At a glance
～だけましだ means "it's not great, but at least ~". You first mention a bad situation, then name the one good point that stops it from being worse.
[Bad situation] けど／が、[Plain form] だけましだ。
給料は安いけど、仕事があるだけましだ。 My pay is low, but at least I have a job.
How to form it
The good point comes right before だけましだ, in plain form:
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Plain form (present, negative, past) | 動くだけましだ / 降らないだけましだ / 間に合っただけましだ |
| い-adjective | Plain form | 近いだけましだ / 近かっただけましだ |
| な-adjective | Stem + な | 静かなだけましだ |
| Noun | + である / + だった | 雨だっただけましだ |
| Register | Ending |
|---|---|
| Casual, written | だけましだ |
| Polite | だけましです |
The form before だけ stays plain even in polite speech. Only the end changes to です.