“kore dake / sore dake / are dake” — This Much / That Much [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

“After all this effort,” “if you say that much” — referring to a degree or amount, with examples. (JLPT N3)

「あれだけ頑張ったのに」 — 「これだけ・それだけ・あれだけ」, this much / that much

「あれだけ頑張ったのに、報われなかった」 (after working that hard, it went unrewarded) — 「これだけ・それだけ・あれだけ」 use the こそあ demonstratives ＋ だけ to refer to degree or quantity: これだけ = this much (near, at hand); それだけ = just that much (previously mentioned, the other's); あれだけ = that much (distal, stressing a great degree). This guide covers how this 「こそあ ＋ だけ」 set refers to degree and quantity, and separates it from 「どれだけ／だけ」.

Core: use 「こそあ ＋ だけ」 to point at how much (degree/quantity)

「これだけ・それだけ・あれだけ」 = “こそあ demonstrative ＋ だけ, marking degree or quantity”:

• これだけ (this much) = a near, at-hand amount: お金はこれだけあれば十分 (this much money is enough).
• それだけ (just that much) = a previously-mentioned amount: それだけあれば足りる (that much is enough).
• あれだけ (that much) = distal, mutually known, stressing a great degree: あれだけ練習したのに (after practicing that hard, yet…).

Feel: pointing at “this/that much (or great)” degree, quantity.

How to Connect

Example sentences

• お金はこれだけあれば、十分足りる。(This much money is plenty.) — これだけ (near)
• それだけ言えば、もう分かるでしょう。(Say that much and you'll surely get it.) — それだけ (mentioned)
• あれだけ練習したのに、負けてしまった。(After practicing that hard, I lost.) — あれだけ (stressing degree)
• これだけは、誰にも譲れない。(This one thing, I won't yield to anyone.) — これだけは (emphasis)
• あれだけの大雨なら、電車も止まるだろう。(In rain that heavy, the trains would stop too.) — あれだけ (degree)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Don't pick the wrong こそあ. これだけ = near/at hand (this much I have); それだけ = mentioned/the other's (that much you just said); あれだけ = distal, mutually known, stressing degree (that much we both know of). Pick the wrong demonstrative and you point at the wrong thing. To stress “(that) great a degree,” mostly use あれだけ.

② 「これだけは」 = this one thing (stressing an exception). Adding 「は」 means “this one thing at least, only this” (singling out one item): これだけは譲れない (this one thing I won't yield), これだけは覚えておいて (at least remember this). It shifts from “this much” to “this one item” emphasis.

③ 「あれだけ」 often pairs with 「のに」 for a gap. あれだけ〜のに = “even after all that ~, yet…” (with chagrin, surprise): あれだけ言ったのに、聞かなかった (I said all that, yet they wouldn't listen). A very common pairing, stressing “the effort/degree was that great, yet the result fell short.”

🔄 Nuance & comparison: これ/それ/あれだけ／どれだけ／だけ

💡 The key point in use

「これだけ・それだけ・あれだけ」 use “こそあ demonstrative ＋ だけ to refer to degree or quantity”: これだけ = this much (near, at hand), それだけ = just that much (mentioned, the other's), あれだけ = that much (distal, mutually known, stressing a great degree). Picking the right こそあ is key: an at-hand amount → これだけ, a just-mentioned one → それだけ, stressing “(that everyone-knows) great a degree” → あれだけ. Two practical points: ① 「これだけは」 = this one thing (stressing an exception) (これだけは譲れない); ② 「あれだけ〜のに」 = even after all that ~, yet… (a gap, chagrin) (あれだけ頑張ったのに). To vividly say “this/that much,” this set is handy.

❓ Common questions

Q: How do I tell 「これだけ」, 「それだけ」, and 「あれだけ」 apart?

Same こそあ rule as 「これ・それ・あれ」, by distance/standpoint: 「これだけ」 = this much (near, the amount before/at the speaker): お金はこれだけしかない (I only have this much — in my hand), これだけやれば十分 (do this much and it's enough — the amount here). 「それだけ」 = just that much (a mentioned amount, the other's): それだけ分かれば十分だ (knowing that much is enough — what you just said), それだけでいいの？ (is that much all you need? — the amount you want). 「あれだけ」 = that much (distal, mutually known, stressing a great degree): あれだけの人気 (popularity that great — that we all know of), あれだけ言ったのに (after saying all that — the amount we're both clear on). So: at hand → これだけ; just mentioned/the other's → それだけ; mutually known, stressing degree → あれだけ. To stress “(as great as) that degree,” あれだけ is the most forceful.

Q: What changes when 「これだけは」 adds 「は」?

With 「は」, it shifts from “this much” to “this one thing at least, only this” emphasis (singling out one item): これだけは譲れない (this one thing I won't yield — everything else is fine, just not this), これだけは言っておきたい (this one thing at least I want to say), これだけは覚えて (just remember this one thing). Its role is from among many, stressing “just this one item” (with a “setting others aside, only this” tone). Likewise 「それだけは」 (that one thing) is common. So: これだけ = this much (degree/quantity); これだけは = this one thing (stressing a single item, with an exception feel). One 「は」 apart, from “quantity” to “singling-out emphasis.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「___頑張ったのに、報われなかった。」(worked so hard yet wasn't rewarded)

(A) あれだけ　(B) これだけ　(C) どれだけ　(D) それだけ

Q2. 「お金は___あれば十分だ。」(this much is enough)

(A) これだけ　(B) あれだけ　(C) どれだけ　(D) なんだけ

Q3. 「あれだけ練習したのに負けた」の語感は?

(A) Practiced that much yet lost (emphasizing degree ＋ concessive regret)

(B) Didn't practice

(C) Will definitely win

(D) Doesn't care about winning or losing

Q4. 「これだけは譲れない」の意味は?

(A) This one point alone can't be conceded

(B) Can concede everything

(C) Won't concede anything

(D) This can be conceded

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) それだけ言えば分かる。　(B) それだけ言えば分からない練習。

(C) これだけのにできた。　(D) あれだけだから足りる。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) あれだけ ── worked that hard yet (あれだけ〜のに).

2. (A) これだけ ── this much is enough.

3. (A) ── emphasizes degree ＋ concessive regret.

4. (A) ── this one point alone won't be conceded.

5. (A) ── 「それだけ言えば分かる」 is natural.