数量 + は
🃏 Flashcard
数量 + は
suuryou + wa
Tap to reveal usage
at least
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
suuryou + wa
Post ID
50926
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
at least
📖 How to use it
数量 + は is used to express a minimum amount, meaning 'at least' that number.
Attaches to
Attach は to a number/counter expression (e.g., 三十分は, 三回は, 百人 は). The number phrase acts like a noun, so は follows directly.
Use 数量 + は to emphasize that the stated quantity is the minimum, not the maximum. It carries a nuance of 'at least this, if not more.' You often see it when setting conditions, making requests, or expressing expectations.
This structure is common in everyday speech and writing. It's not formal or bookish, so you can use it in conversations. The meaning is close to 'at least,' but it's specifically about quantity, not time or degree (though time is a quantity). For example, when you say '三十分はかかる' you mean it will take at least 30 minutes, implying it might take longer.
この仕事は三時間はかかるよ。
Kono shigoto wa san-jikan wa kakaru yo.
This job will take at least three hours.
毎日、三十分は運動したほうがいいです。
Mainichi, sanjuppun wa undō shita hō ga ii desu.
You should exercise at least thirty minutes every day.
パーティーには二十人は来るだろう。
Pātī ni wa nijū-nin wa kuru darō.
At least twenty people will probably come to the party.
Not 数量 + も
数量 + も emphasizes that the quantity is large (e.g., 三時間も = as much as three hours). In contrast, 数量 + は stresses the minimum, so it's not about surprise but about a lower limit.
Register
Neutral; used in both spoken and written Japanese.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
数量 + は
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 数量 + は 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 数量 + は. 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 N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 数量 + は mean?
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At least
What JLPT level is 数量 + は?
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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 数量 + は in a sentence?
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Attach 数量 + は (suuryou + wa) 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 数量 + は formal or casual Japanese?
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数量 + は is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 数量 + は 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.