Japanese Grammar Reference
N5 and N4 Japanese grammar patterns with English explanations and examples.
N5 Grammar Patterns (35 patterns)
[Topic] is [X]
わたしは がくせい です。
I am a student.
[Subject] is [X] (emphasis)
これが わたしの ほんです。
This is my book.
[Object] + verb (polite)
ごはんを たべます。
I eat rice/meals.
Go to [place]
がっこうに いきます。
I go to school.
Do [verb] at [place/means]
でんしゃで いきます。
I go by train.
[Possessive] — [A's B]
わたしの くるまです。
It is my car.
[Also/too] — X also
わたしも にほんごを べんきょうします。
I also study Japanese.
And [joins nouns] / With [person]
ともだちと えいがを みます。
I watch a movie with a friend.
Sentence-ending: ね (seeking agreement), よ (asserting)
いい てんきですね。
Nice weather, isn't it?
From [X] to [Y]
くじから ごじまで はたらきます。
I work from 9 to 5.
Do not [verb]
たべない。
[I] don't eat.
Do not [verb] — polite
いきません。
I don't go.
Did not [verb] — polite past
きのう べんきょうしませんでした。
I didn't study yesterday.
Did [verb] — polite past
テレビを みました。
I watched TV.
Please do [verb]
まってください。
Please wait.
Please don't [verb]
はなさないでください。
Please don't speak.
[Verb]-ing / ongoing action
いま たべています。
I am eating now.
After doing [verb]
たべてから ねます。
I sleep after eating.
Let's do [verb]
いきましょう！
Let's go!
Won't you [verb]? (invitation)
いっしょに たべませんか？
Won't you eat together?
Want to [verb]
にほんに いきたいです。
I want to go to Japan.
Want [noun/thing]
あたらしい くるまが ほしい。
I want a new car.
Can do [verb]
にほんごが できます。
I can speak Japanese.
Like / Dislike [noun]
すしが すきです。
I like sushi.
Good at / Bad at [noun/verb]
えいごが じょうずです。
[They are] good at English.
This / That (near you) / That (far) / Which
これはなんですか？
What is this?
This [N] / That [N] / That [far N] / Which [N]
このほんはおもしろいです。
This book is interesting.
How many / How much / How old
おいくつですか？
How old are you?
Where / Who / What / When / Why
どこへ いきますか？
Where are you going?
[い-adj] is [X] (plain i-adj + desu)
このごはんはおいしいです。
This meal is delicious.
[な-adj] is [X]
きれいなへやです。
It's a beautiful room.
[い-adj] is not [X]
たかくないです。
It's not expensive.
Is not [な-adj / noun]
げんきじゃないです。
I'm not well.
Exist (things) / Exist (people/animals)
ねこが います。つくえが あります。
There is a cat. There is a desk.
[Thing] is at [Location]
ほんは つくえのうえに あります。
The book is on the desk.
N4 Grammar Patterns (30 patterns)
Ongoing state (result of action)
かれは けっこんしています。
He is married.
Try doing [verb]
たべてみてください。
Please try eating it.
End up doing (completion/regret)
たべてしまいました。
I ended up eating it (all).
Do [verb] in advance / for later
やさいをきっておきます。
I'll cut the vegetables in advance.
Give/receive the favor of [verb]
ともだちにおしえてもらいました。
I had my friend teach me.
In the middle of [verb]-ing
いまたべているところです。
I'm in the middle of eating right now.
Just did [verb]
かえってきたところです。
I just got back.
Must / Have to [verb]
べんきょうしなければなりません。
I have to study.
It's OK to [verb] / May I...?
はいってもいいですか？
May I come in?
Must not / Not allowed to [verb]
ここでたばこをすってはいけません。
You must not smoke here.
While doing [verb] (simultaneous)
おんがくをきながらべんきょうします。
I study while listening to music.
Do things like [A and B] (list of actions)
えいごをよんだりきいたりします。
I do things like reading and listening to English.
If [verb], then... (conditional)
たべれば げんきになります。
If you eat, you'll get better.
When/If [event happens] (softer condition)
うちにかえったら れんらくします。
I'll contact you when I get home.
When/If [condition] → [natural result]
みぎにまがるとゆうびんきょくがあります。
If you turn right, there's a post office.
Even if / Even though [verb]
たかくてもかいます。
Even if it's expensive, I'll buy it.
Even though [A], unexpectedly [B]
たくさんべんきょうしたのに しけんにおちた。
Even though I studied a lot, I failed the exam.
Because [reason]...
あめだから いえにいます。
I'm at home because it's raining.
Because (polite/soft reason)
びょうきなので やすみます。
Since I'm sick, I'll take a day off.
And moreover (listing multiple reasons)
やすいし おいしいし とてもいい。
It's cheap, and it's delicious, so it's great.
Looks like / Seems [adj/verb]
このりょうりはおいしそうです。
This dish looks delicious.
Seems like / I heard that (evidence-based)
あしたあめらしい。
It seems like it'll rain tomorrow.
It seems like / Appears to be
かれはがくせいみたいです。
He seems to be a student.
Maybe / Might be
あしたあめかもしれません。
It might rain tomorrow.
Should be / Supposed to [verb]
もうかえったはずです。
He should have already come home.
In order to [goal] (ために = concrete goal, ように = vague goal/hope)
にほんごをべんきょうするためにほんをかいます。
I buy books in order to study Japanese.
Too much / Excessively [verb/adj]
たべすぎました。
I ate too much.
Easy to / Hard to [verb]
このペンはかきやすいです。
This pen is easy to write with.
To the extent that / As [X] as [Y]
ねむいほどつかれています。
I'm tired to the point of being sleepy.
More than [X]
でんしゃより バスのほうがやすいです。
The bus is cheaper than the train.
📖 How to Use This Reference
- 🔊 Click any pattern or example sentence to hear Japanese pronunciation
- 🔍 Use the search box to find specific patterns (try "conditional", "want", "negative")
- 📝 Focus on N5 first — most JFT Basic questions test N5-level grammar
- ✅ N4 patterns appear in JFT Basic reading comprehension sections
- 🃏 Combine with Flashcard tool to actively test your grammar knowledge
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