Wikibooks

JLPT Guide/JLPT N4
Grammar
< JLPT Guide

Here is a list of the grammar points likely

encountered on level N4 of the Japanese
Language Proficiency Test. There is no
official list, so it is possible that other
grammar points may be seen. JLPT N5
grammar is likely to be seen on the N4 test
but are not listed again here -- see the N5
page.
〜し
When you want to list reasons for multiple
states or actions you can do so by adding
「し」 to the end of each relative clause. It
is very similar to the 「や」 particle except
that it lists reasons for verbs and state-of-
being.

し あそぶ し
Verb-casual +
いadj + し おおきい し
なadj + だし きれい だし
Noun + だし ⼥の⼦ だし
Ｂ：優しいし、かっこいいし、⾯⽩いか
ら。 B: Because he's kind, attractive, and
interesting (among other things).
a)えきから ちかいし、 くるまでも こ
られるし、 この みせは とても べん
りです。
b)ねだんも やすいし、あじも いい
し、 いつも この みせで たべて い
ます
c)すしも あるし、カレーライスも ある
し、いつも この みせで たべて いま
す
そうです
It seems like.

このラーメンはおいしそうです。 (This
ramen seems delicious)
⽥中さんは忙しそうです。 (Mr. Tanaka
seems busy)

この本は⾼そうです。 (This book looks

expensive.)

その⾞は安そうです。(This car looks

cheap.)

てみる
It means to try do something.

Example: 彼は彼⼥と話してみる。He'll
try to talk to her.
Example: 私はあの本を読んでみる。I'll
try to read that book.
なら
Use ofなら implies that the verb before な
ら (nara) succeeds the verb after なら
(nara) in time. This is the opposite of the
conditional particle たら, which implies
that the first verb will precede the second
verb.

例：
友達が来るなら、私はピザを注⽂する。
ともだちがくるなら、わたしはピザをちゅ
うもんする。
Tomodachi ga kuru nara, watashi wa piza
o chūmon suru.
If our friends come, I will order pizza [first].

に
(period) (frequency)
Example: ⼀週間に⼀回⽇本語を勉強し
ます。 I study Japanese once a week.
Example: ⼀年間に三回イタリアへ⾏か
なければなりません。 I have to go to
Italy 3 times a year.

〜がほしい
It means to want something (literally that
something is wanted).

Example: 私はこの本が欲しい。I want

this book.
 Example: 私はお菓⼦が欲しい。I want
some sweets.

〜がる
The 「〜がる」 grammar is used when
you want to make an observation about
how someone is feeling. This grammar is
also used to observe very frankly on what
you think someone other than yourself
「欲し
wants. This involves the adjective
い」 for things one wants or the 「〜た
い」 conjugation for actions one wants to
do, which is essentially a verb conjugated
to an i-adjective.

家に帰ったら、すぐパソコンを使いたが
る。 (He) soon acts like wanting to use
computer as soon as (he) gets home.
http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/gra
mmar/signs

〜かもしれない
Use of かもしれない or かもしれません
indicates possibility (maybe). It can also
be shortened to かも informally, although
in constructions like かもしれないけど, it
cannot be shortened.

例：
明⽇は⾬が降るかもしれない。
あしたはあめがふるかもしれない。
It may rain tomorrow (There is a possibility
it may rain tomorrow).

トムさんは⼦供のとき意地悪だったかもし
れない。
トムさんはこどものときいじわるだったか
もしれません。
Tom may have been a bully when he was a
kid.

難しいかもしれないけど、頑張ります。
むずかしいかもしれないけど、がんばりま
す。
It might be difficult, but I'll do my best.
〜たらどうですか
This construction is used for giving advice
or suggesting a particular course of action
(Advice…how about…? Why don’t you…?)

It is made from the past tense short form

of the verb. It should only be used when
explicitly being consulted about
something, as it can be slightly critical. if
someone is seeking your advice on a
〜たらどうですか.
matter, you can use

薬を飲んだらどうですか？
くすりをのんだらどうですか？
How about taking some medicine? (Said
to someone who is ill)

もっと勉強したらどうですか？
もっとべんきょうしたらどうですか？
Why don’t you (how about you) study
more? (Said to someone who has an exam
coming up and is worried about it)

Number+ も
as many as

昨⽇、電話三回もしたよ！ I called you

like three times yesterday!
しかない
only, as few as (takes the verb in the
negative form)

Meaning; there is nothing except "-----"

Ex:

①彼にはお⾦しかない。
He has nothing but
money.

