Japanese Grammar: the N5 Points

All 81 grammar points on the JLPT N5 list, each explained in plain English, with how it is built and real example sentences you can read with furigana, hear, and tap for a dictionary. Written here, not copied from a textbook.

Sentence patterns6

The frames a Japanese sentence is built on.

〜ですSaying what something is 〜だThe plain copula 〜じゃありませんSaying what something is not 〜てくださいPolite requests 〜ないでくださいAsking someone not to 〜に行くGoing somewhere to do something

Particles21

The small words that mark who did what, to what, and where.

Verb endings12

Polite and plain, past and negative.

〜でしたWas, in polite speech 〜ますThe polite verb ending 〜ませんPolite negative 〜ましたPolite past 〜ませんでしたPolite past negative 〜たPlain past 〜ないPlain negative 〜なかったPlain past negative 〜たり〜たりListing activities as examples 〜すぎるToo much 〜方How to do something 〜になるBecoming, with nouns and na-adjectives

Adjectives10

How い and な adjectives inflect and attach.

〜が好きWhat you like and what you are good at 〜やすいEasy to do 〜にくいHard to do 〜くないNegative i-adjectives 〜かったPast i-adjectives 〜くてLinking with an i-adjective 〜な＋名詞Na-adjectives before a noun 〜で(形容動詞)Linking with a na-adjective 〜じゃないNegative na-adjectives and nouns 〜くなるBecoming, with i-adjectives

Existence3

Saying that something is there: あります and います.

〜にありますWhere something exists 〜がありますThere is (things)〜がいますThere is (people and animals)

Questions2

Turning a statement into a question, and into an invitation.

〜かTurning a sentence into a question 〜ませんかInviting someone

Joining clauses11

Because, and then, while, but.

〜てJoining actions in order 〜てからOnly after doing one thing 〜ながらDoing two things at once 〜から(理由)Because 〜のでSince, given that 〜が(逆接)But, in a single sentence 〜けどBut, casually 〜ときWhen 〜前にBefore doing 〜後でAfter doing でも〜But, starting a new sentence

Aspect4

Ongoing, finished, still and already.

〜ていますIn progress, or an ongoing state 〜たことがあるHaving done it before まだ〜Not yet, still もう〜Already, no longer

Wanting and having to8

Want, may, must not, let us, intend to.

〜ましょうLet's do it 〜てもいいGiving or asking permission 〜てはいけませんSaying something is forbidden 〜たいSaying what you want to do 〜つもりWhat you intend to do 〜ことができるBeing able to do something 〜んですExplaining the situation 〜でしょうProbably

Comparison4

More than, the most, and which is better.

〜よりMore than 〜のほうがThe one that is more 一番〜The most, the best 〜ほうがいいGiving advice