Today’s expression is also a kind of potential expressions. Not only for that, it is an expression in order to say that something is limited in terms of amount, availability, ability, opportunity, and so on. Its construction is as below;
1. [Noun] shika, [Verb] + [negative ending].
Important things of the construction 1 are;
(1) “-shika” and “negative ending” is corresponding.
(2) “-shika” is attached behind a noun. Sometimes attached to adverbials.
(3) “-shika” replaces a particle that should have been used if not “shika-nai” construction.
Let’s examine the above (1) to (3) using the following example.
2. Watashi wa Eigo shika Hanase masen. (I can speak only English.)
where; “Hanaseru” is the potential form of “Hanasu”
(1) The sentence 2 ends with “masen” which is an ending for a verb predicate sentence of present-negative. Present-positive ending cannot be used because “-shika” has to correspond to negative ending.
<WRONG> Watashi wa Eigo shika Hanase masu.
<RIGHT> Watashi wa Eigo shika Hanase masen.
(2) In the sentence 2, “shika” is attached to a noun “Eigo”. “Shika” can’t be connected to a verb.
<WRONG> Watashi wa Eigo o Hanasu shika dekimasen. (Hanasu is a verb.)
<RIGHT> Watashi wa Eigo o Hanasu koto shika dekimasen. (koto is a noun.)
You know the <RIGHT> above is a “long potential expression”. In the case of “short potential expression”, the sentence 2 is the right one.
(3) Particular for this sentence 2, an “original sentence” without using “shika-nai” would be;
3. Watashi wa Eigo ga Hanasemasu. (I can speak English.)
When you want to limit what you can speak in English, the particle “ga” is replaced with “shika”, and because of (1), you need to make the ending negative.
– Watashi wa Eigo { ga => shika } Hanase { masu => masen }.
Then you will get the sentence 2. If the word that you want to limit is an adverbial, “shika” is added to the word. Example is;
– Kinou Nihongo o Sanjuppun Benkyou shimasita. (before applying “shika-nai”)
– Kinou Nihongo o Sanjuppun shika Benkyou shimasendeshita. (“shika” is added.)
(Yesterday I studied Japanese only thirty minutes.)
Here are some examples for your reference;
<Limitations about potentiality>
4. Watashi wa Kanji ga Sukoshi shika Kakemasen. (I can write few Kanjis only.)
If you can write Kanji(s), you would say;
– Watashi wa Kanji ga Kakemasu. (I can write Kanjis.)
“Kakemasu” is the potential form of “Kakimasu”. How many Kanjis can you write? Actually, it’s not many (Sukoshi). Since “Sukoshi” is an adverb, you put “shika” after “Sukoshi”, and change “Kakemasu” to be negative. Then you’ll get 4.
<Limitation to a Noun>
5. Kyou no Asa, Gyuuyuu shika Nomi masendeshira. (I drank only milk this morning.)
If you want to say the simple fact that you drank milk this morning, then you say;
– Kyou no Asa, Gyuunyuu o Nomi mashita. (I drank milk this morning.)
But if the milk is the only meal that you took in the morning, you replace the particle “-o” with “shika” and change mashita to be negative. Then you’ll get 5.
6. Saifu ni Sen’en shika Arimasen. (I have only 2000yen in the wallet.)
— Amount is limited.
7. Ku-ji kara Go-ji made shika Hairemasen. (We can get into there only 9 to 5.)
— Availability is limited. Since “Go-ji made” is a kind of adverbials, shika is additional.
8. Juu-me’etoru shika Oyogemasen. (I can swim only 10 meters.)
— Ability is limited.
9. Nichiyoubi shika Yasumemasen. (I can take a rest only Sunday.)
— Opportunity is limited.
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This post was written with reference to the exercise A5 on Section27 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”
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