Japanese grammar dictionary

Every JLPT grammar point, organized by level. Tap any point for structure, examples, and study tools. Covers JLPT N5 through N1.

335 grammar points indexed.

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Beginner path:KanaFoundationsJLPT N5JLPT N4

N5

54 grammar points

Direction / Time / Location marker

で

Location of action / Means

も

Also / Too

の

Possessive / Noun modifier

と

And / With / Quotation

Polite copula (is/am/are)

Ongoing action / State

Have done ~ (experience)

explaining, emphasizing, seeking explanation

there is/are (animate)

～のがへたです

bad at doing

～たり…～たりする

do things like...and...

～てもいいです

may; is permitted to

～があります

there is/are (inanimate)

～なくちゃいけない

Must do, have to do

～のがすきです

Like doing something, enjoy doing

～てはいけません

Must not do, prohibited

～たいです

Want to do, desire to do

でしょう

Probably, isn't it?, right?

～ませんか

Won't you?, Shall we?, Why don't we?

まだ～ていません

Have not yet done

～ほうがいい

Had better, it is better to

～のなかで～がいちばん～

The most ~ among ~

～ましょうか

Shall I?, Let's (offer help)

～てから

After doing, since (time)

～たことがある

Have done ~ before, experienced ~

N4

61 grammar points

ようにする

Try to / Make sure to

ようになる

Come to / Become able to

It seems / It appears

End up doing / Completely do

てあげる

Do ~ for someone (giving)

てもらう

Have someone do ~ for you

てくれる

Someone does ~ for me

If (topic) / Speaking of

と (conditional)

Whenever / If (natural consequence)

ために

In order to / Because of

And / Moreover (listing reasons)

てみる

Try doing ~

ておく

Do in advance / Leave as is

ところ

About to / In the middle of / Just finished

It has been decided that ~

Supposed to be ~, Should be ~

～てある

Is in a state of ~ (result of an action)

～と（conditional）

If/When ~ (always happens)

～がほしい

Want (a noun)

～なさい

Do ~ (command/instruction)

しか～ない

Only ~, Nothing but ~

～よう（volitional）

Let's ~ / Shall we ~ (plain)

（period）に（frequency）

Frequency of action per period

そうです（hearsay）

I heard that ~, It seems that ~ (hearsay)

～ていただけませんか

Could you please...?

～やすい

Easy to do/prone to do

～たらどうですか

Why don't you...? (Suggestion)

Number+も

As many/much as (emphasizes large quantity)

～ばよかった

Should have/If only I had

～てすみません

Sorry for doing...

～ないで

Without doing; Don't do

～ているあいだに

While/During (something else happens)

～といいです

It would be good if... (Hope/Wish)

～のように

Like, as if, similar to

～させる

To make/let someone do (Causative)

～させられる

Be made to do (passive causative)

～てくれてありがとう

Thank you for doing

～みたい

Like, as if, seems like

～なくてもいい

Don't have to, don't need to

～てよかった

Glad that, relieved that

～にくい

Difficult to do

～られる

Can, be able to (potential) / Be done (passive)

～そうです（appearance）

Looks like; seems like

～たがる

Someone else wants to do/have

N3

70 grammar points

として

As (in the role of)

に対して

Towards / In contrast to

について

About / Concerning

によって

Depending on / By means of

に関して

Regarding / In regard to

にとって

For (someone)

わけだ

That's why / No wonder

Although it is true that ~

一方で

On the other hand / While

うちに

While / Before it changes

おかげで

Thanks to ~

せいで

Because of ~ (negative)

ばかり

Nothing but / Only

くせに

Even though / Despite (critical)

Intended for / Aimed at

As soon as / Depending on

以上

Since / Now that

上で

After / Upon / In terms of

～たびに

Every time; whenever

まさか

No way; I can't believe it

～始める

To begin to; to start (doing)

～らしい

It seems that; I heard that; typical of

～には～の～がある

Each [X] has its own [Y/Z]

