Grammar Points
JLPT grammar patterns N5 to N1 — how each one attaches, what it means, and a worked example.
- 〜Vる / N + はずだった — N4 — Was supposed to ~ (but didn't)
- 〜Vてほしいんですが — N4 — I'd like you to do ~ (soft request)
- 〜Vる / N + ことにしている — N4 — Make it a rule/habit to ~ (personal decision)
- 〜N + でも — N4 — Even N; or something like N (suggestion)
- 〜Vる / N + 必要がある — N4 — Need to ~; it is necessary to ~
- 〜Vる / N + 必要はない — N4 — There's no need to ~
- 〜Vる / N + つもりだった — N4 — Intended to ~ (but something prevented it)
- 〜Vてもらえませんか — N4 — Could you please do ~ for me? (polite request)
- 〜（の）ようだ / 〜（の）みたいだ — N4 — seems like, as if
- 〜くせに — N3 — although, despite
- 〜んです / 〜のです — N4 — explanatory 'it is'
- 〜（か）と思いきや — N1 — just when I thought...
- 〜（か）と思えば — N2 — one moment... the next...
- 〜（ない）までも — N1 — even if not..., at least...
- 〜（だ）らけ — N3 — covered in, full of (negative)
- 〜（な）きゃ / 〜（な）きゃいけない — N4 — must, have to
- 〜（で）すら — N1 — even
- 〜にあたって — N3 — on the occasion of, in preparation for
- 〜からいうと — N3 — from the point of view of, judging from
- 〜こことしている — N3 — planning to, about to
- 〜だけでなく — N3 — Not only X, but also Y
- 〜を通じて — N3 — through, via, throughout
- 〜ことだし — N3 — for one thing (among other reasons), since
- 〜ことに — N3 — to one's... (expressing emotion)
- 〜ほど — N3 — to the extent that, so much that
- 〜しがち — N3 — Tends to / Prone to
- 〜というものだ — N3 — Something that is definitely (emphasizing a definition)
- 〜っぱなし — N3 — Left in that state (usually negative/neglected)
- 〜ばこそ — N3 — precisely because
- 〜かと思ったら — N3 — just when I thought; no sooner than
- 〜からして — N3 — judging from, based on (a small detail)
- 〜きりがない — N3 — there is no end to, endless
- 〜すけない — N3 — not missing, thorough
- 〜に基づき — N3 — Based on
- 〜ごとき / 〜ごとく — N2 — Like / Such as.
- 〜風 — N3 — style, manner, look
- 〜およそ — N3 — approximately, about
- 〜かえって — N3 — on the contrary, all the more
- 〜かかわらず — N3 — regardless of, whether... or not
- 〜きき — N3 — skilled in, expert at
- 〜こそう — N3 — precisely, exactly (emphasizing the preceding word)
- 〜つつ — N3 — while, even though
- 〜てはじめて — N3 — not until... / for the first time after...
- 〜てみせる — N3 — to show by doing, to do for sure
- 〜ないではいられない — N3 — can't help doing, cannot resist doing
- 〜にほこる — N3 — proud of (sometimes overlaps with N2, but N3 uses basic pride contexts)
- 〜に基づいて — N3 — based on, on the basis of
- 〜に限らず — N3 — not only... but also, not limited to
- 〜に応じた — N3 — suited to, in accordance with, depending on
- 〜にかかわる — N3 — relating to, concerning, affecting