Shirimono Logo
Shirimono
Log inSign up
GRAMMAR
〜ですむ・〜くすむ
get off with
be sufficient
Explanation
NOTE

〜ですむ・〜くすむ means (only X) is enough or to get away with just X — the situation is resolved with less than expected.

今日きょうは千円せんえんですんだ。
Today, a thousand yen was enough.
ですむ literally means *to be done/finished with* — implying the matter is settled with only that amount.
NOTE

The verb 済む (すむ) means to be settled / to be done with. The pattern often expresses relief that things didn't get worse.

NOTE

With nouns, attach ですむ directly to the dictionary form (千円 → 千円ですむ).

STRUCTURE
N辞
ですむ
修理代しゅうりだいは五千円ごせんえんですんだ。
Shuuri-dai wa gosen-en de sunda.
The repair fee was only five thousand yen.
怪我けがは軽傷けいしょうですんだ。
Kega wa keishou de sunda.
The injury turned out to be only a minor one.
謝罪しゃざいですめばいいのですが。
Shazai de sumeba ii no desu ga.
I hope an apology will be enough.
修理しゅうりは千円せんえんですむ。
Shuuri wa sen-en desumu.
The repair will be sufficient with 1,000 yen.
手紙てがみだけでですむ話はなしです。
Tegami dake de desumu hanashi desu.
It is a matter that can be settled just by a letter.
今日きょうは一回いっかいの面接めんせつですむ。
Kyou wa ikkai no mensetsu desumu.
Today, it will be sufficient with just one interview.
NOTE

With i-adjectives, replace い with くすむ (安い → 安くすむ). This expresses that the result turns out to be only X-degree.

STRUCTURE
Adj-Iい
くすむ
セールで安やすくすんだ。
Seeru de yasukusunda.
Thanks to the sale, it turned out cheap.
思おもったより少すくなくすんだ。
Omotta yori sukunakusunda.
It came out smaller than I thought.
早はやくすめば、遊あそびに行いける。
Hayakusumeba, asobi ni ikeru.
If we finish quickly, we can go play.

Practice exercises

1
今回こんかいの失敗しっぱいは、注意ちゅういされるにすぎず、謝あやまるだけで済すむ。
This time, the failure was nothing more than being warned, so it will be sufficient just to apologize.
Answer
済すむ
2
忙いそがしくて待まっては居いられない。早はやめに連絡れんらくするだけで済すむ。
I am too busy to be able to wait. It should be sufficient just to contact them early.
Answer
済すむ
3
彼かれは謝あやまるだけで済すむが、世論よろんは許ゆるさない。
He thinks it will be sufficient just to apologize, but public opinion won't forgive it.
Answer
済すむ
4
彼かれが許ゆるしてくれる限かぎり、謝あやまるだけで済すむだろう。
As long as he forgives me, it will be sufficient just to apologize.
Answer
済すむだろう
5
口先くちさきだけの反省はんせいで済すむほど、社会しゃかいは甘あまくない。
Society is not so lenient that it will be sufficient to just offer lip service.
Answer
済すむ