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Is there any nuance difference between having しか before or after the verb? If
not, which is more commonly used/sounds more natural?

I get a feeling like これしか食べない translate to don't eat anything but this while  
これ食べるしかない translate to no choice but to eat this

but I'm not sure why this is the case grammatically.
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2020-10-23T15:56:37.910
82256
2020-10-23T16:21:09.650
2020-10-23T16:04:10.487
40703
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question
grammar
これしか食べない vs これ食べるしかない
There is a difference between the two, and your guess is spot on. As for why,
しか, much like だけ, modifies the word that comes before it (verbs, nouns, and
some particles like に、で and まで).

> これしか  
>  nothing but this

> 食べるしか  
>  nothing but eating

Which means that your translation was correct:

> これしか食べない  
>  to only eat this

> これを食べるしかない  
>  we have no choice but to eat this.
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2020-10-23T16:12:45.537
82257
2020-10-23T16:12:45.537
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answer
Yes, you're totally right.

```

    動詞辞書形＋しかない
    動詞辞書形に接続して他の方法や選択肢がなく、その他の可能性もないという意味を表します。
    
```

means _you have no choice but do sth_ as in

> 寂しいけど我慢するしかない。Have no choice but stand the loneliness.

> ここまで来たら、もうやるしかない。Things all happened, and I have no choice but do it.
```

    名詞（＋助詞）＋しか～ない
    名詞や数量詞の後について、物事が限定的であることを表します。話者の不満や残念な感情を含みます。
    
```

means _only_ as in

> 出発まであと１０分しかない。There's only 10 min before departure.

and

> 財布の中には５００円しかない。 There's only 500 Japanese yen in the pocket.
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2020-10-23T16:21:09.650
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2020-10-23T16:21:09.650
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answer