As long as [かぎり]

We use かぎり to express that as long as a state continues, something else will not change.

生いきてる限かぎり、君きみを忘わすれない。

I will never forget you as long as I live.

Structure

We make this structure by attaching かぎり to the end of a verb in the present or present continuous form. For nouns you can use である.

する限り (present form)

している限り (continuous form)

である限り (noun + である form)

Note: 限り actually comes from the verb 限る – to limit and has many more uses which we will study another time.

This form also hints that if the state attached to 限り changes, then the other state may also change. The following example shows this:

日本にほんにいる限かぎり、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうするつもりです。

As long as I am in Japan, I intend to study Japanese [ I might not study if I leave Japan]

However, Japanese friends have told me that this is not always the case, so I’m not entirely sure how strong the hint is….

Examples

お前まえのことは、生いきてる限かぎり、ぜったい許ゆるさない。

I will never forgive you as long as I live.

私わたしは 、君きみがそばにいる限かぎり、幸しあわせです。

As long as you are next to me, I am happy.

私わたしはこの国くにの王おうである限かぎり、国民こくみんの皆みなさんを守まもるのは大役たいやくです。

As long as I am King of this country,  It is my great duty to protect all of our citizens.

That is all for this usage of かぎり. Stay tuned for the other uses in the future.