JLPT Grammar Guides
Friendly, in-depth explanations of JLPT grammar from N5 to N1 — what each pattern means, how to build it, the nuances that trip people up, and a quick drill to lock it in.
N4
- 〜たがる: Talking About What Someone Else Wants — 〜たがる expresses a third person's desire ('he wants to…'). Learn why Japanese switches from たい to たがる, how to form it, the particle change, and see clear examples.
- 〜ようになる: Meaning, Conjugation & 12 Examples — 〜ようになる describes a change — something that wasn't true or possible before, but now is. Learn the formation, nuance, and see 12 example sentences with a quick practice quiz.
- 〜ようにする: 'Try To' and 'Make Sure To' (Meaning + Examples) — 〜ようにする means making a conscious effort to do (or not do) something — 'try to / make sure to.' Learn the formation, the negative, the ている habit form, and how it differs from ようになる.
N5
- 〜がほしい: How to Say You Want Something (Meaning + Examples) — ほしい expresses wanting a thing (a noun): 〜がほしい. Learn the formation, the が particle, the 〜てほしい variant ('want someone to do'), and how it differs from 〜たい.
- 〜から: 'Because' and 'From' (Meaning + Examples) — から has two everyday jobs: 'because' (giving a reason) and 'from' (a starting point in time or place). Learn how each works, how it differs from ので, with clear examples.
- 〜ながら: Doing Two Things at Once (Meaning + Examples) — 〜ながら describes doing two actions at the same time ('while doing'). Learn the formation from the ます-stem, which action is the main one, and see clear examples.
- 〜ないでください: How to Say 'Please Don't' in Japanese — 〜ないでください is the polite way to ask someone not to do something ('please don't…'). Learn the formation from the ない-form, with examples and how it pairs with 〜てください.
- 〜ので: A Softer 'Because' (Meaning + から vs ので) — 〜ので gives a reason in a soft, polite way ('because…'). Learn how it attaches, how it differs from から, and why it's the safer choice for explanations and excuses.
- 〜たい: How to Say 'Want to' in Japanese (with 12 Examples) — 〜たい attaches to a verb stem to say what you want to do. Learn the formation, why it conjugates like an i-adjective, the が/を switch, how to talk about other people's wants (たがる), and see 12 examples.
- 〜たり〜たり: Listing Examples of Actions (Meaning + Examples) — 〜たり〜たり lists representative actions ('doing things like A and B'). Learn the formation from the た-form, the する at the end, and how it differs from plain て-form listing.
- The て-form: How to Conjugate It (Complete Rules + Examples) — The て-form is the gateway to dozens of Japanese grammar patterns. Learn the conjugation rules for every verb group, the famous song trick, and see clear examples.
- 〜ている: Progressive & State (Meaning + Examples) — 〜ている has two big jobs: an ongoing action ('is doing') and a continuing state ('is in a state'). Learn when it means which, how to form it, and see clear examples.
- 〜てください: How to Make Polite Requests in Japanese — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.