# Amounts of quantification

## 以 prefix

{以上|い|じょう} means "above", "exceeding".
{以下|い|か} means "below", "not exceeding".
{以外|い|がい} means "excepting".
{以内|い|ない} means "within".

Used with nouns.

> [!info] Example
> １{時間|じかん}==以内=={終|お}わります。
> It will be finished within an hour.

## せいぜい

Means "at the most".
Used before a noun of time or a verb.

> [!info] Example
> ==せいぜい=={頑張|がんば}ります。
> I'll do my best.
> 
> この木は==せいぜい==３{年|ねん}です。
> This tree is at most 3 years old.

## さらに

{更|さら}に means "even more", "more and more", "in addition to".
Used with time, quantity, etc.

> [!info] Example
> {新|あたら}しい{仕事|しごと}を{始|はじめ}めて==さらに==うれしいになりました。
> I've become even happier with my new job.

## 別に～ない

{別|べつ}に means "not really", "not particularly".
Used with words in negative form.

> [!info] Example
> どうしてエアコンを{付|つ}きましたか。{今|いま}は==別に=={暑|あつ}==くない==よ。
> Why did you turn on the AC? It's not that hot right now.

## わずかに (NEW!)

Means "slightly", "only", "a little". Used at the beginning of a phrase to indicate a particularly small amount of something.

> [!info] Example
> いつでも{隣|となり}の{人|ひと}の{音|おと}が==わずかに=={聞|き}こえます。
> You can always hear the neighbours a little bit.

## No matter how

### どんなに～ても

<div class="usage">
	<p class="iright">どんなに + </p>
<div class="ileft">
	<p><span class="box">V (て)</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">い-Adj <strike>い</strike> くても</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">な-Adj + でも</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">N + でも</span></p>
</div>
</div>

Means "no matter how much". Also used as いくら~ても.

> [!info] Example
> ==どんなに=={練習|れんしゅう}し==ても==、マラソンを{走|はし}れない。
> No matter how much I train, I cannot run a marathon.

### どうしても

Means "no matter what".

> [!info] Example
> ==どうしても=={花火|はなび}に行きたい。
> No matter what, I want to go see the fireworks.

## At least

### 少なくとも (NEW!)

{少|すく}なくとも means "at least". Implies an obligation.

> [!info] Example
> ==少なくとも==もっと{三人|さんにん}が{必要|ひつよう}です。
> At least three more people are required.

### せめて (NEW!)

Means "at least". Implies a request.

> [!info] Example
> ==せめて=={週|しゅう}に{一度|いちど}{勉強|べんきょう}してください。
> Please study at least once a week.

## だけましだ (NEW!)

<div class="usage">
<div class="left">
	<p><span class="box">V</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">い-Adj</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">な-Adj + な</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">N + である</span></p>
</div>
	<p class="right">+ だけましだ</p>
</div>

Means "should be grateful for", "at least", "better than". Means that while something is not good, or not as good as one wishes, it's still better than nothing or an alternative.

> [!info] Examples
> {給料|きゅうりょう}がちょっとすくない、{就職|しゅうしょく}==だけましだ==。
> The salary is a little low, but at least I found a job.

## Very

### てしょうがない・てしかたがない

<div class="usage">
<div class="left">
	<p><span class="box">V (て)</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">い-Adj <strike>い</strike> くて</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">な-Adj + <strike>な</strike> で</span></p>
</div>
	<p class="right">+ しょうがない・しかたがない</p>
</div>

Means both "extremely" and "can't be helped".
See [[Can't help - doesn't matter#てしょうがない・てしかたがない]]

> [!info] Example
> {今日|きょう}は{暑|あつ}く==てしょうがない==。
> Today is extremely hot.

### なかなか

<div class="usage">
	<p class="iright">なかなか + </p>
<div class="ileft">
	<p><span class="box">Adj</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">の + N</span></p>
</div>
</div>

Means "very", "quite".
See also [[Adverbs#なかなか～ない]].

> [!info] Example
> {今日|きょう}は==なかなか=={寒|さむ}いね。
> It's quite cold today.

### だけ

<div class="usage">
<div class="left">
	<p><span class="box">V (dictionary)</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">い-Adj</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">な-Adj + な</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">N</span></p>
</div>
	<p class="right">+ だけ</p>
</div>

Means "as much".
See also [[Only - just#だけ]].

> [!info] Example
> 私は{払|はら}うんでだ、{飲|の}む==だけ==飲んで！
> I'll be paying, so drink as much as you can!

### なるべく・できるだけ

Means "as much as possible". なるべく is a bit softer than できるだけ.

> [!info] Example
> ==なるべく=={静|しず}かにしてください。
> Please be as quiet as possible.

### あまり

<div class="usage">
<div class="left">
	<p><span class="box">V</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">N + の</span></p>
</div>
	<p class="right">+ あまり</p>
</div>

Means "so much... that".
Adjectives nominalized can be used as nouns. See [[Transformation#~さ adjective as noun]] and [[Transformation#~み adjective as noun]].

> [!info] Example
> おいしさの==あまり==、このレストラン{毎日|まいにち}行きたい。
> The food is so delicious that I want to eat in this restaurant every day.

### あまりにも

<div class="usage">
	<p class="iright">あまりに(も) + </p>
<div class="ileft">
	<p><span class="box">V</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">Adj</span></p>
</div>
</div>

<div class="usage">
	<p class="r">あまりの + </p>
<div class="">
	<p><span class="box">N</span></p>
</div>
</div>

Means "so much... that". A version of あまり that can also be used with adjectives.

> [!info] Example
> {先生|せんせい}が==あまりに=={厳|きび}しくて、{私|わたし}は{泣|な}き{始|はじ}めった。
> The teacher was so strict that I started to cry.

## Not at all

### ちっとも~ない (NEW!)

Means "not at all". Has a nuance of perhaps happening once or twice. It is casual.
Used with a verb in the negative (ない) form.

> [!info] Example
> ==ちっとも=={学校|がっこう}を{休|やす}まない。
> I never miss school.

### 少しも~ない (NEW!)

<div class="usage">
	<p class="iright">少しも + </p>
<div class="ileft">
	<p><span class="box">V (ない)</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">い-Adj + <strike>い</strike> くない</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">な-Adj + ではない</span></p>
	<p><span class="box">N + ではない</span></p>
</div>
</div>

{少|すこ}しも~ない means "not at all". Has a nuance of perhaps happening once or twice. Mostly used in writing.

> [!info] Example
> そのアパートは==少しも==大きくなかった。
> That appartment was really not big.

### 全く~ない (NEW!)

{全|まった}く~ない means "not at all". Has a nuance of absolutely never happening.
Used with a verb in the negative (ない) form.

> [!info] Example
> ==全く=={信|しん}じられない。
> That is absolutely unbelievable.

### として~ない (NEW!)

Means "not at all". Has a nuance of absolutely never happening.
Insists more on the duration: "not even".
Used before a a duration, a number, etc.

> [!info] Example
> {彼女|かのじょ}は{一日|いちにち}==として=={仕事|しごと}を{遅|おく}れなかった。
> She has never missed a day of work, not even one day.

### 全然 (NEW!)

{全然|ぜんぜん} means "not at all".

⚠ In more casual settings, it can be used for positive meanings: "completely", "totally".

> [!info] Example
> ==全然=={知|し}らなかった。
> I had no idea.