Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Even
🎯 Primary Function
Used after a noun (or something treated like a noun) to highlight an extreme example (usually something expected or easy) to emphasize the severity or extent of a negative situation or lack of something. It implies that *not even* this basic/extreme thing is possible or happening.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + すら
Verb-dictionary form + こと + すら (less common, formal)
Verb-て form + すら (rare, archaic or specific fixed phrases)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Very common, especially in writing.
Informal Situations
Less common than ～さえ, can sound stiff in casual speech.
Written Language
Very common in articles, essays, formal writing, literature.
Spoken Language
Less common than ～さえ, typically limited to formal or very emphatic situations.
💡 Common Applications
Emphasizing a lack or impossibility
Used to stress that even the most basic or expected thing is missing or impossible.
Example: 忙しすぎて、寝る時間すらありません。(I’m so busy, I don’t even have time to sleep.)
Highlighting an extreme negative case
Draws attention to a situation where something surprisingly basic or easy is not possible, indicating how bad things are.
Example: 子供ですら解ける問題が、大人には難しかった。(Even a child could solve this problem, but it was difficult for the adults.)
Expressing betrayal or disappointment
Can be used when someone unexpectedly fails or betrays, emphasizing the closeness or trust that was broken.
Example: 信じていた友にすら裏切られた。(I was betrayed even by the friend I trusted.)
Frequency
Moderate frequency in advanced written materials.
Difficulty
High (N1) – Understanding the nuance and distinguishing from similar particles is key.
Example Sentences
子供ですら解ける問題が、大人には難しかった。
Even a child could solve this problem, but it was difficult for the adults.
忙しすぎて、寝る時間すらありません。
I’m so busy, I don’t even have time to sleep.
信じていた友にすら裏切られた。
I was betrayed even by the friend I trusted.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Strong emphasis on the minimal case
Highlights something that is typically easy, basic, or expected, to show how bad the situation is because *not even* that minimal thing is possible.
Example: 寝る時間すらありません (not even sleep time – emphasizing how extreme the lack of free time is).
Often appears in negative contexts
While not strictly limited to negatives, it is most often used to emphasize a lack, impossibility, or negative outcome.
Example: 理解できない (cannot understand), 失った (lost).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using it in simple additive “even” contexts
✅ Use ～も or other suitable particles.
～すら carries a strong nuance of highlighting an extreme *negative* or surprisingly impossible case, not just adding another item to a list.
❌ Confusing it entirely with ～さえ
✅ Understand the subtle differences in nuance and usage context.
While often interchangeable, ～すら is typically more formal/written and emphasizes the *minimum* or *unexpected* item to show extreme lack/impossibility. ～さえ is more versatile, used in speech and writing, and can have “if only” nuances.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Relatively formal.
Social Situations: More common in formal discussions, essays, or when expressing strong negative feelings or criticism.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese.
🔍 Subtle Differences
～すら vs ～さえ
～すら is more formal/written and emphasizes the *minimum* or *unexpected* thing to highlight an extreme lack or impossibility. ～さえ is more common in speech and writing, and can imply “if only” (in specific structures).
When to use: Use ～すら for strong, formal emphasis on extreme lack, especially in writing. Use ～さえ for general “even” in speech/writing, or “if only” (て form + さえ).
～すら vs ～でさえ
Very similar and often interchangeable. Both are formal. ～でさえ might slightly more focus on “even X, let alone Y”.
When to use: Often interchangeable with ～すら. Choose based on slight nuance or preference, or if the context strongly implies “let alone”.
～すら vs ～まで
～まで means “even” in the sense of reaching an unexpected point (high or low) and can be positive or negative. ～すら is almost exclusively used in negative/lack contexts.
When to use: Use ～まで to indicate reaching an extreme point. Use ～すら to emphasize that *not even* the most basic/easy thing is possible due to a negative situation.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Attaches directly to nouns or noun phrases. Rarer forms exist but Noun + すら is the main N1 pattern.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced “sura”. Stress is typically flat or slightly on the “u”.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of “SUprising RAck” or “SUbjected to RAther extreme conditions”. It highlights an unexpectedly severe lack.
Vocabulary List
子供
kodomo
child
解ける
tokeru
to solve
大人
otona
adult
忙しい
isogashii
busy
寝る時間
neru jikan
sleeping time
信じる
shin jiru
to believe
友
friend
Kanji List
子
ko
child
供
domo
companion, attendant
解
to(keru)
solve, untie
大
oo, otona
large, great
人
hito, jin
person
忙
isoga(shii)
busy
寝
ne(ru)
sleep
時
ji, toki
time
間
kan, aida
interval, space
信
shin(jiru)
believe
友
tomo
friend
Practice Exercises
彼はもう何日も何も食べていない。水（ ）飲めないほど弱っている。
まで
すら
とか
ばかり
この試験は簡単すぎて、（ ）合格できるだろう。
子供ですら
子供まで
子供さえ
子供だけ
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.
