Japanese Grammar: the N5 and N4 Points

All 173 grammar points on the JLPT N5 and N4 lists, 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.

JLPT N581 points

Where Japanese starts: the sentence frames, the particles and the polite forms everything else is built on.

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

JLPT N492 points

The next band up: conditionals, the passive and the causative, giving and receiving, and the first honorific language.

Sentence patterns3

The frames a Japanese sentence is built on.

〜にするSettling on it こんな〜This sort of thing 〜番目Which one in the order

Particles13

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

〜と言うReporting speech 〜までにBy this deadline 〜ばかりNothing but 〜しかないOnly, and that is not much 〜でもEven that, or something like it 〜などAnd things like that 〜とかThings like this and that 〜ずつSo many each 〜ごろAround that time 〜についてAbout, concerning 〜としてIn the capacity of 〜で（原因）Because of it 〜がするA sound, a smell, a feeling

Verb endings2

Polite and plain, past and negative.

〜ないでDoing one thing, not the other 〜ずにWithout doing, in writing

Adjectives3

How い and な adjectives inflect and attach.

〜がるHow someone else feels 〜さTurning a quality into a thing 〜くするMaking it that way

Questions4

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

〜かどうかWhether or not 疑問詞 + かSomeone, something, somewhere 疑問詞 + でもAnyone, anything at all 疑問詞 + も + 否定Nobody, nothing, nowhere

Joining clauses10

Because, and then, while, but.

〜なくてNot doing it, and so 〜てもEven if 〜ためにIn order to, because of 〜のにEven though, and it bothers me 〜しStacking up reasons だからSo, therefore しかしHowever それでAnd so, and then 〜間にWhile that was going on 〜うちにWhile it lasts

Conditionals5

If this, then that: ば, たら, なら and と.

〜ばThe general if 〜たらIf and when 〜ならIf that is the case 〜とWhenever this, then that 〜ば〜ほどThe more, the more

Aspect17

Ongoing, finished, still and already.

〜てしまうFinishing it, or regretting it 〜ておくDoing it in advance 〜てみるGiving it a try 〜てあるLeft in a prepared state 〜てくるComing to be 〜ていくGoing on from here 〜ようになるComing to be able to 〜ようにするMaking a point of it 〜ことがあるIt happens sometimes 〜たばかりOnly just done 〜たところJust this second 〜始めるStarting to 〜終わるFinishing doing 〜出すBursting into it 〜続けるKeeping at it 〜直すDoing it over 〜たままLeft as it was

Comparison1

More than, the most, and which is better.

〜ほどTo that extent

Passive, causative, potential5

Done to you, made to happen, or simply possible.

〜られる／〜えるSaying you can do it 〜れる／〜られるWhen it happens to you 〜せる／〜させるMaking or letting someone do it 〜させられるBeing made to do it 〜させてくださいAsking to be allowed

Giving and receiving3

Doing it for someone, and having it done for you.

〜てあげるDoing it for someone 〜てくれるSomeone did it for me 〜てもらうGetting someone to do it

Politeness and respect3

Honorific, humble, and the gentle order.

〜なさいThe gentle order お〜になるHonorific, about them お〜するHumble, about yourself