～によると

According to

むしろ

Rather; instead; more so

～にすぎない

Nothing more than; merely

すでに

Already, previously, by now

～において

In, at, regarding (formal)

ほど

About, approximately, extent, degree

つい

Unintentionally, carelessly, by mistake

～ふりをする

Pretend to be/do

～まま

As it is, as is, without change

～ないうちに

Before (something happens)

～としたら

If, assuming that

つもりで

With the intention of, as if, intending to

～に関する

Regarding, concerning, related to

～とても～ない

Cannot possibly; no matter how hard

どうしても

No matter what, by all means, cannot help but

～きり

only; just; since (then)

～ように

so that; in order to; like/as if

～て初めて

not until; only after

～ず

without doing; instead of doing

せいぜい

at most; at best; to maximum effort

～を始め

starting with; including

～ば～ほど

the more...the more...

～たて

freshly done; just finished

～は～くらいです

is about/approximately; is to the extent of

どうやら

it seems; it appears; somehow

～で有名

famous for

かえって

on the contrary; rather; instead

～さえ～ば

If only; just; as long as

こそ

It is precisely; for the very reason

～になれる

Can become; get used to

さらに

Furthermore; moreover; still more

～代わりに

Instead of; in exchange for; in return for

わざわざ

Go out of one's way; specially; bothers to

～に限る

Is best; nothing beats; only for

～たものだ

Used to; would often (past habit)

～のような

Like; such as; just like

～的

-ic; -al; -ish; relating to

いったい

What on earth; how in the world; really

～に違いない

Must be; I'm sure that; no doubt that

なかなか

Quite; considerably; not easily (with neg.)

N2

72 grammar points

に伴い

Along with / As ~ happens

にかけて

From ~ through / Over the period

にかわって

In place of / On behalf of

にもかかわらず

Despite / In spite of

に限り

Limited to / Only for

に限らず

Not limited to

をはじめ

Starting with / Including

を中心に

Centered around / Focusing on

Just because ~ doesn't mean

Seems / Appears to feel ~

がち

Tend to / Prone to (negative)

気味

Slight tendency / Touch of

っけ

Was it ~? (trying to recall)

まい

Will probably not / Vow not to

ざるを得ない

Can't help but / Have no choice but

を問わず

Regardless of

末に

After (much effort/time)

上に

In addition to / On top of

かねない

Might / Could (undesirable)

～ばいいのに

I wish, why don't you

～わけです

That means; naturally, as expected

何といっても

Undoubtedly; above all; no matter what

～ような気がする

I have a feeling that...

以外の

Other than; except for

いったん～ば

Once (A happens), then (B)

よっぽど

Quite a lot; very; absolutely

思うように

As one wishes/expects

いよいよ

Finally; at last; all the more

～からなる

Consist of; be composed of

～より仕方がない

Cannot help but; nothing else to do but

～ものですから

Because; the reason is that

なかなか～ない

Not easily; not readily; quite difficult to

せっかく

With great effort; after all the trouble

やむをえず

Unavoidably, reluctantly, against one's will

やっぱり

As expected, after all, just as I thought

ろくに

Hardly, barely, not properly

なるべく

As much as possible, if possible

～かねる

Cannot (do something), find it difficult to (do something)

せいか

Perhaps because of...

たしか

If I remember correctly, I believe, for sure

～ではないだろうか

Isn't it that...? / Don't you think that...?

～わけにはいかない

Cannot (for a reason), unable to (due to circumstances/rules)

万一

By any chance, God forbid, in the unlike event that

～は～に限る

There's nothing better than / is the best

一方では

On one hand, on the other hand

なにしろ

Anyway, at any rate, after all

それにしても

Even so, nevertheless, in spite of that

～を～にまかせる

Leave X to Y, entrust X to Y

～というわけではない

It doesn't mean that, not necessarily

～にかけては

When it comes to, regarding

たちまち

Immediately, instantly, in a moment

さすがに

As expected, indeed, even ~ as expected

～に越したことはない

There's nothing better than, it's best to

いつのまにか

Before one knew it, unnoticed

さしつかえない

No problem, it's alright, permissible

あえて

Dare to, venture to, deliberately

たまらない

Unbearable, irresistible, cannot stand it

～た上で

After Verb (and based on that)

