Japanese grammar

Japanese grammar N4: 141 patterns on the JLPT framework

All 141 grammar patterns at N4 level (estimated on the JLPT framework) on GoMe. Open a pattern to see its structure, meaning, example sentences with furigana and common mistakes.

可能形 (potential form)can ~, be able to ~
～ことができるcan ~, be able to ~
意向形 (volitional form)let's ~ / I'll ~ (invitation or self-resolve)
～ようと思うI think I will ~, I intend to ~
～つもりだto intend to ~, to plan to ~
～予定だscheduled to ~, planning to ~
命令形 (imperative form)do ~! (strong command)
禁止形（～な）don't ~! (prohibition)
受身形 (passive form)be ~ed / get ~ed
使役形 (causative form)make/let someone do ~
使役受身 (causative-passive)be made to ~ (against one's will)
条件形ば (conditional if)if ~ then
～たらif ~ / after ~ then
～と (natural condition)whenever ~, if ~ then (natural consequence)
～ならif it's about ~, speaking of ~
～てもeven if ~, although ~
～てみるtry doing ~ (to see what happens)
～ておくdo ~ in advance (to prepare) / leave ~ as is
～てしまうend up doing ~ / finish ~ completely
～ていく~ away (receding) / ~ from now on
～てくる~ toward (approaching) / ~ up until now / ~ and come back
～てあげる(I) do ~ for someone
～てくれる(someone) does ~ for me
～てもらう(I) have someone do ~ for me / ask someone to ~
～(さ)せてくださいplease let me ~
～たがる(someone else) shows desire to ~
～やすい／～にくいeasy to ~ / hard to ~
～すぎるtoo much ~ (to an undesirable degree)
～ながらwhile doing ~
～はじめる／～おわるto begin to ~ / to finish ~
～つづけるto continue ~, to keep ~ing
～なおすto redo ~ (correctly, better)
～ので (objective reason)because ~, since ~ (objective reason)
～ため（に） (cause)because of ~, due to ~
～のに (purpose / function)in order to ~; for the purpose of ~
～し (listing reasons / characteristics)not only ~, but also ~; because ~ and also ~
～けれども／～けどbut, although; by the way…
それで (result / continuation)so, therefore; and then?
それに (same-direction addition)moreover, in addition
しかし (formal contrast)however, nevertheless
～ところだ (stage of action)about to / in the middle of / just finished doing ~
～るところだbe about to do ~
～ているところだbe right in the middle of doing ~
～たところだhave just finished doing ~
～たばかりだhave just done ~
～前に (extension)before ~; ~ ago
～た後で (extension)after ~
～間 (throughout the duration)during the whole time of ~
～間に (while / during)while ~, during the time that ~
～ままas it is, leaving ~ unchanged; while still ~
～とおりにexactly as ~, just like ~
～ように (purpose)so that ~, in order to be able to ~
～ために (purpose)in order to ~, for the purpose of ~
～ようになるto come to be able to ~; to start habitually ~
～ことになるit has been decided that ~; it turns out that ~
～ことにするto decide to ~
～そうだ (appearance)looks like ~, seems about to ~
～そうだ (hearsay)I heard that ~, reportedly ~
～ようだ (conjecture)it seems like ~, it appears that ~
～らしい (hearsay / appearance)apparently ~; it seems that ~
～かもしれないmaybe, might be
～はずだmust be, should be (by logic)
～んです／～のですthe thing is ~; actually, ~
～かどうかwhether or not ~
～と言っていた(someone) said that ~
尊敬語（そんけいご）honorific language — elevate OTHERS' actions
お／ご～になる(someone superior) does ~ (formulaic honorific)
尊敬動詞（いらっしゃる・おっしゃる・召し上がる…）special honorific verbs
～れる／～られる（尊敬）(someone superior) does ~ (light honorific)
