JLPT N3 · Conditionals (if / when)

かぎり (kagiri)

～かぎり — “as long as ～ / as far as ～”

In short · Sets a limit or range: “as long as the condition holds” or “within what I know/can do.” It attaches to the plain form of a verb or adjective (な-adj + な / である, noun + の). The main clause is usually a stable result.

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Pattern

動詞・形容詞普通形＋かぎり as long as ～ (condition continues)
知る・見る・聞くなど＋かぎり as far as I know / see / hear

As long as

A かぎり B means B holds while A continues. 体が動くかぎり、この仕事を続けたい: as long as my body moves. The negative ～ないかぎり means “unless” (努力しないかぎり、上達しない).

As far as I know

With verbs of perception or knowledge, かぎり limits the range: 私が知っているかぎり、彼は嘘をつく人ではない. The speaker is only speaking from their own information.

Connection notes

Verbs and い-adjectives use the plain form (勉強しているかぎり). な-adjectives use な (元気なかぎり) and nouns use の (学生であるかぎり). The main clause is not an order or request that depends on the speaker’s will at the same moment.

Examples

毎日（まいにち）これだけ勉強（べんきょう）しているかぎり、心配（しんぱい）ない。

Mainichi kore dake benkyou shite iru kagiri, shinpai nai.

As long as you study this much every day, there is nothing to worry about.
私（わたし）が知（し）っているかぎり、彼（かれ）はうそをつく人（ひと）ではない。

Watashi ga shitte iru kagiri, kare wa uso o tsuku hito dewa nai.

As far as I know, he isn’t someone who tells lies.
体（からだ）が動（うご）くかぎり、この仕事（しごと）を続（つづ）けたい。

Karada ga ugoku kagiri, kono shigoto o tsudzuketai.

As long as my body can move, I want to keep this job.

Common mistakes

～ないかぎり means “unless”, not “as long as … not”. Both readings are connected, but translate it as “unless”.
Do not confuse かぎり with だけ or ばかり. かぎり marks a limit of time or range.

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