--- Examples ---
せめてなべでもあれば、ご飯が炊けるんですが
If we at least had a pot, we could cook rice
せめてつまらないものですが、、
at most an uninteresting thing, but ...
せめて両親には分かって貰いたいんですが
At least I want to be understood by my parents
じゃ、せめてテーブルの準備でもしましょう。
At least let me help with the table.
せめて後十分待ってくれませんか。
Can't you wait just ten more minutes?
せめて謝ってくれてもいいのに。
He might at least apologize.
せめて日常会話ができるくらいになりたい。
At the very least, I'd like to be able to have everyday conversations.
せめて病気のときぐらいは、お酒を飲まないぐらいの分別は持つべきだ。
You should have enough sense not to drink, at least during your illness.
せめてもう一日あれば
Had we at least one more day!
せめてもう一度だけ、笑顔を見せて。
At least show me your smiling face just one last time.
--- Comments ---
I don't like the second example. せめて is not used that way. (contributor:
bamboo4)
would you use seizei instead?
せいぜい、つまらないものですが、、 (contributor: dc)
せいぜい also does not cut it. If you really want to use it in the context
of the second example, it would be like
せめてもと持参したつまらないものですが(it's an uninteresting thing that I
at least brought,' but that's really stretching it. (contributor: bamboo4)
You can say せめてのもの instead of せめて. せめてのもの is stronger than
せめて. (contributor: Miki)
ex1174 J is weird for me. Did you mean ほんのつまらないものですが ?
(contributor: Miki)
攻めて and 責めて are the only two kanji that come up for this word. 責めて
means to criticize, condemn or blame. Maybe せめて means (at it's core)
'Even if you closely examine this situation, x should be expected.' I don't
know if this is true or not, but it's a thought. (contributor: LittleFish)
攻めて and 責めて are not equivalent of せめて, but せめて did derive from
責む in 連用形 form with connective て. In archaic use, there were several
other meanings associated with せめて, but what we now have is 'although
not sufficient, at least this much if the situation compels.'
(contributor: bamboo4)
I agree with Miki-san re ex1174. As he says, it shoud be
ほんのつまらないものですが and therefore does not belong to this thread.
(contributor: bamboo4)
Beg pardon but what is the difference between せめて and つくなくても ?
(contributor: nadine)
This isn't JLPT 1. My guess is level 3 or 2 but I don't know for sure
which. On another note, does anyone besides me always get せめて and
せいぜい confused? If so, does anyone have a good memory technique?
(contributor: yookoso)
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