〜限り (~kagiri) — as long as / as far as (I know)
「限り」= limit — 「日本にいる限り」= as long as I am in Japan; three uses: 'to the full', 'as long as', 'as far as I know'.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
Meaning
- The root meaning of 「限り」is 'limit', and three uses grow from it.
- ① 'To the limit, in full': 「力の限り」(with all one's strength), 「できる限りのことをする」(do everything one can).
- ② The exam favourite: 「〜限り(は)」= 'as long as this state holds' — 「日本にいる限り、日本語は必要だ」: while you are in Japan you need Japanese; leave Japan and the story changes.
- In ②, 「〜ない限り」is very common too: 「生活習慣を改めない限り、健康にはなれない」(unless you change your habits you cannot get healthy).
- ③ 「〜限りでは」= 'as far as I know / have seen': 「私が知っている限りでは、この近くに花屋はない」— a modest 'beyond this I don't know'.
How to attach
- ① N + の, or a verb — usually the potential form (できる) or ている
- ② Vる／Vない／Vている, い-adj as is, な-adj with 「な」or 「である」, N with 「である」(親である限り)
- ③ On a verb of getting information — 知っている・見た・聞いた・調べた・覚えている, or 調査の — followed by your own judgement or information
Versus what you know
- N4「間は」only says 'during that time'; 「限り」says 'only while this condition holds — drop the condition and the result goes too', so it is stronger and more serious.
- N3「によると」points to a source you heard from; 「限りでは」marks the range you yourself have seen or know.
Watch out
- In ②, both sides describe a state.
- Since ② is a conditional sentence, the second half is never past tense (「住んでいる限り、食べられた」✗).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
試験まではできる限りのことをするつもりだ。
しけんまではできるかぎりのことをするつもりだ。
Until the exam I intend to do everything I possibly can.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) できる = to be able to do (the potential form) → we attached 「限り」: up to the limit of what you can → 「の」 links it to こと: できる限りのこと = everything you can → するつもりだ = I intend to do.
日本に住んでいる限り、日本語の勉強はやめられない。
にほんにすんでいるかぎり、にほんごのべんきょうはやめられない。
As long as I live in Japan, I can't stop studying Japanese.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 住んでいる = living (ている, a state) → 「限り」 = as long as this state lasts → what comes after is also a state, not past: やめられない = can't stop.
私が知っている限りでは、この近くにネパール料理の店はない。
わたしがしっているかぎりでは、このちかくにネパールりょうりのみせはない。
As far as I know, there's no Nepali restaurant near here.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 知っている = to know (a verb of having information) → 「限りでは」 = within what I know → then your own judgment: 店はない = there's no shop (beyond that, I don't know).
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「親＿限りは、子供に対する責任がある。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: In use ②, what follows a noun?
For "as long as", N + である + 限り. 親である限り = as long as one is a parent.
Which sentence is wrong?
💡 Hint: Can use ② take a past-tense ending?
「〜限り」(as long as) is conditional — no past tense after it. It must be 食べられる. Use ③ 限りでは can take past.
「私が見た限りでは、問題はなかった。」— what does 「見た限りでは」mean?
💡 Hint: The feeling of "beyond that, I don't know".
Use ③ 限りでは = judging within what I myself saw or know. Modest, not an absolute claim.
Your score: /3