だけ details
write + only
kaku dake
only; just
meaning: just write
朝はコーヒーだけ飲みます。
asa wa koohii dake nomimasu.
In the morning I have only coffee. neutral
今日の会は、話を聞くだけでいいですよ。
kyou no kai wa, hanashi o kiku dake de ii desu yo.
For today's session, it's fine to just listen. neutral
Examples
only N; no more than N — limits the noun to exactly what is named
朝はコーヒーだけ飲みます。
asa wa koohii dake nomimasu.
In the morning I have only coffee. neutral
一口だけちょうだい。
hitokuchi dake choudai.
Give me just one bite. casual
本日は会員の方だけご入場いただけます。
honjitsu wa kaiin no kata dake go nyuujou itadakemasu.
Today, only members may enter. formal
just V — the action goes no further than what the verb says
今日の会は、話を聞くだけでいいですよ。
kyou no kai wa, hanashi o kikudake de ii desu yo.
For today's session, it's fine to just listen. neutral
買わないよ、ちょっと見てるだけ。
kawanai yo, chotto miteru dake.
I'm not buying anything — I'm just looking. casual
値段を聞いてみるだけなら、ただですよ。
nedan o kiite miru dake nara, tada desu yo.
It costs nothing just to ask the price. neutral
Formation
{N}だけattaches to noun{V}だけattaches to dictionary form
Notes
Related patterns
Similar
Both restrict to N, but だけ rides a positive predicate and states the limit flatly while しか demands a negative one and frames the rest as a shortfall — 千円だけある is bookkeeping, 千円しかない is a complaint.
Both translate "only", but だけ marks an exhaustive limit — nothing else in the set — while ばかり marks lopsided repetition that tolerates exceptions; パンだけ食べた closes the list, パンばかり食べている scolds a habit.