Issued on 04.01.2022
[✐3. Moderato] only” : 〜しか +negatives
「いましか ありません =  いまでしょ！」
In Japan, “ima desho!” became popular in 2013 and actually was one of the buzzwords of the year, after a literature teacher Hayashi spat it out in a prep school TV advertisement. Check the link when you have time. https://youtu.be/0mKEeqzqJtc?t=19
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[00:08]
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you will stick with me for this year as well. Let’s start straight away. Repeat after me
[00:20]
1. I have 500 yen in my wallet
2. I have only 500 yen in my wallet. = general description of the situation
3. I only have 500 yen (but nothing else) in my wallet. = implying that the speaker feels it’s not enough.
[01:01]
 “〜shika” is always used with negatives and it emphasizes the fact or implies speaker’s personal feeling.
[01:13]
 1. There is a break for 20 minutes.
2. There is a break for only 20 minutes.
3. There is nothing but a 20 minutes break.
[01:53]
Nr. 3 has the nuance that a 20-minute break is not enough．
[02:02]
Now, let’s change the next sentence to a sentence with “〜shika + negatives”.
For example, There is a ballpoint pen. → There is nothing but a ballpoint pen.
Ready?
1. I understand Hiragana. → I understand nothing but Hiragana.
 〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜
[05:04] By the way, the Japanese translation for “it’s now or never” is “ima shika arimasen” or “ima desho! (casual). Meanwhile, the Japanese title for Elves Presrey’s “It’s now or never” is in katakana “ittsu nau oa nevaa”.

***Japanese Transcript*****
「いましか ありません = いまでしょ！」
 [00:08]
みなさん、しんねんあけまして おめでとう ございます。ことしも どうぞよろしく おねがい いたします。では、さっそくはじめますよ。
Repeat after me
[00:20]
1. さいふのなかに、500えん あります。
2. さいふのなかに、500えんだけ あります。 = general description of the situation
3. さいふのなかに、500えんしか ありません。 = meaning that the speaker feels it’s not enough.
[01:01]
〜しか is always used with negatives and it emphasizes the fact or implies speaker’s personal feeling.
[01:13]
1. きゅうけいは20ぷんあります。
2. きゅうけいは20ぷんだけ あります。
3. きゅうけいは20ぷんしか ありません。
[01:53]
Nr. 3 has the nuance that a 20-minute break is not enough．
[02:02]
では、つぎのぶんを、｢〜しか + negatives｣にかえましょう。
たとえば、
ボールペンが あります。 → ボールペンしか ありません。 いいですか。
[02:15] 1. ひらがなが わかります。 → ひらがなしか わかりません。 〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜
★★★★★
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Note: English translations might sound occasionally unnatural as English, as I try to preserve the structure and essence of the original Japanese. I hope it also helps you to capture the pattern of the sentence structure.

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