②この部屋に美崎「み・さき」
しかいない。There is nobody
 except Misaki in this room.

〜ておく
It means to do something in advance.

Example: この分を覚えておく。I'll
memorize this part. (Because it may
appear on a test.)
Example: お茶を冷やしておく。I'll cool
down the tea. (Because I don't want to
burn myself.)

〜よう
It means "let's do (something)". This form
is only used for ichidan verbs, for godan
verbs see 〜おう.
 Example: このケーキを⾷べよう。Let's
eat this cake.
Example: あの映画を⾒よう。Let's
watch that movie.

〜おう
It means "let's do (something)". The 「お」
may become any syllable ending with an
"o" (e.g. こ、ろ、そ). This form is only
used for godan verbs, for ichidan verbs
see 〜よう.
Example: あそこで遊ぼう。Let's play
over there.
Example: 帰ろう。Let's go home.
〜てあげる
A は B に verb-て あげる means "A does
something for B" (literally A "gives" the
action specified in the verb to B).

私は⼭⽥さんに本を買ってあ
Example:
げました。 I bought this book for
Yamada-san.

〜てくれる
くれる means "to receive" but can only be
referred to the person that is talking.

A は 私に verb-て くれる。 A does

something for me.

It must not be confused with もらう that

can be used talking about everybody. For
example these sentences have the same
meaning.

⼭⽥さんは私に本を買ってく
Example:
れました。 Yamada-san bought this
book for me.
私は⼭⽥さんに本を買っても
Example:
らいました。 I was bought this book
by Yamada-san.

Note the difference use of the particles は

and に.
〜てもらう
It means to get someone to do something.
 Example: 彼に宿題を⾒せてもらう。I'll
make him show his homework.
Example: 彼⼥にこの服を買ってもら
う。I'll make her buy these clothes.
〜ていただけませんか
This is used when (1) requesting someone
to (help) do something or (2) asking
permission

Example: 窓を 開けていただけません
か。 Could you open the window?

〜といいです
This means "I hope ~" or "It would be nice
if ~"
 Example: 明⽇いい天気だといいです
ね。It will be nice if tomorrow's weather
is good./I hope the weather tomorrow is
good.
Example: おいしいといいですね。I
hope it tastes good.

〜てすみません
Use the te-form to describe things you
have done that you want to apologize for.

汚い⾔葉を使ってすみませんでした。
きたないことばをつかってすみませんでし
た。
I’m sorry for using bad language
(previously).

When you want to apologize for something

you failed to do, you use 〜なくて, the
short, negative te-form of a verb. To derive
this form, first change the verb to the
〜ない, then replace the
short, negative
last い with くて.

もっと早く⾔わなくて、ごめん。
もっとはやくいわなくて、ごめん。
Sorry I didn't tell you earlier.

〜そうです
This phrase means, literally, "it is so." It is
used to show agreement, and is a general
filler. When そう is used as a suffix,
however, such as after a verb (note: you
can only place it after the stem of a verb,)
noun, or adjective, it means that
something is seeming to be a certain way.

Example: 彼はケーキをたべそうです。
It seems he eats cake.
Example: 彼⼥は疲れていそうです。
She looks tired.

〜させる
It means to let someone do something, or
to make someone do it.
 Example: この⾳が私をいらいらさせ
る。This sound irritates me. (lit. This
sound makes me get irritated.)
私にこのケーキを⾷べさせて
Example:
ください。Please let me eat this cake.
〜なさい
It's used for giving orders and commands.
It is primarily chosen over the imperative
conjugation for politeness.

Example: 学校へ⾏きなさい。Go to
school!
Example: それをやめなさい。Stop that!
〜ば/〜れば
It means "if (something happened)".
 この果物を⾷べればすぐに元
Example:
気になる。If you eat this fruit you'll
recover soon.
Example: ⾦があればあの⾞を買う。If I
had money I would buy that car.
Example: あそこへ⾏けば分かる。If you
go there you'll know.

〜ても
By simply using the te-form and the 「も」
particle, you are essentially saying, "even if
you do X..."

全部⾷べてもいいよ。 You can go ahead

and eat it all. (lit: Even if you eat it all, it's
good, you know.)
⾬が 降って も ゴルフに いきます。 "I'll go
to play golf even if it rains."

