JLPT N2 grammar

〜さえ〜ばmeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. If only A/B, then C
  2. If only A occurs, then B

How to form it

  • nounさえverb (ba-form)
  • nounさえい-adjective stem (without い)ければ
  • verb (masu-stem)さえすれば
  • verb (te-form)さえいれば

How it is used

'As long as A / if only A', presenting A as the one condition needed for B, as in 「お金さえあれば」 or 「謝りさえすれば」. With 「〜のに」 after it, it expresses regret.

Examples

  1. 後５００円さえあればこのゾンビのコスチュームを買えます。

    If I only had 500 more yen, I could buy this zombie costume.

  2. この道をまっすぐ行きさえすれば、駅に着きます。

    As long as you go straight along this road, you'll reach the station.

  3. 天気さえよければ、山の上から海が見えたのに。

    If only the weather had been good, we could have seen the sea from the mountaintop.