More amount expressions

We already learned some grammar dealing with amounts in chapter 5. In this section, we’ll learn some other useful expressions dealing with various amounts.

Expressing nothing but with 「ばかり」

「ばかり」 has many different usages some of which we’ll cover later. For example, it can have the same meaning as 「だけ」 or 「ぐらい」. However, in conversational Japanese, it’s often used to describe an abundance ie, “it’s nothing but…”. It comes after a noun or adjective just like a particle and the result becomes a noun.

Example

1. 職場はいい人ばかりだ。
   Workplace is nothing but good people.
2. 仕事ばかりをしていると、大切なことを見失う。
   If (you) do nothing but work, (you) will lose sight of important things.
3. 最近は、肉ばかりを食べているから野菜をもっと食べるようにしている。
   (I’ve) been eating nothing but meat lately so (I’m) trying to eat more vegetables.

In casual Japanese, it can also be shortened to just 「ばっかり」 or 「ばっか」.

Example

1. うそばっかり！
   Nothing but lies!
2. アドレス帳は何で女の子ばっかなの？
   Why is (your) address book nothing but girls?

Expressing degree with 「さ」

「さ」 is used to convert an adjective into a scale or degree. For example, changing the adjective for “tall” to “height”.

Example

1. 世界で一番高い建物の高さは何？
   What’s the height of (the) tallest building in the world?
2. 犬の聴覚の敏感さを人間と比べると、はるかに上だ。
   If you compare the level of sensitivity of hearing of dogs to humans, it is far above.
3. 靴は、見た目より歩きやすさの方が大事だと思わない？
   As for shoe(s), don’t (you) think ease of walking is more important than looks?

Expressing an excess with 「も」

The 「も」 particle can be used with an amount to describe something that’s excessive.

Example

1. 昨日、電話三回もしたよ！
   (I) called you even three times yesterday!
2. アメリカに行ったら、５キロも太っちゃった。
   Once (I) went to America, (I) gained even 5 kilograms.
3. あいつに３０分も待たされたよ！
   (I) was made to wait even 30 minutes by that guy!

Using 「ば」 and 「ほど」 together

The 「ば」 conditional and 「ほど」 can be used together to express, “the more something, the more something else.” This is essential a fixed sentence pattern.

Example

1. 楽しければ楽しいほど、時間が経つのが早い感じがする。
   The more fun (it) is, the more it feels like time is passing quickly.
   (lit: If (it’s) fun, to the extent that (it’s) fun, feels like time is passing quickly.)
2. レシピは簡単であれば簡単なほどいいですよね。
   As for recipe(s), the easier (it) is, the better it is, isn’t it?
   (lit: If recipe is simple, to (the) extent that (it’s) simple, (it’s) better, isn’t it?)
3. 見れば見るほど美しい。
   The more (I) look, the more beautiful (she is).
   (lit: if (I) look, to the extend that (I) look, beautiful.)

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