# すら / ですら: even ~ (with emphasis)

> Master the JLPT N1 grammar すら / ですら, meaning 'even' with emphatic nuance. Includes formation, usage, comparison with さえ, examples, and practice.

JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-sura-de-sura/

**すら / ですら** means **even ~ (with strong emphasis)**. It’s a **JLPT N1** pattern that singles out an extreme or minimal case to stress that the statement holds true even for that case—often implying *if even that is the case, then certainly for more ordinary situations*. It is particularly common in negative sentences to express “not even,” but also appears in affirmative contexts to underscore surprising inclusion.

This grammar point appears frequently in formal writing, editorials, literature, and JLPT N1 reading passages. If you want to add emphatic precision—especially to highlight an unexpected result or a stark minimum—**すら** is a pattern worth mastering.

<div class="pullquote">
  <p><strong>すら / ですら</strong> pushes “even” to its emphatic limit—when a rule applies to the most unlikely case, the statement becomes undeniable.</p>
</div>

## What does すら / ですら mean?

Use **すら / ですら** when you want to say that **even** an extreme or minimal example satisfies (or fails to satisfy) a condition. The emphasis is stronger than the more common さえ, and the pattern tends to carry a slightly formal or written register.

Natural English equivalents:
- even
- not even (in negative sentences)
- so much as (when stressing a minimal degree)

Because the pattern frames an extreme case, the statement takes on an almost logical force: “even X does/does not apply, so you can imagine for the rest.”

## How to form すら / ですら

Attach **すら** (or **ですら**, which only follows nouns) to the word or nominalised phrase that represents the extreme case.

<div class="formation">
  <span class="ftoken t-core"><ruby>名詞<rp>(</rp><rt>めいし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span><span class="fplus">＋</span><span class="ftoken t-conn">ですら</span>
  <span class="farrow">→</span>
  <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>子供<rp>(</rp><rt>こども</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ですら</span>
</div>

<div class="formation">
  <span class="ftoken t-core"><ruby>名詞<rp>(</rp><rt>めいし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span><span class="fplus">（＋で）＋</span><span class="ftoken t-stem">すら</span>
  <span class="farrow">→</span>
  <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>子供<rp>(</rp><rt>こども</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>でさえ</span> (not すら; here で is optional but rare with すら—prefer ですら or plain noun+すら)
</div>

<div class="formation">
  <span class="ftoken t-core"><ruby>動詞<rp>(</rp><rt>どうし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>の<ruby>辞書<rp>(</rp><rt>じしょ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>形<rp>(</rp><rt>けい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>＋こと</span><span class="fplus">＋</span><span class="ftoken t-stem">すら</span>
  <span class="farrow">→</span>
  <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>考える<rp>(</rp><rt>かんがえる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ことすら</span>
</div>

The standard and safest patterns:
- **Noun + ですら**
- **Noun + すら** (without で; used in very formal or literary contexts)
- **Verb (dictionary form) + ことすら** / **Noun + の + すら** (e.g. <ruby>返事<rp>(</rp><rt>へんじ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>のすら)

In JLPT questions, distractors often present wrong attachment forms, e.g. attaching directly to a plain verb without こと.

## When is すら / ですら used?

Use **すら / ですら** in situations like:
- Emphasising that even an extreme, surprising, or minimal case follows the stated pattern
- Writing editorials, critiques, formal exposition, or literary prose
- Expressing disappointment, shock, or irony when a basic expectation is unmet
- Creating a stark contrast between expectation and reality

Tone and register:
- Written, formal, or speech intended to impress
- Stronger and more literary than さえ; too stiff for everyday casual chat
- Common in JLPT N1 reading, essay comprehension, and grammar-scramble questions

