だけは
- 1With the potential form, do everything one is able to do, even without knowing whether it will succeed.Ex. 1
- 2At least carry out a certain action, with the result left to others or to circumstances.Ex. 2
Second verb: freely inflected, often た形, てみる or volitional（言うだけは言った, やれるだけはやってみよう）
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Common in everyday speech and writing when someone resolves to make an effort, or has already made one, and separates that effort from the outcome. It often appears with phrases like わからないが or あとは〜に任せる, expressing effort mixed with acceptance. Unlike きる, which stresses doing something completely, だけは stresses having done at least what was within one's power.
Note that the same verb is normally repeated after だけは, as in 言うだけは言う or やれるだけはやる.
Learners sometimes read だけは here as simply 'only'; in this pattern it means 'at least' or 'as much as one can'.
Note that the focus is on having done at least this much; the outcome may be unknown or even favorable (言うだけは言ったし、彼も賛成してくれた).
- きるN3「きる」attaches to the ます-stem and emphasizes carrying an action out completely, or a state reaching its extreme; 「だけは」repeats the same verb before and after it, and only expresses doing one's best or at least getting that far, without guaranteeing completion or regard for the outcome. The two cannot be interchanged.
- だけのことはあるN2「だけのことはある」evaluates a result as befitting one's status, effort, price, etc., with a tone of admiration, and can attach to nouns, adjectives, and verbs; 「だけは」must repeat the same verb before and after it and only states how far the action got, with the result undecided. They cannot be interchanged.
- だけにN2「だけに」means 'precisely because..., all the more so...', attaches to nouns, adjectives, and verbs, and is typically followed by an evaluation or feeling; 「だけは」must repeat the same verb before and after it and only states at what point the action was at least carried out. The two cannot be interchanged.
- だけあってN2「だけあって」means 'as befits...' or 'no wonder...', with the latter clause being a result or evaluation matching the former clause's status, experience, etc.; 「だけは」repeats the same verb and only states how far the action got, with the result being another matter. The two cannot be interchanged.
- だけましだN2「だけましだ」attaches to verbs, adjectives, and nouns, and evaluates the one acceptable point within an otherwise unsatisfactory situation ('at least...'); 「だけは」must repeat the same verb and states at what point the action was at least done. The two cannot be interchanged.
だけは means doing at least what one can, apart from the result, whereas きる means finishing something completely. だけのことはある and だけあって praise something as living up to expectations, だけに gives a cause ('precisely because'), and だけましだ says a situation is at least better than something worse.