先⽣でも、まちがえます。 "Even the

teacher makes mistakes."

〜たら
Used to refer to conditional (if)
dependence. If we say A 〜たら B, that
means B is valid, contingent to fulfillment
of A.

⽇本に⾏ったら、着物を買います。
にほんにいったら、きものをかいます。
I will buy a kimono if (and when) I go to
Japan.

The initial た in 〜たら comes from the

short form past tense ending of predicates

天気が良かったら、散歩に⾏きます。
てんきがよかったら、さんぽにいきます。
If the weather is good, we will go for a
walk.

⽇本⼈だったら、この⾔葉を知っているで
しょう。
にほんじんだったら、このことばをしって
るでしょう。
If the person is Japanese, they will
probably know this word 。
〜なくてもいい
It means something doesn't have to be
done. (It's fine not to do it.)

Example: 君は今⽇学校へ⾏かなくても
いい。You don't have to go to school
today.
Example: これを運ばなくてもいい。
This doesn't have to be transported.

〜みたい
It means that something seems to be
(difficult/deep/etc.).
 Example: この本は難しいみたい。This
book seems to be difficult.
Example: あの湖は深いみたい。That
lake seems to be deep.

〜てしまう
It means to end up doing something.

Example: 私はけっきょく学校へ⾏って
しまう。After all I'll end up going to
school.
彼はたぶんあのケーキを⾷べ
Example:
てしまう。He'll probably end up eating
that cake.

Dictionary form+ と
Typically used for an "if A then B" situation.
Usually used when the situation can not be
controlled.

もし あなたがこのケーキを⾷べると 私
は怒るだろう！
もし あなたがこのケーキをたべると わ
たしはおこるだろう！
If you eat this cake, I will be angry!

〜ながら
This form shows that two actions are
happening at once, such as "the boy eats
cake while he drinks coffee." This form is
used with the verb stem of a verb , and
simply appended to the end. The
emphasis is stronger on the second verb
in the series. The second verb in the series
is also the verb which determines the
tense.

男の⼦はケーキを⾷べながらコーヒーを
飲んだ。The boy drank coffee while he
ate cake (note: here the emphasis is on
the fact that he was drinking coffee; the
fact that he was eating cake wasn't the
topic of interest.)

〜ばよかった
This means wish I’d done or should have
done. All verbs can regularly be turned into
a ばよかった sentence with no exception
or irregularity. You form the ば-form based
on the present tense short form.

学⽣のとき、勉強すれば良かったです。
がくせいのとき、べんきょうすればよかっ
たです。
I should have studied when I was a
student.

薬を飲めば良かったです。
くすりをのめばよかったです。
I should have taken medicine.

〜てくれてありがとう
The meaning is 'Thank you for doing'

「⼿伝ってくれてありがとう」「どういた
しまして」 "Thank you for your help." "It's
my pleasure."

「⼿伝ってくれてありがとう」「どう致し
まして」 "Thank you for helping me."
"Don't mention it."

いろいろ親切にしてくれてありがとう。
Thank you for your many kindness to me.

ご親切に⼿伝ってくれてありがとう。 It is
kind of you to help me.

〜てよかった
〜てよかった is used to express your
gratitude for something you were able to
do.

駅で久しぶりに友達と会えてよかった。
えきでひさしぶりにともだちとあえてよか
った。 I'm glad I could meet my friend at
the station after a long time.

ジェットコースターに乗れてよかった。
ジェットコースターにのれてよかった。 It
was good to ride the roller coaster.

電⾞に間に合ってよかった。 でんしゃに
まにあってよかった。 I'm glad I was on
time for the train.
〜はずです
It means something like "should be".

それは これまでに 終わっ

Example:
たはずです。 It should have ended until
now.
あのペンは つくえの上に
Example:
あるはずです。 That pen should be on
the desk.

〜ないで
It means "don't do (something)". It might
also be connected with " ください" to make
it more polite.

Example: このケーキを⾷べないで。
Don't eat this cake.
 この部屋からしばらく出て⾏
Example:
かないで。 Don't go out of this room for
a while.
Example: その本をすてないでくださ
い。 Please don't throw away that book.
〜かどうか
When it's a yes/no question, you can
append an optional 「どうか」 to
represent the other choice.