～ないわけにはいかない

Must do, cannot not do, have no choice but to

～ごとし

It is like, as if, just like

ろくに～ない

Hardly; scarcely; not properly

～と言っても

Although I say; even if I say

～が気になる

To be worried about; to be concerned about

せめて

At least; at the very least

～でいいです

Is fine/acceptable with; will do

～に至るまで

Even to the extent of; even up to

N1

78 grammar points

いかんによらず

Regardless of

をもって

With / By means of / As of

をものともせず

In defiance of / Despite

ともなると

When it comes to / At the level of

Worthy of / Sufficient for

極まりない

Extremely / Utterly

が最後

Once ~ happens (no going back)

とあれば

If it is the case that ~

なりに

In one's own way

ずにはおかない

Can't help but / Will inevitably

べからず

Must not / Prohibited

まみれ

Covered in / Smeared with

めく

To seem like / To have an air of

にひきかえ

In contrast to

をよそに

Ignoring / Disregarding

にあって

In (a situation/context)

たる

As (befitting the role of)

ないまでも

Even if not ~ at least

からある

As much as / No less than

ともすると

Apt to / Tend to (easily)

を余儀なくされる

Be forced to / Be compelled to

ずじまい

End up not doing

～かたわら

While, at the same time, alongside

～と思いきや

Just when I thought..., but (unexpectedly)

～が早いか

As soon as, no sooner than

ただ～のみ

Nothing but, only

～なり

As soon as, directly after

～や否や

As soon as, no sooner than

～がてら

While, on the occasion of, at the same time as

～を皮切りに

Starting with, beginning with, taking as a start

～なくしては

Without X, it's impossible (formal)

～なしに

Without X (formal, strong)

～ならでは

Unique to X; only X can provide

～とあって

Because it's X (special occasion)

～べく

In order to X; so as to X (formal)

～かたがた

While doing X, also Y (simultaneously)

～たところで

Even if X, nothing will change

～にたえない

Cannot bear to X; too X to endure

～を限りに

Starting from X; X being the last

～ところを

While X (despite inconvenience)

～にそくして

In line with X; based on X

～とはいえ

Although X; even though X

～ものを

Should have X; even though (regret)

～ようが

No matter how/what/who

～いかん

Depending on; according to

～と相まって

Combined with; coupled with

～てもさしつかえない

It's acceptable to; may as well

～まじき

Unsuitable for; should not be

～にかこつけて

Using as an excuse for; under the pretext of

～に（は）あたらない

No need to; not worth; not appropriate to

～にかたくない

It's easy to imagine/understand

～を禁じ得ない

Cannot help but feel/do; cannot suppress

～たりとも

Not even a single; not one

～きらいがある

Has a tendency to; is prone to

～しまつだ

Ended up in such a state; ultimately became

～てやまない

Cannot stop doing; sincerely hope/wish

～割りに（は）

Considering; for; comparatively

～かいもなく

Without any reward; in vain

～だけまし

At least; it's better than nothing

～ないではすまない

Must; cannot get away without doing

～をふまえて

Based on; taking into account

～をおして

Despite; pushing through

～を経て

Through; via; after a period of

～ゆえ

Therefore; because of

～ながらも

But also; despite; though

～ことなしに

Without doing; without having

～ではあるまいし

It's not as if; it's not like

～てからというもの

Ever since ~ (a particular event occurred)

～としたところで

Even if ~ (it's the case that)

～（で）すら

Even ~ (something surprising/unlikely)

～といえども

Although ~; Even though ~

～っぱなし

Left ~ (in a state); Continuously ~

～ずくめ

Nothing but ~; Full of ~

～ながらに

While ~; Just as ~ (it is)

～にもまして

More than ~; Even more than ~

～はおろか

Let alone ~; Not to mention ~