TAKOBOTO

even; only; just
I can't even see it

Add formation 

たべすぎて、イチゴさえたべられない。

I am so full I could not even eat a strawberry.

たべものがなくなれば、にんげんはネズミさえたべる。

If there is no food, humans would even eat a mouse.

ほとんどのひとがそのそんざいさえしらないようなこと

thing which most people don't even know exists

ソースコードをみつけられさえしないのに、かいはつするなんてもってのほかだ。

they can't even -find- the source code, let alone finish developing it!

じょうぎをつかってさえ、まっすぐにせんがひけない。

Even using a ruler, he cannot draw a straight line.

あなたさえよければ、わたしはかまいませんよ。

It's OK with me if it's OK with you.

あなたはいわれたとおりにしさえすればいい。

You have only to do what you are told.

あなたのけってんでさえもわたしのあなたにたいするそんけいのきもちをげんじはしないし、ゆうじょうにおいてはこれがたいせつなことです。

Even your faults do not lessen my respect for you, and in friendship this is what counts.

あなたは、かれにさんかしたいかどうかたずねさえすればいい。

You only have to ask him if he'd like to join us.

あなたはここでまってさえいればいいのです。

If you just wait here, thats enough.

あなたはここにきさえすればよい。

You have only to come here.

あなたはこのボタンをおしさえすればいいのです。

You have only to push this button.

あなたはそれをもとめさえすればいいそうすれば、あたえられるでしょう。

You have only to ask for it and it will be given to you.

あなたはもっといっしょうけんめいべんきょうしさえすればいいのです。

All you have to do is study harder.

あなたはいけんをのべさえすればよい。

All you have to do is to make a comment.

あなたはいっしょけんめいべんきょうしさえすればよい、そうすればしけんにごうかくするだろう。

You have only to study hard, and you will pass the test.

あなたはわたしについてきさえすればよい。

All you have to do is follow me.

かれはえいごをべんきょうしたことがなく、アルファベットさえよめない。

He has never studied English, and he can't even read the alphabet.

このすうにち、はがいたくて、かたいものはもちろん、とうふさえたべられなくてこまった。

I've had a toothache for the past few days, and I can't even eat tofu, let alone tough food.

たべものがなくなれば、にんげんはネズミさえたべる。

If food were to run out, people would even eat rats.

かのじょはさけがすきで、りょうりにつかうやすいさけさえのんでしまう。

She really loves liquor (sake), and she'll even drink cheap liquor (sake) used for cooking.

いまでさえかのじょをしんじられない。

Even now I can`t believe her.

かのじょはしょくひさえおしんだ。

She even begrudged the money for food.

こどもばかりでなくおとなさえもひめいをあげた。

In addiction to the children, even the adults screamed.

しってさえいたならなあ。

If I had only known!

そのてがみを（よんだことはともかくとして、）みたかさえわからない

I don't know if she even -saw- the letter, let alone read it

みえさえしない、ぜったいよめない。

I can't even see it, let alone read it

Verb-masu stem
　尋ねさえ　　＞ just ask
　待ってさえ　＞ just wait

V-te
　使ってさえ = just use

Noun
　あなたさえよければ = if its OK with you
　
irregular:
　する　＞　しさえ = if you just do..
　　　　　　勉強しさえ　= only study
　くる　＞　来さえ　（きさえ）＞　just come
　　　　　　ついてきさえ　＞ just follow

often used with ーば
　意見を述べさえすればよい。
　If you just tell us your opinion it would be great.

negative
　見えます　＞　見えさえしない
can NOT even see

dc

note this usage:

○　見ることさえしない
　　cannot even see

○　見さえしない
　　did not even look

×　見るさえない　
incorrect

dc

[sae] and [sura] are slightly formal. an informal way of saying "even" is with [mo]
見ることもできない - cannot even see

dc

Is there a way to use this with verbs?
　見えないさえ、絶対読めない
I can't even see it, of course I can't read it.

dc

見えさえ_しない、絶対読めない。;)
This would be more natural Japanese.
定規を使ってさえ、まっすぐに線が引けない。
Even useing a ruler, he cannot draw a straight line.

Miki

#115 sounds like a baby talk. 「満腹で」or 「食べ過ぎて」would be more appropriate. #360 can be improved by saying 「飢餓の極限では」(At the extreme hunger).

bamboo4

ex#115 in girls talk it is used like もうお腹がいっぱい過ぎて、デザートさえ食べられないよ。

your name

#3184 is a bad Japanese, and it also does not correspond with the English version. 見さえしない means "does not even look at it" from which 絶対読めない does not follow, since it means "in no event can it be read."

bamboo4

Delete #3184.

bamboo4

I changed #3184 to be along miki's first comment. Is this correct now? I think a negative example is needed on this page.

dc

dc, you really changed #3184? It's still 変 x2.

Miki

#3184 is a bad example. You can change it to read 見ることさえできないのに読める筈がない.

bamboo4

i changed #3184 again, and added bamboos as an alt.

dc

but the alt didnt seem to get saved. hmm.

dc

When さえ is connected to a noun, the particles "が" and "を" are omitted.

angelitosh2004

The word さえ defines the limits of something, and is used to emphasize the statement made following it. It may imply a feeling of surprise or blame.

angelitosh2004

angeli - good comments - but could you give examples please?

dc

parachi's comment is all garble to me. Come up with an example to show what you mean.

bamboo4

sae is an emphatic partical which express the idea of EVEN or ONLY, in conditional clauses.
this word can be used as a noun following partical or following a te-form. in the combination with ba form (conditional), it is used as JUST or IF

prachi

About the translation of Example 3644..The translation i suggest is that..The only thing you have to do is to press this button..I think..If we understand by this way..We are able to emphasize the wanna talk to the opposite people..I am so sorry if there was something wrong.

gahoangdai