Grammar Points

JLPT grammar patterns N5 to N1 — how each one attaches, what it means, and a worked example.

• 〜お兄さん — N5 — older brother
• 〜お姉さん — N5 — older sister
• 〜おはよう — N5 — good morning (casual)
• 〜お風呂 — N5 — bath
• 〜お弁当 — N5 — boxed lunch (bento)
• 〜お巡りさん — N5 — police officer
• 〜しかない — N4 — There is no choice but to...
• 〜ように言う — N4 — To tell someone to do something
• 〜たほうがいい — N4 — Had better (do)
• 〜ようだ — N4 — Seems like, looks like
• 〜だろう — N4 — Probably, I think
• 〜うち（に） — N3 — While, before it's too late
• 〜あげる — N5 — to do (a favor) for someone
• 〜いかがですか — N5 — how about/would you like
• 〜でございます — N5 — polite version of 'is' (desu)
• 〜という — N5 — called / named
• 〜ます — N5 — Polite present/future affirmative verb ending.
• 〜かもしれません — N5 — might / maybe
• 〜ました — N5 — Polite past affirmative verb ending.
• 〜ことになります — N5 — it has been decided that
• 〜てもいいですか — N5 — may I?
• 〜ようです — N5 — seems like / looks like
• 〜前に — N5 — before doing
• 〜みたいです — N4 — looks like / seems like
• 〜たことがある — N4 — have had the experience of
• 〜ません — N5 — Polite present/future negative verb ending.
• い-adj stem + かったです — N5 — Polite past form of い-adjectives.
• Vる — N5 — Plain present/future affirmative verb (dictionary form).
• Vない — N5 — Plain present/future negative verb.
• Vた — N5 — Plain past affirmative verb.
• Vなかった — N5 — Plain past negative verb.
• い-adj stem + くない — N5 — Plain negative form of い-adjectives.
• い-adj stem + かった — N5 — Plain past form of い-adjectives.
• い-adj stem + くなかった — N5 — Plain past negative form of い-adjectives.
• Vて + V — N5 — Connects two verbs, indicating the first action happens before the second (sequential).
• Vて (reason) — N5 — Expresses a reason or cause for the following state or action.
• あまり + Vません — N5 — Not much; not very (verb). Used with negative verbs.
• 〜によると / 〜によれば — N3 — According to
• あまり + い-adj stem + くない — N5 — Not very (い-adjective). Used with negative い-adjectives.
• ぜんぜん + Vません — N5 — Not at all (verb). Used with negative verbs.
• ぜんぜん + い-adj stem + くない — N5 — Not at all (い-adjective). Used with negative い-adjectives.
• とても + い-adj — N5 — Very (い-adjective). Expresses a high degree.
• まだ + Vません — N5 — Still not; not yet (verb).
• もう + Vました — N5 — Already did (verb).
• 〜せい(で) — N3 — Because of; due to (a negative reason)
• 〜ということだ — N3 — It is said that; I hear that; It means that
• 〜なければならない / 〜なくてはならない — N4 — Must; have to
• 〜なくてもいい — N4 — Don't have to; it is okay not to
• 〜（よ）うと思う — N3 — To intend to do; to think of doing
• 〜（よ）うが〜（よ）うが — N1 — No matter whether... or...

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