Goal route

JLPT N4 Grammar List

Every N4 grammar point. The upper-beginner layer: passive and causative, the full conditional set, giving-and-receiving, and the plain-form modality that lets you stop speaking in textbook sentences.

Sitting the JLPT N4 — or gauging where you are against it.

367
grammar points on this route
351
with a full written guide
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1 Foundations — the shared spine 61 points
plain non-past copula 'is / are'
N5 copula da
です
polite copula 'is / are'
N5 copula desu
the topic particle (as for ~)
N5 particle wa-2
the linking particle (A の B)
N5 particle no-3
じゃない
is not ~ (casual negative copula)
N5 copula janai
だった
plain past copula 'was / were'
N5 copula datta
the subject particle
N5 particle ga-2
the direct-object particle
N5 particle o
destination, location, and time
N5 particle ni-2
the indirect-object particle
N5 particle ni-3
place of action, means, cause, and scope
N5 particle de
question marker, 'or', and embedded questions
N5 particle ka
the direction particle
N5 particle e
'and' (listing) and 'with'
N5 particle to-2
also / too
N5 particle mo
から
from (starting point)
N5 particle kara-3
まで
until / as far as
N5 particle made
seeking agreement (~, right?)
N5 particle ne
asserting / informing (~, you know)
N5 particle yo
れんようけい
The Masu-Stem (Verb Base)
N5 form masu-stem
ます
Polite Verb Endings (ます・ません・ました)
N5 auxiliary masu-form
てけい
The Connective Form
N5 form te-form
ない
plain negation and 'there isn't'
N5 auxiliary nai
ください
please give me ~
N5 auxiliary kudasai
connecting clauses (and, -ing, so)
N5 connective te
てください
please do ~
N5 auxiliary te-kudasai
ている
ongoing action and resulting state
N5 aspect te-iru
てから
after ~ing
N5 connective te-kara
てもいい
may ~ / it's okay to ~
N5 modality te-mo-ii
てはいけない
must not ~
N5 modality te-wa-ikenai
てしまう
completion and regret
N4 aspect te-shimau
てみる
try ~ing (and see)
N4 auxiliary te-miru
あげる
to give (outward)
N5 other ageru
くれる
to give (to me)
N5 other kureru
てあげる
do ~ for someone (favor)
N4 auxiliary ageru-2
てくれる
(someone) does ~ for me
N4 auxiliary kureru-2
てもらう
have someone do ~ for you
N4 auxiliary morau
たい
want to ~
N5 modality tai
ほしい
want (a thing / someone to do)
N5 modality hoshii
だろう
probably ~ (conjecture)
N5 modality darou
でしょう
probably ~ / ~, right? (polite)
N5 modality deshou
かもしれない
might / maybe ~
N4 modality kamoshirenai
はず
should / be supposed to ~
N4 modality hazu
natural / inevitable result
N4 conditional to-conditional
たら
the general 'if / when'
N4 conditional tara
hypothetical / general condition
N4 conditional ba
なら
if it's the case that ~
N4 conditional nara
から
because (reason)
N5 connective kara
ので
because (objective / polite)
N5 connective node
けど
but / though (casual)
N5 connective kedo
but / however (conjunctive)
N4 connective ga-3
のに
although ~ (and yet)
N4 connective noni
ながら
while ~ing
N4 connective nagara
とき
when ~ (at the time that)
N5 connective toki
まえに
before ~ing
N5 connective mae-ni
あと(で)
after ~ing
N4 connective ato-de
こと
turning a clause into a noun
N4 nominalizer koto
のがすき
to like ~ing
N5 nominalizer no-ga-suki
のほうが
~ is more / the better one
N5 connective no-hou-ga
よりのほうが
A is more ~ than B
N5 particle yori-no-hou-ga
いちばん
most (the superlative)
N5 adverbial ichiban
2 JLPT N5 75 points
からまで
from ~ to ~
N5 particle kara-made
だけ
only / just ~
N5 particle dake
〜は〜が
topic は, subject が within it
N5 particle wa-ga
へいく
to go to ~
N5 particle he-iku
しか
only
N5 particle shika
every role of the particle に
N5 particle ni
marking a point in time
N5 particle ni-5
じゃなかった
was not ~ (casual past negative copula)
N5 copula janakatta
〜は〜だ
topic-comment: X は Y だ
N5 copula wa-da
〜は〜です
topic-comment, polite: X は Y です
N5 copula wa-desu
te-form of だ/です: 'being ~, and ...'
