example Sentences (7)
新あたらしい言葉ことばを覚おぼえている限かぎり、この問題もんだいが解とけるだろう。
As long as you remember the new vocabulary, you will probably be able to solve this problem.
この町まちに住すんでいる限かぎり、いつでも新鮮しんせんな食たべ物ものが手てに入はいる。
As long as you live in this town, you can get fresh food at any time.
君きみが生意気なまいきな態度たいどを取とっている限かぎり、君きみの要求ようきゅうは無理むりです。
As long as you keep taking that cheeky attitude, your demands will be impossible to meet.
社長しゃちょうが考かんがえ方かたを変かえない限かぎりは、この会社かいしゃは何なにも変かわらないのではないか。
As long as the company president doesn't change his way of thinking, isn't it true that nothing will change in this company?
私わたしが生いきている限かぎり、先生せんせいのご恩おんは決けっして忘わすれません。
As long as I live, I will never forget the kindness my teacher showed me.
足あしが丈夫じょうぶな限かぎり、まだまだ山登やまのぼりが楽たのしめるだろう。
As long as my legs are strong, I'll probably still be able to enjoy mountain climbing.
親おやである限かぎりは、子供こどもに対たいする責任せきにんがあると思おもう。
As long as we are parents, I believe we have a responsibility towards our children.
Point 3N2_L5_G3

3. ～限りでは (As far as... / From what...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun (N) の + 限かぎりでは
Vる / Vた / Vている + 限かぎりでは

Meaning: Within the limits of the source of information.
✓ Accompanied by words related to gathering information (such as seeing, hearing, remembering, knowing, investigating... 見る、聞く、覚えている、知っている、調査...).
✓ The second clause expresses information or a judgment based on that source.

Example Sentences (5)
今回こんかいの調査ちょうさの限かぎりでは、書類しょるいにミスはなかった。
As far as this investigation goes, there were no mistakes in the documents.
私わたしが知しっている限かぎり（では）、彼女かのじょは無実むじつです。
As far as I know, she is innocent.
ちょっと見みた限かぎりでは、こちらの商品しょうひんとあちらの商品しょうひんでは違ちがいがないと思おもうのですが、どうして値段ねだんが違ちがうんですか。
From just a quick glance, I don't see any difference between this product and that one. So why are the prices different?
聞きいた限かぎりでは、あの二人ふたりは別わかれたらしい。
From what I've heard, it seems those two have broken up.
私わたしが知しっている限かぎりでは、この近所きんじょに花屋はなやはありません。
As far as I know, there are no flower shops in this neighborhood.
Point 4N2_L5_G4

4. ～に限って (3 meanings)

Sentence Pattern
Noun (N) + に限かぎって
A. Unlike usual (Only this time...)

Unlike how it usually is, only this particular subject/day is different.

B. Unfortunate timing (Of all times...)

The second clause carries a negative meaning, an unfortunate situation occurs. The whole sentence expresses the speaker's dissatisfaction or bad luck.

C. Special trust in N (N, of all people...)

Because there is strong trust in N, one assumes nothing bad could involve N. The second clause uses the negative form to express certainty that such a thing won't happen.

Example Sentences (8)
ふだん酒さけなどあまり飲のまない彼かれが、今日きょうに限かぎってかなり飲のんだ。何なにかあったのだろうか。
He usually doesn't drink much alcohol, but only today he drank quite a lot. I wonder if something happened.
あのレストランは年中無休ねんじゅうむきゅうなのに、行いってみたら今日きょうに限かぎって休業きゅうぎょうだった。
That restaurant is open year-round, but when I went there, of all days, it was closed today.
わたしはいつもは駅前えきまえで買かい物ものするのだが、その日ひに限かぎって車くるまで遠とおくのスーパーまで行いった。
I usually shop in front of the station, but on that day alone, I drove to a supermarket far away.
学校がっこうを休やすんだ日ひに限かぎってテストがある。
Of all days, there's a test exactly on the day I take off from school.
庭にわの手入ていれをしようと思おもっている日ひに限かぎって雨あめが降ふる。
It rains on the exact day I plan to take care of the garden.
今日きょうは大切たいせつな用事ようじがあったのに、こんな時ときに限かぎって子供こどもが熱ねつを出だしてしまった。
I had an important errand today... but of all times, my child had to catch a fever right now.
うちの子こに限かぎって友達ともだちをいじめることはないと思おもいますが……。とても優やさしい子こなんですよ。
I don't think my child, of all people, would bully a friend... They are a very kind child.
あのレストランに限かぎって古ふるい食材しょくざいなど使つかうはずはないと思おもっていたのに……。
I thought that of all places, that restaurant would never use old ingredients, and yet...
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