adverbial N2 common politewritten
少なくとも — at least
少なくとも ・ すくなくとも
Meaning
- at least / at the (very) least — states a guaranteed minimum, whether a quantity or a minimal claim
Key sentence
少なくとも一週間はかかる。
It will take at least a week.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| adverb; before a quantity or a minimal assertion | 少なくとも + [minimum amount / claim] | 少なくとも三人は必要だ |
Examples
少なくとも彼は嘘をついていない。
At the very least, he isn't lying.
全部は無理でも、少なくとも半分は終わらせたい。
Even if not all of it, I want to finish at least half.
When you can't use it
- Sets a floor — the real figure or case is this much or more. For an upper limit ('at most') use せいぜい; the two mark opposite bounds.
Easily confused with
See 少なくとも in real sentences
Jengo shows 少なくとも the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.