謙譲語（けんじょうご）humble language — lower MY OWN actions
お／ご～するallow me to ~ (for someone superior)
謙譲動詞（参る・申す・いただく・拝見する…）special humble verbs
丁寧語（です・ます・ございます）polite language — speaking politely to the listener
～ていただけませんかwould you be so kind as to ~?
～てくださいませんかcould you please ~ for me?
～ (さ)せていただくallow me to ~, may I ~
お～くださいplease kindly ~
～でございますit is ~ (ultra-polite form of です)
～ましょうか (offering help)shall I ~? / let me ~ for you
～たらどうですかhow about ~? / why don't you try ~?
～方がいいit's better to ~
～ない方がいいit's better not to ~
～べきだshould ~ (moral obligation, duty)
～なければならない (extension)must ~ (obligation)
～なくてもいい (extension)don't have to ~, it's okay not to ~
～てはいけない (extension)must not ~ (prohibited)
～てもかまわないit's fine to ~, it doesn't matter if ~
～ずにwithout doing ~
～ないでwithout doing A (do B instead); don't do ~
～ようにするto make an effort to ~, to make it a habit to ~
～ことがある (occasionally)sometimes ~, occasionally ~
～たことがある (extension)have experienced ~ (before)
～ば～ほどthe more ~ the more ~
～ても構わないit's fine even if ~ (I don't mind)
～のに (regret / contrast)and yet ~, even though ~ (with disappointment or frustration)
～でも (even ~)even ~, even if it's ~
～しか～ないonly ~ (implying it's not enough)
～だけonly ~, just ~ (neutral)
～ばかり (only / full of ~)nothing but ~, always ~ (often critical)
～ほどto the extent of ~ / (not) as much as ~
～くらい／ぐらいabout ~, approximately ~ / to the extent of ~
～まで (extension)until ~ (continuously), as far as ~
～までに (deadline)by ~ (deadline), no later than ~
～によってdepending on ~ / by ~ / by means of ~
～についてabout ~, regarding ~ (topic)
～のために (for the benefit of)for ~, for the sake of ~ (benefit)
～とか~ for example, things like ~
～など~ etc., ~ and so on
～も (large quantity)as many as ~, a whole ~ (emphatic quantity)
～ずつeach ~, ~ at a time
～（の）ように (like / as)like ~, similar to ~
～みたいlike ~, seems like ~
～らしい (characteristic)typical of ~, befitting ~ / apparently ~
～っぽい-ish, tends to be ~, easily ~ (often slightly critical)
～中（じゅう／ちゅう）throughout ~, all over ~ (じゅう); in the middle of ~, during ~ (ちゅう)
～目 (ordinal)the ~th (ordinal number)
～たち／～ら (plural)~ and others, plural marker
～さ (nominalizing adjectives)the degree of ~, the ~ness (nominalizes adjectives)
～み (nominalizing adjectives)the ~ness (subjective feeling)
～がる (extension, third person)to show signs of ~, to act ~ (about others' feelings)
～きるto do ~ completely, to finish ~ing
～出すto suddenly ~, to burst into ~
～合うto ~ each other, to ~ together
～込むto ~ into, to ~ deeply
～ながらもalthough ~, despite ~
（期間）に（回数）how many times within a period
～がほしいto want (a thing)
～といいit would be good if ~; I hope ~
～てすみませんsorry for doing ~
～なさいdo ~ (instructive command)
～ばよかったI wish I had ~; I should have ~
～てよかったI'm glad I did ~; it's a good thing that ~
～てあるhas been done and remains in that state
～くする／～にするto make ~, to turn into ~; to choose ~
～ていただきたいI would like you to ~ (very polite request)
～てほしいI want someone to do ~
～てもらいたいI want to have someone do ~ for me
～ように言うto tell/ask someone to ~ (indirect speech)
～方（かた）how to ~, the way of ~ing
～かしらI wonder ~ (feminine)
～かなあI wonder ~; I'm not sure if ~