not only… but also (だけでなく) – Japanese Grammar だけでなく (dake de naku)

Q: What JLPT level is だけでなく?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use だけでなく in a sentence?

Attach だけでなく to the appropriate verb or noun form. Not only… but also

Q: Is だけでなく formal or casual Japanese?

だけでなく can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

だけでなく

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

dake de naku

not only… but also

ところが tokoro ga せいぜい seizei わけにはいかない wake niwa ikanai について ni tsuite 合う au さらに sara ni と言うと to iu to 際に sai ni といい / たらいい to ii / tara ii ことから koto kara なるべく naru beku は別として wa betsu toshite 上に ue ni 込む komu ようがない you ga nai 上で ue de がたい gatai には ni wa 直す naosu べきだ beki da ところが tokoro ga せいぜい seizei わけにはいかない wake niwa ikanai について ni tsuite 合う au さらに sara ni と言うと to iu to 際に sai ni といい / たらいい to ii / tara ii ことから koto kara なるべく naru beku は別として wa betsu toshite 上に ue ni 込む komu ようがない you ga nai 上で ue de がたい gatai には ni wa 直す naosu べきだ beki da

🃏 Flashcard

だけでなく

dake de naku

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not only… but also

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N3

Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Reading dake de naku

Post ID 50829

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

not only… but also

📖 How to use it

Used to say 'not only A but also B', adding an extra item or aspect beyond the first one mentioned.

Attaches to Attach だけでなく to the plain (dictionary) form of verbs and adjectives, or directly to nouns and な-adjective stems. For nouns and な-adjectives, use just だけでなく; for verbs and い-adjectives, use the plain form followed by だけでなく.

だけでなく is a fixed expression that means 'not only... but also'. It is used to link two items or statements, emphasizing that the second one is additional and often more important or surprising. For example, you can say 彼は英語だけでなく日本語も話せる to mean 'He can speak not only English but also Japanese.'

In terms of form, when you attach it to a noun or な-adjective, you just put だけでなく after it. For verbs and い-adjectives, you use the plain (dictionary) form before だけでなく. The second part of the sentence often includes も (also) to match the 'also' meaning, but it is not required.

This expression is used in both spoken and written Japanese, but it sounds a bit formal or explanatory. In casual speech, you might hear だけじゃなく (a contraction of だけではなく), but that is more colloquial. For N3 level, using だけでなく is safe and appropriate in most situations.

彼女は英語だけでなく、フランス語も話せる。

Kanojo wa eigo dake de naku, Furansugo mo hanaseru.

She can speak not only English but also French.

このレストランは味だけでなく、雰囲気もいい。

Kono resutoran wa aji dake de naku, fun'iki mo ii.

This restaurant is not only tasty but also has a nice atmosphere.

彼は勉強だけでなく、スポーツも得意だ。

Kare wa benkyō dake de naku, supōtsu mo tokui da.

He is good at not only studying but also sports.

Not に限らず (ni kagirazu) に限らず means 'not limited to' and is used when you want to say something applies broadly, not just to a specific group. For example, 女性に限らず男性も使える means 'not only women but men can use it too'. だけでなく is more straightforward and focuses on adding an item. When you want to emphasize that something is not restricted to a certain group, use に限らず.

Register Standard and neutral; usable in both speech and writing, though it leans slightly formal. In very casual conversation, だけじゃなく is more common.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

だけでなく

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat だけでなく three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using だけでなく. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern だけでなく mean? ▼

Not only… but also

What JLPT level is だけでなく? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use だけでなく in a sentence? ▼

Attach だけでなく (dake de naku) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is だけでなく formal or casual Japanese? ▼

だけでなく is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember だけでなく long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.