N5 copula de-3
まだていません
have not ~ yet
N5 aspect mada-te-imasen
ないでください
please do not ~
N5 auxiliary nai-de-kudasai
がほしい
to want (a thing)
N5 modality ga-hoshii
たほうがいい
had better ~ / should ~
N5 modality ta-hou-ga-ii
ないほうがいい
had better not ~
N5 modality nai-hou-ga-ii
なくてもいい
don't have to ~
N5 modality naku-temo-ii
ましょうか
shall I ~? / shall we ~?
N5 modality mashou-ka
ませんか
won't you ~? (invitation)
N5 modality masen-ka
てはいけません
must not ~ (polite)
N5 modality te-wa-ikemasen
なくてはいけない
must ~
N5 modality nakute-wa-ikenai
なくてはならない
must ~
N5 modality nakute-wa-naranai
のです
explanatory のだ (polite / written)
N5 modality no-desu
ましょう
let's ~ (polite volitional)
N5 modality mashou
んです
explanatory のだ (polite spoken)
N5 modality n-desu
quotative と
N5 quotation to-quotative
くて
te-form of an i-adjective: is ~ and
N5 connective kute
にいく
go to do ~ (purpose)
N5 connective ni-iku
そして
and / and then
N5 connective soshite
それから
and then
N5 connective sore-kara
また
again
N5 connective mata
すぐ
immediately
N5 adverbial sugu
とても
very (affirmative)
N5 adverbial totemo
まだ
still
N5 adverbial mada
もう
already
N5 adverbial mou
もっと
more
N5 adverbial motto
いっしょに
together
N5 adverbial issho-ni
があります
there is ~ (polite)
N5 other ga-arimasu
がある
there is ~ (inanimate)
N5 other ga-aru
がいる
there is ~ (animate)
N5 other ga-iru
になる
to become ~
N5 other ni-naru
ある
to exist (inanimate)
N5 other aru
いる
to exist (animate)
N5 other iru-3
この
adnominal demonstrative: this ~
N5 other kono
さん
polite title suffix
N5 other san
なる
to become
N5 other naru
くる
to come (irregular verb)
N5 other kuru
sentence-final の: explanatory tone or soft question
N5 particle no-2
のなかでがいちばん
among ~, ~ is the most ~
N5 particle no-naka-de-ga-ichiban
particle か: 'or'
N5 particle ka-2
なにかなにも
something / anything / nothing
N5 particle nani-ka-nani-mo
particle に marking the agent/source
N5 particle ni-4
よね
~ right?
