Meaning
〜さえ…ば expresses that one specific condition is all that's needed for something to work out. It emphasizes that if this one thing is satisfied, other requirements don't matter. The conditional form varies by word type: use すれば/しなければ for verbs, あれば/なければ for adjectives, and …ば for nouns.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词(ます形) さえ | すれば／しなければ |
| い形容词(…い→)く さえ | あれば／なければ |
| な形容词 で さえ | あれば／なければ |
| 名词 さえ | …ば |
Examples
-
工場見学の時には、何も言わずにガイドの後ろについていきさえすればよい。
During the factory tour, you just need to follow behind the guide without saying anything. -
帰国しても、仕事が忙しくさえなければ、日本語の勉強を続けたいと思っています。
Even after returning to my home country, as long as my work isn't too busy, I want to continue studying Japanese. -
静かでさえあれば、部屋が狭くてもいい。
As long as it's quiet, I don't mind even if the room is small. -
8時に出発する電車にさえ間に合えば、何時に家を出てもかまいません。
As long as I make the 8 o'clock train, it doesn't matter what time I leave home.
Summary
- Emphasizes a single sufficient condition; other factors become irrelevant if this condition is met
- Forms vary: verb (さえ + すれば/しなければ), i-adjective (く さえ + あれば/なければ), na-adjective (で さえ + あれば/なければ), noun (さえ + ば)
- Positive form uses conditional あれば/すれば; negative form uses ないない conditional (なければ/しなければ)