Japanese Cheat Sheet

Layout: 8.5x11” --- Romanization: Hepburn --- Last Updated: September 30, 2009 --- Originally downloaded for free from: http://nihonshock.com

Informal Verb Forms Neutral Verb Forms

Polite Verb Forms
(×) = cannot be made into a noun with koto/no (►) = form does not grammatically end a sentence
Present/Future Tense ~I + masu Present/Future Tense ~U (►) If… ~E + ba
Progressive (be …ing) ~TE + imasu Progressive (be …ing) ~TE + iru ~U + to
Past Tense ~I + mashita Past Tense ~TA ~TA + ra
Negative Present/Future ~I + masen Negative Present/Future ~A + nai (►) If not… ~A + nakereba
Negative Past ~I + masen deshita Negative Past ~A + nakatta (►) After… ~TE + kara
Command ~TE + kudasai (×) Command ~TE ~TA + ra
~I + nasai (!) Very Direct (►) Before… ~U + mae ni
Negative Command ~A + naide kudasai (×) Negative Command ~A + naide (►) Because… ~TA + kara
~U + na (!) Can Be Rude ~TA + node
Potential Form (able to…) ~E + masu Potential Form (able to…) ~E + ru (►) In order to… ~U + tame ni
(!) suru → dekimasu (!) suru → dekiru ~U + no ni
Want to… ~I + tai desu Want to… ~I + tai (►) While… ~I + nagara
Don’t want to… ~I + takunai desu Don’t want to… ~I + takunai¹ (see footer) Try to… ~TE + miru (mimasu)
Let’s… ~I + mashou (×) Let’s… ~OU ~OU + to suru (shimasu)
Causative (let / make) (U-Verb) ~A + semasu Causative (let / make) (U-Verb) ~A + seru Must/have to… ~I + nai to ikenai (ikemasen)
(RU-Verb) ~A + sasemasu (RU-Verb) ~A + saseru ~I + nakereba ikenai (ikemasen)
(!) suru → sasemasu (!) suru → saseru Must not… ~TE + te ha ikenai (ikemasen)
(!) kuru → korasemasu (!) kuru → koraseru To do in advance… ~TE + oku (okimasu)
Passive (be verbed) (U-Verb) ~A + remasu Passive (be verbed) (U-Verb) ~A + reru Compound Verbs Compound Sentences
(RU-Verb) ~A + raremasu (RU-Verb) ~A + rareru VERB1~I + VERB 2 VERB1~TE + PHRASE 2
(!) suru → saremasu (!) suru → sareru Verbs as nouns (Gerund form)
(!) kuru → koraremasu (!) kuru → korareru Informal Form + koto or no

