At a glance
～しかない has two common uses. After a verb it means "have no choice but to do ~". After a noun or amount, with a negative ending, it means "only ~" and often suggests "not enough".
Verb (dictionary form) + しかない
Noun / amount + しか + negative verb
バスがないから、歩くしかない。 There's no bus, so I have no choice but to walk.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | Verb + しかない | 待つしかない | have no choice but to wait |
| Noun | Noun + しか + negative verb | 水しか飲まない | drink only water |
| Amount | Amount + しか + negative verb | 千円しかない | have only 1,000 yen |
The ending changes for politeness and tense:
| Form | Casual | Polite |
|---|---|---|
| Present | しかない | しかありません / しかないです |
| Past | しかなかった | しかありませんでした |
が and を drop before しか. Other particles such as に and で stay: 日本でしか買えない "You can only buy it in Japan."