Basic Japanese

Formal Verbs Present/Future Tense Past Tense Progressive Tense Negative Present/Future Negative Past Tense Command Form Negative Command Potential Form
= can/ able to
(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

Informal Verbs
+ + + + + + + + + +

Verb Usages

Present/Future Tense Past Tense Progressive Tense Negative Present/Future Negative Past Tense Command Form
(U-Verbs) Usually considered rude! (RU-Verbs)

If...
+ + +

+ + +
DOUBLE MEANING

If not... + +

+ + +

WA - Topic Marker

Written with hiragana ha, but pronounced wa

Marks the topic of a sentence. (non-grammatical) Contrasts one option or thing against others. Used when elaborating on things already known to the listener.

DAKE

Marks a limited amount or extent of something. (not more than) Used with (and other potential verbs) to mean as ~ as possible

Please wait for just one hour.

Please write it as quickly as you can.

Must/have to...
After...

As for the car, I was the one who drove it.

Mr. Tanaka has money. (he is rich)

Negative Command Potential Form Want to... Dont want to... Lets...
Shall we.../Shall I ~ for you?
(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

+ + + + +

DOUBLE MEANING

Want to... Dont want to... Lets...

Shall we.../Shall I ~ for you?

Passive Form
= to be ~ed

(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

+ + + + + +

+ + + + +

Before... Because... In order to... While... (at the same time) Even if/when... (permissible) May... Try to... to do and see the result
to make an effort

Passive Form Causative Form

(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

Causative Form
= to allow/force someone to ~

(U-Verbs) (RU-Verbs)

+ +

+ +

Must not... To do in advance... To do too much... To do... and so on. To (irreversibly) do...
Combination Verb Chaining Phrases

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + VERB 2 + PHRASE 2

GA - Subject Marker
Marks the subject of a verb. (grammatical) Separates / calls out one option or thing from others. Used when adding new things/information to a conversation. Used when describing specific things with adjectives. Marks objects of potential-form verbs. (can/able to) Connects clauses with a meaning of but or despite.

SHIKA

Marks an extent or amount which presents a problem for the speaker. Always used with a negative verb form.

I havent but one thousand yen.

Only you can do it.

HODO

Marks a degree or extent of something. (not small) Marks an approximate number or length of time. Marks the greater element in a negative comparison.

That car is not as fast as this car.

(I) laughed so hard that (my) stomach became painful.

(I) can speak Japanese a little.

Mr. Tanaka (is the one who) has the money. (with him now)

WA vs. GA (Detailed Article) - http://nihonshock.com/waga

YORI

Marks the lesser element in a positive comparison. From ~ (when closing a private letter)

O - Object Marker

Written with hiragana wo, but the w sound is very faint.

That car is faster than this car.

Marks the object of a verb. With verbs of motion, shows where the motion occurs.

DEMO

(I) bought shoes.

To fly in the sky

To talk about (things of ) ones self.

Marks a possibility or suggestion. Turns interrogative words into any~ words. (Used as an interjection) means even so/but/however

Conjugating Verbs

Hiragana

U-VERB . . . . .

RU-VERB . . . . . . .

U-VERB TE/TA ENDINGS

, , , ,

A I U E O KA KI KU KE KO GA GI GU GE GO SA SHI SU SE SO ZA JI ZU ZE ZO TA CHI TSU TE TO DA JI ZU DE DO NA NI NU NE NO HA HI FU HE HO BA BI BU BE BO PA PI PU PE PO MA MI MU ME MO YO YU YA RA WA

RI RU N

RE RO WO

NI - The Aiming Particle Marks an indirect object (the person/thing an action is done for/directed toward) Marks a destination, direction or specific place for an action. (to/at) Marks a specific point in time (ie. Monday / 3pm / 1972 / July) Marks a period of time that something repeats in. (ie. twice a week) Marks direct objects for: (to become), (to meet), (to ride)

Shall we drink some tea or something?

Please call (me) anytime.

KURAI

Marks an approximate or negotiable degree, amount, or length of time.

(speaker feels that the exact number is not important)

Alternate form:

If (you) write a kanji about 10 times, (you) wont forget it.

(I) gave her a book.

Lets go to the park on Saturday.

(I) drink 2 cups of coffee a day.

Means only, or to the exclusion of other things Can be pronounced / for emphasis.

(to go) in TE/TA-form becomes / EXCEPTIONS ending for verbs ending in is The (to need), (to enter), (to know), (to cut) U-VERBS (THAT LOOK LIKE RU-VERBS) (to go home), (to slide), (to kick)
Forms of (to be) Caution!