N5 particle yo-ne
だれかどこか
someone / no one, somewhere / nowhere
N5 particle dareka-dokoka
たことがある
have done ~ before
N5 aspect koto-ga-aru
すぎる
too much / excessively ~
N5 auxiliary sugiru
ちゃいけない
must not ~
N5 modality cha-ikenai
なくちゃ
gotta ~
N5 modality naku-cha
のがじょうず
to be good at ~ing
N5 nominalizer no-ga-jouzu
のがへた
to be bad at ~ing
N5 nominalizer no-ga-heta
あまり
not very ~
N5 adverbial amari
たくさん
a lot / many
N5 adverbial takusan
どう
how / in what way
N5 adverbial dou
どうして
why
N5 adverbial doushite
どうやって
how / by what means
N5 adverbial douyatte
どうぞ
please / go ahead / by all means
N5 interjection douzo
ちゃん
affectionate name suffix 〜ちゃん
N5 other chan
たち
plural suffix for people
N5 other tachi
どんな
what kind of ~
N5 other donna
をつかって
using
N5 other o-tsukatte
まえ
front / before (noun)
N5 other mae
すきだ
to like
N5 other sukida
すくない
few / not much
N5 other sukunai
しる
to know
N5 other shiru
いる
to need
N5 other iru-4
3 JLPT N4 231 points
かどうか
whether (or not)
N4 particle ka-dou-ka
〜たり〜たり
do such things as ~ and ~
N4 particle tari-tari
〜たり〜たりする
do things like ~ and ~ (full pattern)
N4 particle tari-tari-suru
より
than / from
N4 particle yori
でも
even ~ / ~ or something
N4 particle de-mo
までに
by (a deadline)
N4 particle made-ni
〜ようとする
try to ~ / be about to ~
N4 aspect you-to-suru
〜ようにする
make an effort to ~
N4 aspect youni-suru
〜ようになる
come to ~ / reach the point where ~
N4 aspect youni-naru
しまう
to put away / finish
N4 aspect shimau
なければ
if not ~
N4 conditional nakereba
やすい
easy to ~
N4 auxiliary yasui
いただく
receive (humble)
N4 auxiliary itadaku
〜ようとおもう
be thinking of ~ing / intend to ~
N4 modality you-to-omou
ほうがいい
~ is better / it'd be better to ~
N4 modality hou-ga-ii
ことができる
can / be able to ~
N4 modality koto-ga-dekiru
つもり
intend to ~
N4 modality tsumori
ないといけない
must ~
N4 modality nai-to-ikenai
なければいけない
must ~
N4 modality nakereba-ikenai
なければならない
must ~ / have to ~
N4 modality nakereba-naranai
のだ
explanatory のだ / んだ
N4 modality no-da
ようだ
it seems / looks like ~
N4 modality youda
とおもう
to think that ~
N4 quotation to-omou
という
called ~ / the ~ that
N4 quotation to-iu
かた
way / manner of doing ~
N4 nominalizer kata
られる
passive られる: the subject is acted upon
N4 passive rareru-2
あとで
after ~
N4 connective ato-de-2
ても
even if ~ / even though ~
N4 connective te-mo
ばあい
in the case of ~ / if ~
N4 connective baai
しかし
however / but
N4 connective shikashi
だから
so / therefore
N4 connective dakara
ないで
without ~ing / don't ~
N4 connective nai-de
なくて
not ~ and / because not ~
N4 connective nakute
のために
for the sake of / because of
N4 connective no-tame-ni
ように
like ~ / so that ~
N4 connective youni
ぜんぜん
(not) at all (with negative)
N4 adverbial zenzen
ごろ
around / about (a point in time)
N4 other goro
こんな
adnominal demonstrative: this kind of
N4 other konna
にする
decide on ~ / make it ~
N4 other ni-suru
れんたいしゅうしょくせつ
noun-modifying (relative) clause
N4 other relative-clause
〜か〜か
whether ~ or ~
N4 particle ka-ka
かな
sentence-final 'I wonder / I hope ~'
N4 particle kana
からつくる
made from ~ (raw material whose form changes)
N4 particle kara-tsukuru
ずつ
~ each
N4 particle zutsu
でできる
made of ~ (material)
N4 particle de-dekiru
とと、どちらが
between ~ and ~, which is more ~?
N4 particle to-to-dochira-ga
とかとか
things like ~ and ~
N4 particle toka-toka
のなかで
among / of all ~
N4 particle no-naka-de
も〜も
both ~ and ~ / neither ~ nor ~
N4 particle mo-mo
いがい
other than ~
N4 particle igai
ほうが
the ~ one / the ~ side (selecting an option)
N4 particle hou-ga
かしら
sentence-final 'I wonder ~'
N4 particle kashira
とか
things like ~ (casual examples)
N4 particle toka
sentence-final な expressing emotion or seeking agreement
N4 particle na-2
なあ
sentence-final particle of emotion/admiration/wishing
N4 particle naa
など
and so on / etc.
