しか〜ない | Only, with a Negative

Only, With Regret

しか means "only," but it carries disappointment — there is less than you would like. And it always takes a negative verb.

• 千円(せんえん)しかありません。(I only have 1,000 yen.) — and that's not enough

The verb is negative but the meaning is positive: you do have 1,000 yen.

The Negative Is Compulsory

• ○ 一人(ひとり)しか来(こ)なかった。
• × 一人(ひとり)しか来(き)た。

There is no affirmative form. If that feels strange, read it as "there wasn't anyone except one person."

しか vs だけ

Same English word, opposite attitude:

Choose だけ unless you mean to complain. Beginners over-use しか and end up sounding negative about everything.

It Replaces Particles

しか absorbs は, が and を, and follows meaningful ones:

• ○ 水(みず)しか飲(の)みません。
• × 水(みず)をしか飲(の)みません。
• ○ 家(いえ)にしかいません。

With Verbs: するしかない

Attach しかない to a dictionary form and you get "no choice but to":

• 待(ま)つしかない。(There's nothing to do but wait.)
• 諦(あきら)めるしかありません。(We have no choice but to give up.)

This is one of the most useful resigned phrases in the language.