JLPT N2EverydayNo promises

だけ (やるだけやる)do what you can; try anyway

The same verb comes before and after だけ: you do all there is to do of it, and what comes of it is another matter. This だけ isn't "only". It is "as much as", as in できるだけ.

やるだけはやったが、結けっ果かはだめだった。

I did what I could, but it didn't work out.

断ことわられるかもしれないけれど、担たん当とう者しゃに頼たのむだけ頼たのんでみます。

They may say no, but I'll at least try asking the person in charge.

勝かてる自じ信しんはない。それでも、やれるだけやってみる。

I'm not confident I can win. Even so, I'll do everything I can.

How to form it

Verb + だけ + the same verb

The first verb is in the dictionary form or the potential form: やるだけやる, やれるだけやる. は can follow だけ: やるだけはやった.

First verb	Example	What it says
Dictionary form	聞きくだけ聞きいてみる, 聞きくだけは聞きいた	I'll ask anyway, whatever the answer. Looking back: I did ask, at least.
Potential form	聞きけるだけ聞きく	I'll ask as much as I can.
Dictionary form, then て	言いうだけ言いって帰かえった	He said all he wanted to, and left. Often a complaint.

やるだけはやった: I did that much

Looking back, with a clear conscience or as an excuse. The doing is done, and は sets it against the result, which usually fell short.

資し料りょうを読よむだけは読よんだが、細さい部ぶまでは覚おぼえていない。

I did read the materials, but I don't remember the details.

本ほん番ばんに向むけて準じゅん備びするだけは準じゅん備びした。あとは落おち着ついて臨のぞもう。

I've done all the preparing there is to do for the big day. All that's left is to stay calm and face it.

No "but" this time: the result is still to come.

聞きくだけ聞きいてみよう: no harm in trying

Looking ahead, usually with てみる. You aren't counting on much, and you'll do it anyway.

A

あの店みせ、今日きょうは予よ約やくでいっぱいらしいよ。

I hear that place is fully booked today.

B

まあ、聞きくだけ聞きいてみよう。

Well, let's ask anyway.

この案あんが通とおる可か能のう性せいは低ひくいが、説せつ明めいするだけ説せつ明めいしてみる。

This proposal is unlikely to get through, but I'll at least try explaining it.

やれるだけ: as much as you can

With the potential form first, the limit is what you are able to do. できるだけ says much the same without repeating the verb.

時じ間かんはほとんどないが、直なおせるだけ直なおしてみよう。

There's almost no time, but let's fix as much as we can.

荷に物もつは持もてるだけは持もったが、一いち度どでは全ぜん部ぶ運はこべなかった。

I carried as much of the luggage as I could, but I couldn't move it all in one trip.

Close neighbours

だけN5

With no second verb after it, だけ is "only": that is all you do.

名な前まえを書かくだけです。

All you have to do is write your name.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

今日きょうは、書かけるだけ書かいてみよう。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this tell you?

先せん生せいに頼たのむだけは頼たのんだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

自じ分ぶんなりに調しらべるだけは調しらべたが、原げん因いんは分わからなかった。

I looked into it as best I could, but I couldn't find the cause.

連れん絡らくがつくか分わからないが、電でん話わするだけ電でん話わしてみた。

I don't know whether I'll get through, but I did at least try calling.

一いち度どしか会あえないので、聞きけるだけ聞きいてみよう。

We'll only get to meet once, so let's ask everything we can.

彼かれは言いうだけ言いって、帰かえってしまった。

He said all he wanted to say, and then went home.

All of that, and nothing more.