N4 particle nado
particle も: even ~
N4 particle mo-2
listing nouns non-exhaustively ('and, among others')
N4 particle ya
particle を marking the space/path traversed
N4 particle o-2
particle を marking the point of departure/separation
N4 particle o-3
まえから
from before / for a while now
N4 particle mae-kara
でございます
to be ~
N4 copula de-gozaimasu
はのひとつだ
~ is one of the ~
N4 copula wa-no-hitotsu-da
たところ
just (finished) ~ing
N4 aspect ta-tokoro
たばかり
just ~ed
N4 aspect ta-bakari
ていく
(aspect) to go on doing
N4 aspect iku
ていた
was ~ing
N4 aspect te-ita
ているところ
in the middle of ~ing
N4 aspect teiru-tokoro
てくる
(aspect) begin to ~
N4 aspect kuru-2
とく
colloquial contraction of 〜ておく
N4 aspect toku
るところだ
about to ~
N4 aspect ru-tokoro-da
だす
suddenly start ~ing / burst into ~ing
N4 aspect dasu
はじめる
begin to ~ / start ~ing
N4 aspect hajimeru
つづける
continue ~ing
N4 aspect tsuzukeru
てある
(something) has been done and remains so
N4 aspect te-aru
ておく
do ~ in advance / in preparation
N4 aspect te-oku
なくなる
come to no longer ~
N4 aspect naku-naru
おわる
finish (doing)
N4 aspect owaru
なかったら
if there is no ~
N4 conditional nakattara
のなら
if ~ (given what you say)
N4 conditional no-nara
がる
show signs of / outwardly display a feeling
N4 auxiliary garu
くする
to make (something) ~
N4 auxiliary ku-suru
させてください
please let me ~
N4 auxiliary sasete-kudasai
たがる
to show signs of wanting to ~
N4 auxiliary tagaru
ちまう
colloquial/rough 〜てしまう: end up ~ing / do completely
N4 auxiliary chimau
ちゃう
colloquial 〜てしまう: do completely / end up ~ing
N4 auxiliary chau
ていただけませんか
could you please ~?
N4 auxiliary te-itadakemasen-ka
てくれない
won't you ~? / can I get you to ~? (request)
N4 auxiliary te-kurenai
てやる
(casual benefactive) do something for someone (inferior/inti
N4 auxiliary yaru
かする
to turn into ~ / -ize
N4 auxiliary ka-suru
ございます
there is
N4 auxiliary gozaimasu
ていただく
have someone do ~
N4 auxiliary te-itadaku
てくださる
someone kindly does ~ for me
N4 auxiliary te-kudasaru
にくい
hard to ~
N4 auxiliary nikui
のような
like
N4 auxiliary no-youna
まっ
completely / deep ~
N4 auxiliary ma-prefix
がひつよう
~ is necessary
N4 modality ga-hitsuyou
がみられる
~ can be seen / observed
N4 modality ga-mirareru
ことがある
there are times when ~
N4 modality koto-ga-aru-2
じゃないか
isn't it ~?
N4 modality janai-ka
そうだ
looks like ~
N4 modality souda-2
そうに
looking ~
N4 modality sou-ni
たらいいですか
what should I ~?
N4 modality tara-ii-desu-ka
たらどう
why don't you ~?
N4 modality tara-dou
ではないか
isn't it ~?
