Jisho

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1 Reply ・ Started by Shogan at 2019-03-29 23:57:32 UTC ・ Last reply by Zengor at 2019-03-30 03:14:02 UTC
This is a discussion about しか

A question

So, according to what I read here, when you use "しか" with the negative form of a verb it means "only", "nothing but" right? I want to write "I really like japanese food, even though I have only tried it a few times". According to google translate, which of course it's almost never to be trusted so easily, it would be something like "私は数回しか試したことがないのに、私は日本食がとても好きです" So my question is: in this case, "しか" comes after "数回" which is few times, and it makes sense right? 数回 (a few times) しか (only). But here comes the problem, 数回 is not a verb, it's an adverbial noun, so, why does the translator read しか as "only"? There is no negative verb, I never said that I "don't do" something or I "don't like" it. Unless "ない" is the negative verb? As in "something not being there"? If some one could help me out here I would really appreciate it.

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Zengor at 2019-03-30 03:14:02 UTC

yes, ない is the negative verb here. It's the negative form of ある. It's not that しか attaches to a negative form. It appears attached to the thing you're applying it to, but always in negative sentences.
See http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/amount#Indication_that_there8217s_nothing_else_using for more info and examples

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