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GRAMMAR
〜限り ①
as long as
Explanation
NOTE

〜限かぎり means as long as or to the extent that — it sets a condition under which the main clause holds.

私わたしが生いきている限かぎり、あなたを守まもる。
As long as I am alive, I will protect you.
The result clause holds true only while the 〜限り condition continues.
NOTE

The condition is often ongoing or open-ended — something true now and assumed to remain true.

NOTE

With verbs, attach 限かぎり directly to the plain form (行いく → 行いく*限かぎり*).

STRUCTURE
V普
<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>り
体からだが動うごく限かぎり、働はたらき続つづけたい。
Karada ga ugoku kagiri, hatarakitsuzuketai.
As long as my body moves, I want to keep working.
雨あめが降ふっている限かぎり、試合しあいは始はじまらない。
Ame ga futte iru kagiri, shiai wa hajimaranai.
As long as it's raining, the match won't start.
努力どりょくを続つづける限かぎり、夢ゆめは叶かなう。
Doryoku o tsuzukeru kagiri, yume wa kanau.
As long as you keep making efforts, your dream will come true.
NOTE

With nouns, link with の before 限かぎり (体力たいりょく → 体力たいりょくの限かぎり), meaning to the limit of N or as long as N lasts.

STRUCTURE
N+
の
<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>り
体力たいりょくの限かぎり、走はしり続つづけた。
Tairyoku no kagiri, hashiritsuzuketa.
I kept running to the limit of my stamina.
命いのちの限かぎり、家族かぞくを支ささえたい。
Inochi no kagiri, kazoku o sasaetai.
As long as my life lasts, I want to support my family.
力ちからの限かぎり、戦たたかうつもりだ。
Chikara no kagiri, tatakau tsumori da.
I intend to fight with all my strength.

Practice exercises

1
可能性かのうせいがある限かぎり、諦あきらめない。
As long as there is a possibility, I will not give up.
Answer
ある限かぎり
2
社会しゃかいに貢献こうけんできる限かぎり、働はたらき続つづけたい。
As long as I can contribute to society, I want to keep working.
Answer
貢献こうけんできる限かぎり
3
自分じぶんにできる限かぎり、挑戦ちょうせんし続つづける。
As long as I can do it, I will continue to challenge myself.
Answer
できる限かぎり
4
会社かいしゃが私わたしを必要ひつようとしている限かぎり、ここで働はたらき続つづけます。
As long as the company needs me, I will continue to work here.
Answer
必要ひつようとしている限かぎり
5
私わたしが覚おぼえている限かぎり、それは本当ほんとうのことです。
As long as I remember, that is true.
Answer
覚おぼえている限かぎり