Katakana

A I U E O KA KI KU KE KO GA GI GU GE GO SA SHI SU SE SO ZA JI ZU ZE ZO TA CHI TSU TE TO DA JI ZU DE DO NA NI NU NE NO HA HI FU HE HO BA BI BU BE BO PA PI PU PE PO MA MI MU ME MO YO YU YA RA WA

When quoting speech, can become (informal) TO - The Glue Particle Marks a person that an action is done with. Links nouns to create a complete and group. Marks quoted speech or phrasal objects: (to think), (to write) Shows a natural/predictable if-then relationship between clauses. Marks onomatopaeic words. (words that mimic sounds)
Phrasal object

BAKARI

That classroom has nothing but girls in it.

KARA

Marks a starting place or time. Marks a source of information. Marks an ending place or time. When followed by , means by/before

(I) heard about it from a friend.

the meeting is from 1 oclock until 3 oclock.

And group

FORMAL
Present Tense Past Tense Probable Negative Present Tense Negative Past Tense Negative Probable

INFORMAL

SO

RI RU N

(I) had an argument with (my) boss and manager.

(I) think the chair broke.

to speak in whispers

MADE

Please write the report by tomorrow.

TSU SHI

RE RO WO

KA

DE - The Enabling Particle Marks a place, area, or length of time inside which something occurs. Marks a method, tool or circumstance under which something happens. Marks a material or substance; composition.

Comparison

Give/Receive
Superior/Outsider

JLPT Level N5 Kanji
(Total: 103)

(I) learned kanji in two years.

Today (I) came by train.

a scarf made of wool

Marks the greater element in a positive comparison ( marks the lesser element). Can take past tense verbs even for non-past sentences.

Give
Subject

Receive

is very direct. If youre unsure, it is safer to use When noun-ified, changes to before , and before

MO - Even/Also Marker
Used with other particles to add a meaning of also/too or even.
( replaces , , and completely, but follows all other particles)

Rather than looking it up, it would be faster to ask the teacher.

Adjectives

Whether or not
Informal Humble

i-ADJECTIVES
. . . . . . . . . .
NOUN FORM ADVERB FORM

NA-ADJECTIVES

NOUN FORM ADVERB FORM

tree

back river

learn

Insider/Familiar

fast speed quickly fast and... was fast not fast wasnt fast if fast if not fast too fast

cheerful cheer cheerfully cheerful and...

person

up

child down

man left

woman

right foot

sun in

moon

out

fire inside

water outside flower

year

money

ground many mountain south

big

small half

Turns interrogative words (, , , etc.) into every~/all~ words.

Im considering whether or not to buy this book.

Give (to me)

(becomes when used)

eye

hand friend

ear

Yen

book

front

few car

street

(I) also/even went to Osaka.

Its okay even if (you) ignore (him).

He is always like that. Can be used instead of to mark a destination.

Note: hiragana he is used.

About/Regarding

Adjectives that end in are i-Adjectives, except where the final is part of a kanji.

mouth father

go

now

store

north

east
understand

west rest

mother

come drink

see

noon say

hour talk old

week language

what

buy

Marks a sentence as a question. Links nouns to create an or group. Turns interrogative words into some~ words. (who) + = (someone) Shows possession. ( = my/mine) Combines two nouns.
Note: the final noun becomes the primary meaning. = the companys car = a car company

This report is about Japanese history.

Conjunctions
(between phrases)

In order to

Conjunctive Adverbs
(start a sentence)

EASILY CONFUSED NA-ADJECTIVES

( / beautiful) ( / polite) ( / unfair)

hear

meet name

electricity

new

read

write safety

each

eat station

school

live company

stand country

high

sky

long fish

Drop from NA-Adjectives if followed by a form of (good) always conjugates as It is possible (but uncommon) to add to a NA-Adjective to create a noun (ie. ) : Noun-able form (a form that can be changed into a noun with or )

interval

rain

NO

YA

Links nouns to create an incomplete and group.

In order to go to Japan, I am studying Japanese. Adverb form Adjective form

previous white

heaven

spirit

books and pencils (and such)

Also, ... Therefore (so), ... However (but), ... However (but), ... However (but), ... However (but), ...

A, but B A, but B even though A, B even though A, B because of A, B because of A, B if A, B if A, (unavoidably) B

: also marks objects of (understand), (want), and (like). : (today), (tomorrow), (yesterday), etc. do not take .

: (and ) groups list all their members, only lists some.

Advanced cheatsheets available too! Visit: http://nihonshock.com/cheatsheets Nihonshock.com 2012, All rights reserved.

: is interchangable with (slightly more formal).

: can sound patronizing; (to hand over) is a safe alternative.