## すら / ですら example sentences

<div class="examples">

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>子<rt>こ</rt></ruby><ruby>供<rt>ども</rt></ruby>ですらそれぐらい<ruby>知<rt>し</rt></ruby>っている。</p>
    <p class="example-en">Even a child knows that much.</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">affirmative</span></div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>自<rt>じ</rt></ruby><ruby>分<rt>ぶん</rt></ruby>の<ruby>名<rt>な</rt></ruby><ruby>前<rt>まえ</rt></ruby>すら<ruby>書<rt>か</rt></ruby>けなかった。</p>
    <p class="example-en">He couldn’t even write his own name.</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">negative</span></div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>病<rt>びょう</rt></ruby><ruby>気<rt>き</rt></ruby>で<ruby>水<rt>みず</rt></ruby>すら<ruby>飲<rt>の</rt></ruby>めなくなった。</p>
    <p class="example-en">Because of illness, I couldn’t even drink water.</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">minimal case</span></div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>専<rt>せん</rt></ruby><ruby>門<rt>もん</rt></ruby><ruby>家<rt>か</rt></ruby>ですら<ruby>解<rt>かい</rt></ruby><ruby>決<rt>けつ</rt></ruby>できなかった<ruby>問<rt>もん</rt></ruby><ruby>題<rt>だい</rt></ruby>だ。</p>
    <p class="example-en">It’s a problem that even experts couldn’t solve.</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">surprising inclusion</span></div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>彼<rt>かの</rt></ruby><ruby>女<rt>じょ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>挨<rt>あい</rt></ruby><ruby>拶<rt>さつ</rt></ruby>すらしなかった。</p>
    <p class="example-en">She didn’t even greet (me).</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">failure of basic action</span></div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <p class="example-jp"><ruby>その<rt></rt></ruby>ニュースは<ruby>一<rt>いち</rt></ruby><ruby>瞬<rt>しゅん</rt></ruby>すら<ruby>気<rt>き</rt></ruby>にならなかった。</p>
    <p class="example-en">The news didn’t bother me even for a second.</p>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">minimal extent</span></div>
  </div>

</div>

## Nuance of すら / ですら

The core nuance is **extreme-case emphasis with a formal, often negative, shading**.

- It frames the attached noun as a boundary case; if the statement holds (or fails) there, it is all the more true (or damning) elsewhere.
- Because of its written-register weight, using すら in casual speech can sound theatrical or sarcastic.
- When the sentence is negative, すら intensifies the feeling of lack: not just “even,” but “so much as.”
- In a positive sentence, it can carry an almost admiring or dismissive tone depending on context (e.g. “even a child can do it” might imply the task is trivial or the child is exceptionally smart).

<div class="note-callout">
  <span class="note-icon">💡</span>
  <div class="note-body">
    <p>If the nuance feels close to <strong>さえ</strong>, think of <strong>すら</strong> as the version you'd write in an editorial; <strong>さえ</strong> is the one you'd say to a friend.</p>
  </div>
</div>

## すら / ですら vs さえ

Both patterns mean “even,” but they differ in register, typical sentence polarity, and collocations.

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp-head">すら / ですら</div>
  <div class="cmp-sub">Extreme case, formal/written, often negative</div>
  <div class="cmp-when">Used in editorials, essays, literary prose. Carries a stark, almost unforgiving emphasis.</div>
  <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>名前<rp>(</rp><rt>なまえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>すら<ruby>書け<rp>(</rp><rt>かけ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない。</div>
  <div class="cmp-eg-en">Can’t even write one’s name.</div>
</div>

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp-head">さえ</div>
  <div class="cmp-sub">Even (neutral register), also appears in ～さえ～ば (“if only”)</div>
  <div class="cmp-when">Everyday contexts, both positive and negative. The さえ…ば pattern is not possible with すら.</div>
  <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>子供<rp>(</rp><rt>こども</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>さえできる。</div>
  <div class="cmp-eg-en">Even a child can do it.</div>
</div>

<div class="vs">
  <p><strong>Quick swap check:</strong><br>
  <span class="cmp-eg">この<ruby>問題<rp>(</rp><rt>もんだい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>専門家<rp>(</rp><rt>せんもんか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><strong>ですら</strong><ruby>解け<rp>(</rp><rt>とけ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なかった。</span> ➜ formal, literary<br>
  <span class="cmp-eg">この<ruby>問題<rp>(</rp><rt>もんだい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>専門家<rp>(</rp><rt>せんもんか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><strong>さえ</strong><ruby>解け<rp>(</rp><rt>とけ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なかった。</span> ➜ still correct, but slightly more conversational</p>
</div>

