少なくとも
🃏 Flashcard
少なくとも
sukunaku tomo
Tap to reveal usage
at least~
N2
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading
sukunaku tomo
Post ID
51143
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
at least~
📖 How to use it
Expresses a minimum amount, degree, or requirement, meaning 'at least'.
Attaches to
Attaches to a noun, number+counter, or a clause. It can also be used as a sentence adverb at the beginning of a clause.
少なくとも is used to state the minimum of something, whether it be quantity, frequency, time, or degree. It emphasizes that the actual figure might be higher but not lower than what is stated. You can place it right before the phrase it modifies, or at the start of a sentence to comment on the whole clause. In speech, it often comes at the beginning of a sentence to set a baseline for the discussion that follows.
この仕事は少なくとも3日はかかるでしょう。
Kono shigoto wa sukunaku tomo mikka wa kakaru deshou.
This job will take at least three days.
少なくとも一度は自分の目で確かめてください。
Sukunaku tomo ichido wa jibun no me de tashikamete kudasai.
Please check it with your own eyes at least once.
彼は少なくとも日本語が話せる。
Kare wa sukunaku tomo nihongo ga hanaseru.
At least he can speak Japanese.
Not せめて
せめて also means 'at least' but implies a desire for something more, often with a sense of concession or wish. 少なくとも is more objective and states a minimum fact. For example, せめて手伝ってくれればいい (I wish you would at least help me) vs. 少なくとも手伝ってくれるべきだ (You should at least help).
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Neutral and used in both spoken and written Japanese; it is slightly formal but common in everyday conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
少なくとも
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 少なくとも three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 少なくとも. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 少なくとも mean?
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At least~
What JLPT level is 少なくとも?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 少なくとも in a sentence?
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Attach 少なくとも (sukunaku tomo) 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 少なくとも formal or casual Japanese?
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少なくとも is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember 少なくとも long-term?
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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.