N4 modality dewa-nai-ka
といい
it'd be nice if ~ / I hope ~
N4 modality to-ii
とされている
it is said / regarded as ~
N4 modality to-sarete-iru
とかんがえられている
it is thought / considered that ~
N4 modality to-kangaerarete-iru
といってもいい
you could say that ~
N4 modality to-ittemo-ii
といわれている
it is said that ~
N4 modality to-iwarete-iru
ないと
have to ~
N4 modality naito
にみえる
to look ~
N4 modality ni-mieru
のだろうか
I wonder if ~
N4 modality no-darou-ka
はずがない
there is no way that ~
N4 modality hazu-ga-nai
はずだ
it should be ~
N4 modality hazu-da
ばよかった
should have ~ / I wish I had ~
N4 modality ba-yokatta
みたい
like ~
N4 modality mitai
みたいに
like ~
N4 modality mitai-ni
〜ような / よな
like ~ / such as ~
N4 modality yona
ようにてほしい
to want (someone to)
N4 modality you-ni-te-hoshii
られる
potential られる: can / be able to
N4 modality rareru-3
よていだ
to plan to ~
N4 modality yotei-da
ひつようがある
there is a need to ~
N4 modality hitsuyou-ga-aru
いい
good / fine
N4 modality ii
ことにする
decide to ~
N4 modality koto-ni-suru
ことになる
it comes to be that ~
N4 modality koto-ni-naru
ことにきめる
decide to ~
N4 modality koto-ni-kimeru
たらどうですか
how about ~ing?
N4 modality tara-do-desuka
だろ
casual contraction of だろう: 'probably ~' / 'right?'
N4 modality daro
てほしい
want someone to ~
N4 modality te-hoshii
てもらいたい
want someone to ~
N4 modality te-moraitai
てよかった
I'm glad that ~
N4 modality te-yokatta
なくては
must ~
N4 modality nakute-wa
なさい
soft imperative: do ~
N4 modality nasai
みたいだ
looks like
N4 modality mitaida
らしい
seems / typical of
N4 modality rashii
られない
cannot ~
N4 modality rarenai
きこえる
be audible / can be heard (spontaneous)
N4 modality kikoeru
ときいた
I heard that ~
N4 quotation to-kiita
そうだ
I hear that
N4 quotation souda
ということ
the fact/idea that ~
N4 nominalizer to-iu-koto
の pronoun: 'one' — stands in for a noun
N4 nominalizer no
nominalizing suffix (degree: 高さ)
N4 nominalizer sa
ところ
point / moment / aspect (nominalizer)
N4 nominalizer tokoro
のこと
about
N4 nominalizer no-koto
のは〜だ
cleft sentence: 'the one who/that ... is ~'
N4 nominalizer no-wa-da
もの
nominalizer for a concrete/tangible thing
N4 nominalizer mono
させる
make/let
N4 causative saseru
せる
causative auxiliary (make/let someone do) for 五段 verbs
N4 causative seru
れる
passive/potential/spontaneous/honorific auxiliary
N4 passive reru
みられる
can see / be seen (potential-passive of 見る)
N4 passive mirareru
いたします
to do
N4 honorific itashimasu
いたす
to do
N4 honorific itasu
いらっしゃる
to be / come / go
N4 honorific irassharu
お〜ください
please do ~
N4 honorific o-vmasu-kudasai
お〜する
humble form: I humbly do ~ for you
N4 honorific o-suru-2
お〜になる
honorific form of a verb
N4 honorific o-ni-naru
くださる
honorific of くれる: (a superior) gives to me/us
N4 honorific kudasaru
なさる
to do
N4 honorific nasaru
しし
~ and ~ (listing reasons/qualities)
N4 connective shi-shi
だけで
just by ~ / with only ~
N4 connective dake-de
ているあいだに
while ~ing
N4 connective te-iru-aida-ni
てくれてありがとう
thank you for ~ing
N4 connective te-kurete-arigatou
てすみません
I'm sorry for ~ing / thanks for ~ing
N4 connective te-sumimasen
ようにいのる
to pray / hope that ~
N4 connective you-ni-inoru
んだけど
~, but / softening preface
N4 connective ndakedo
ばあいは
in the case of ~
N4 connective baai-wa
あいだ(に)
while / during ~ (at some point within a span)
N4 connective aida-ni
うちに
while ~ (before it changes)
N4 connective uchi-ni
けれど
but / however / although
N4 connective keredo
and (what's more) / listing reasons
N4 connective shi
それで
and so
N4 connective sore-de
それでは
well then
N4 connective sore-de-wa
それでも
even so
N4 connective sore-demo
それなら
if that's the case
N4 connective sore-nara
だけど
but / however
N4 connective dakedo
といっしょに
together with
N4 connective to-issho-ni
なくても
even if not ~
N4 connective nakute-mo
については
as for
N4 connective ni-tsuite-wa
のばあい(は)
in the case of
N4 connective no-baai-wa
あんまり
colloquial あまり: '(not) very'
N4 adverbial anmari
いかが
how / how about ~?