## Common mistakes with すら / ですら

<div class="mistakes">

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline bad">
      <span class="mark bad">❌</span>
      <div class="mline-body"><span>お<ruby>金<rp>(</rp><rt>かね</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>すらない。</span></div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">This is grammatically correct but too blunt and informal for すら’s register. In casual speech, <strong>さえ</strong> or <strong>も</strong> is more natural.</div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline good">
      <span class="mark good">✅</span>
      <div class="mline-body"><span>お<ruby>金<rp>(</rp><rt>かね</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>さえ（も）ない。</span></div>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline bad">
      <span class="mark bad">❌</span>
      <div class="mline-body"><span><ruby>彼<rp>(</rp><rt>かれ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>来る<rp>(</rp><rt>くる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ことですらしなかった。</span> (attempted: “He didn’t even come”)</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">The nominalization <strong><ruby>来る<rp>(</rp><rt>きたる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>こと</strong> is awkward with ですら. Use <strong><ruby>来る<rp>(</rp><rt>きたる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ことすら</strong> or restructure.</div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline good">
      <span class="mark good">✅</span>
      <div class="mline-body"><span><ruby>彼<rp>(</rp><rt>かれ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>来る<rp>(</rp><rt>くる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ことすらしなかった。</span></div>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline bad">
      <span class="mark bad">❌</span>
      <div class="mline-body"><span>すら…ば</span> (trying to form “if only even…”)</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">The ～さえ～ば pattern does not accept すら. Use さえ…ば.</div>
  </div>

</div>

## Is すら / ですら on the JLPT?

<div class="jlpt-card">
  <div class="jlpt-shield">N1</div>
  <div class="jlpt-info">
    <p>Yes—<strong>すら / ですら</strong> is a staple of <strong>JLPT N1</strong> grammar lists.</p>
    <div class="jlpt-checks">
      <p>Typical JLPT tasks:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Recognizing its emphatic “even” nuance in dense reading passages</li>
        <li>Selecting the correct form in grammar-scramble questions (e.g. ～ことすら vs ～ことさえ)</li>
        <li>Distinguishing from さえ, も, まで in multiple-choice items</li>
      </ul>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

## Practice questions for すら / ですら

<div class="prompts">
  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">1</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">Write a sentence using ですら to emphasise that even a trusted expert made a mistake.</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">N1 production</span>
  </div>
  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">2</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">Use すら in a negative statement about a basic need that wasn’t met.</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">negative nuance</span>
  </div>
  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">3</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">Take a sentence with さえ and rewrite it twice: once with すら (formal) and once with a plain alternative (も). Note the change in tone.</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">register comparison</span>
  </div>
</div>

## Learning path for すら / ですら

<div class="path">
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">1</span>
    <div class="step-body">Internalise the extreme-case logic: pick three “unlikely” nouns (<ruby>赤ちゃん<rp>(</rp><rt>あかちゃん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>、<ruby>専門家<rp>(</rp><rt>せんもんか</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>、<ruby>一<rp>(</rp><rt>いち</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>秒<rp>(</rp><rt>びょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>) and mentally frame a statement that holds even for them.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">2</span>
    <div class="step-body">Compare with さえ by rewriting the same sentences. Notice that すら locks you out of ～ば conditionals, while さえ opens them.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">3</span>
    <div class="step-body">Read an editorial or opinion piece from a newspaper (e.g. <ruby>社説<rp>(</rp><rt>しゃせつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>) and highlight every instance of すら. Observe how it sharpens the argument.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">4</span>
    <div class="step-body">Produce three original negative sentences with すら and three positive ones, then check them with a native speaker or teacher to ensure register appropriateness.</div>
  </div>
</div>

## Related grammar to review next

- [たはずみに / たひょうしに](/blog/n1-ta-hazumi-ni-ta-hyoushi-ni/) — because it also captures an instant or slight trigger, much like the minimal-case emphasis of すら
- [すべがない](/blog/n1-sube-ga-nai/) — because it shares the idea of impossibility, often in the same negative formal contexts as すら
- [たことにする / たことになる](/blog/n1-ta-koto-ni-suru-ta-koto-ni-naru/) — because it deals with presenting facts as if they are true, sometimes alongside すら to highlight a pretense that even a minimal fact is accepted
- [そこなう / そこねる / そんじる](/blog/n1-sokonau-sokoneru-sonjiru/) — because these “fail to do” verbs often pair with すら when describing an action that cannot even be attempted

## Learn すら / ですら with Hane

If you’re ready to lock in **すら / ですら** alongside the related patterns above, Hane helps you practise Japanese in short, focused sessions—perfect for mastering nuance-heavy N1 grammar.

Browse more lessons here:
- [All grammar lessons](/blog/)
- [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)