⽥中さんは、明⽇来るかどうか、分かりま
すか。 Do (you) know whether Tanaka-san
is coming tomorrow or not?

http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/co
mplete/embedded_questions
〜という〜
クレヨンし
Meaning: called, such as, that.
んちゃんという漫画は⾯⽩いですよ。
kureyon shin chan to iu manga wa
omoshiroi desu yo. Crayon Shinchan-
called-manga-(topic particle)-interesting-
is-(emphatic) A manga called Crayon
Shinchan is really interesting.

Notes: The speaker assumes the listener

hasn't heard of Crayon Shinchan.

〜やすい
When used after the [stem ], this indicates
that an action is easy. As an い adjective,
 い adjective ].
[conjugates as an

⽔は飲みやすいです。 Drinking water is

easy.
その料理は⾷べやすくなかったです。
Eating the food was not easy.

〜にくい
If used with after a verb in the infinitive, it
means that the verb is hard to do.
Basically the opposite of yasui.

この字は読みにくい This hand-writing is

hard to read.

〜られる
Formation
 ＋ れる・られる
Verb (nai stem)

(Grp I) 〜れる 話す → 話さ.れる

(be told) 聞く → 聞かれる (be heard)

(Grp II) 〜られる ⾷べる → ⾷べ.ら

れる (be eaten) ⽴てる → ⽴て.られ
る (be built)
(irreg) 来る → 来られる する
→ される Compare the passive and
active examples below

(active) ⼦供が⽔を飲みました。 The

child drank the water (passive) ⽔が⼦供
に飲まれました。 the water was drunk
by the child
話す 話される was spoken 聞く 聞
かれる was listened/heard 泳ぐ 泳がれ
る was swum 待つ 待たれる was
carried 死ぬ 死なれる was killed 会
う 会われる was met 作る 作ら
れる was made 呼ぶ 呼ばれる was
called

〜てある
Usually, this expression is used to explain
that something is in a state of completion.

Ｂ：準備は、もうしてあるよ。 B: The
preparations are already done.
この部屋は冷房してある。 This room is
air-conditioned.

http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/gra
mmar/teform

〜ているあいだに,〜
お⾵呂に⼊っている間に電話がありまし
た。 There was a phone call while I was
taking a bath.

ゆうべ、寝ている間に地震がありました。
There was an earthquake while I was
asleep last night.

〜く/ 〜にする
This displays the changing of the state or
condition of something. The change is
done by the subject. 看板娘にする (make
someone into a Poster Girl) きれいにする
(to make pretty, clean) よくする (to make
better)

クラスの何⼈かがいつも私を⾺⿅にする。
Some of my classmate always make a fool
of me.

〜てほしい
( 私は)⽗に たばこを やめてほしいです。 I
want my father to stop smoking.
私は)⺟に おいしいおかしを作ってほしい
(
です。 I want my mother to make sweets.
のに
It means something like "even
though/albeit/despite".

私は宿題を終えたのにまだね
Example:
られない。Even though I've finished my
homework I can't go to sleep yet.
Example: このケーキはまずいのに⾼
い。This cake is expensive despite being
unappetizing.
Example: 彼⼥はきれいなのにモテな
い。Despite being beautiful she's not
popular.
〜のような
This pattern acts as an adjective for
describing nouns.

ある意味で、スージーは私のお⺟さんのよ
うなものだ. In a way, Susie seems like my
mother.

あなたは天使のような⼦だ。 You are an

angel of a child.

〜のように
To be like, or similar to.

①ピカピカの太陽のように shining like the

sun.
②ほら！⾒て⾒て！あの⼈は豚のようにた
べている。Hey! Look look! That guy is
eating like a pig.

③彼は⼦供のようにしゃべている。He is
talking like a child.

あなたのように英語が話せたらいいなあ。
I wish I could speak English like you.

あなたのように上⼿になりたい。 I want
to be as good as you.

〜させられる
 かく 1. かく -> かか 2. か
Before we start:
か -> かかせられる (is made to write)

Before we start:たべる 1. たべる -> たべ 2.

たべ -> たべさせられる (is made to eat)
する (to do) is changed to させられる. く
る (to come) is changed to こさせられる.
＊⺟に勉強（を）させられる =I am forced
to study by my mother.

〜ことにする
It means to decide something (similar to
決める).
 Example: 彼は勉強することにする。
He's deciding to study.
Example: 私は今コンビニへ⾏くことに
した。I've decided that I'll now go to the
convenience store.

The list of grammar terms was compiled

by Jonathan Waller, [1] .

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