N4 adverbial ikaga
いくら
how much / how many
N4 adverbial ikura
いつでも
always / any time / whenever
N4 adverbial itsu-de-mo
きっと
surely / no doubt
N4 adverbial kitto
さっき
a little while ago
N4 adverbial sakki
ずっと
the whole time / by far
N4 adverbial zutto
そんなに
that much / so ~
N4 adverbial sonna-ni
だんだん
gradually
N4 adverbial dandan
どんどん
rapidly / steadily
N4 adverbial dondon
なかなかない
not easily ~
N4 adverbial nakanaka-nai
なるべく
as much as possible
N4 adverbial naru-beku
ほかにも
besides
N4 adverbial hoka-ni-mo
ほとんど
almost / mostly
N4 adverbial hotondo
もうすぐ
soon
N4 adverbial mo-sugu
もし(も)
if
N4 adverbial moshi-mo
いちど
once / one time
N4 adverbial ichido
なにもない
nothing / not anything
N4 adverbial nani-mo-nai
ぜんぜん〜ない
not at all ~
N4 adverbial zenzen-nai
たいへん
very / tough
N4 adverbial taihen
かならず
without fail / always
N4 adverbial kanarazu
ほんとうに
really / truly
N4 adverbial hontou-ni
ひじょうに
extremely / very
N4 adverbial hijouni
おい
hey!
N4 interjection oi
てね
(do) ~, okay? (soft request / reminder)
N4 interjection te-ne
がする
a sound / smell / taste / feeling occurs
N4 other ga-suru
にきがつく
to notice ~
N4 other ni-ki-ga-tsuku
がた
polite pluralizing suffix for people
N4 other gata
ordinal suffix (三番目 'the third')
N4 other me
かん
for a period of ~ (duration suffix)
N4 other kan
こういう
such
N4 other kou-iu
このような
such
N4 other kono-youna
さしあげる
to give (humble, to a superior)
N4 other sashiageru
そういう
that kind of ~
N4 other sou-iu
どのような
what kind of ~
N4 other dono-youna
まま
as it is
N4 other mama
ままで
in the state of ~
N4 other mama-de
やる
to do (casual = する)
N4 other yaru-3
pluralizing/approximating suffix for people
N4 other ra
なんでも
anything / everything
N4 other nandemo
くん
familiar address suffix for juniors and peers
N4 other kun
めいれいけい
the imperative
N4 other imperative
すくなくない
not few / quite a few
N4 other sukunakunai
さま
honorific title suffix (Mr/Ms, very polite)
N4 other sama
じどうしたどうし
intransitive vs transitive verb pairs
N4 other jidoushi-tadoushi
みえる
be visible
N4 other mieru
かい
casual sentence-final question particle
N4 particle kai
だら
colloquial conditional 'if it is ~'
N4 conditional dara
ないはない
there is no ~ that doesn't ~
N4 modality nai-wa-nai
きける
can hear / can ask (potential of 聞く)
N4 modality kikeru
(unclear) a 〜のように likeness frame
N4 modality mai-no-you-ni

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