Conjugating Verbs Hiragana

Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs U-Verb TE/TA endings あ か が さ ざ た だ な は ば ぱ ま や ら わ
U-Verb ~ RU-Verb SURU ~ KURU ~ u tsu ru bu mu nu ku gu su a ka ga sa za ta da na ha ba pa ma ya ra wa
hana.sa A tabe shi A ko TE tte nde ite ide shite
hana.shi I tabe shi I ki TA tta nda ita ida shita い き ぎ し じ ち ぢ に ひ び ぴ み り
hana.su U tabe.ru suru U kuru Exceptions: i ki gi shi ji chi ji ni hi bi pi mi ri
hana.se E tabe.re sure E kore 1. iku (to go) becomes itte and itta う く ぐ す ず つ づ ぬ ふ ぶ ぷ む ゆ る ん
hana.sou OU tabe.you shiyou OU koyou
2. If the verb ends in う(u),
u ku gu su zu tsu zu nu fu bu pu mu yu ru n
TE tabe.te shite TE kite
TA tabe.ta shita TA kita ~A ending becomes わ (wa). え け げ せ ぜ て で ね へ べ ぺ め れ
U-Verbs that look like RU-Verbs:
e ke ge se ze te de ne he be pe me re
iru (to need²) hairu (to enter) shiru (to know) kiru (to cut) kaeru (to go home) suberu (to slip/slide) keru (to kick) お こ ご そ ぞ と ど の ほ ぼ ぽ も よ ろ を
o ko go so zo to do no ho bo po mo yo ro wo
de aru (to be) Adjectives Katakana
Polite i-Adjectives na-Adjectives ア カ ガ サ ザ タ ダ ナ ハ バ パ マ ヤ ラ ワ
Present desu Change Meaning Change Meaning a ka ga sa za ta da na ha ba pa ma ya ra wa
Past deshita i → sa noun form na → sa noun form³
Probable deshou i → ku adverb form na → ni adverb form イ キ ギ シ ジ チ ヂ ニ ヒ ビ ピ ミ リ
Negative de ha arimasen i → kunai negative i k gi shi ji chi ji ni hi bi pi mi ri
Past Neg. de ha arimasen deshita i → katta past Adjectives ending with
Prob. Neg. de ha nai deshou
ウ ク グ ス ズ ツ ヅ ヌ フ ブ プ ム ユ ル ン
i → kunakatta past negative the hiragana い(i) are i-Adjectives
Informal i → kereba if except those that end as ~ei u ku gu su zu tsu zu nu fu bu pu mu yu ru n
Positive da i → kunakereba if not… エ ケ ゲ セ ゼ テ デ ネ ヘ ベ ペ メ レ
Past datta i → sugi(ru) too… e ke ge se ze te de ne he be pe me re
Probable darou i → kute combining form
Negative ja nai オ コ ゴ ソ ゾ ト ド ノ ホ ボ ポ モ ヨ ロ ヲ
Past Neg. ja nakatta SO N TSU SHI o ko go so zo to do no ho bo po mo yo ro wo
Prob. Neg. ja nai darou

ソ ン ツ シ
JLPT Level 4 (N5) Kanji (103 in all)
一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十 百 千 万 円 人 子 男 女
ichi ni san shi/yon go roku shichi/nana hachi kyuu juu hyaku sen man Yen person child man woman

日 月 火 水 木 金 土 上 下 左 右 入 出 大 小 中 外 半
sun moon fire water tree gold ground up down left right in out big small inside outside half

口 目 手 足 耳 北 南 東 西 母 父 友 多 少 古 新 前 後
mouth eye hand leg ear north south east west mother father friend many few old new front back

今 午 時 週 年 行 来 見 聞 言 話 語 読 書 買 店 高 安
now noon hour week year go come see hear say talk language read write buy store high cheap

学 分 休 食 飲 生 会 立 車 道 駅 校 社 国 毎 間 先 何
learn understand rest eat drink live meet stand car street station school company country each interval previous what

天 空 山 川 白 花 雨 魚 電 気 名 本 長
heaven sky mountain river white flower rain fish electricity energy name book long

1: Do not use this form to refuse/decline an offer; it’s too direct. 2: iru (to be/exist) is a RU-Verb 3: Drop sa if followed by a form of de aru.
© Lloyd Vincent, 2009. Redistributing without giving credit is terribad for your karma, don’t do it.
 Japanese Cheat Sheet
Layout: 8.5x11” --- Romanization: Hepburn --- Last Updated: September 30, 2009 --- Originally downloaded for free from: http://nihonshock.com

Core Particles Assisting Particles

Indicates the topic of a sentence. YORI Indicates the lesser element in a positive comparison.

より
Used to contrast one thing from another. Indicates “from”, as in “a letter from Mr. Yamada”
Commonly used when stating a fact about someone or something. Kono akai kamera wa sono kuroi kamera yori yasui desu.
WA (!) Although the hiragana ha is used, it is pronounced as wa This red camera is cheaper than that black camera.
Indicates the greater element in a negative comparison.

は
Kuruma wa watashi ga unten shimashita.
As for the car, I drove (it). Indicates an approximate extent, limit or value.
HODO (!) Nuance: used to indicate a neutral or large amount.
kono wasabi wa totemo tsuyoi desu.
This wasabi is very strong. (= stronger than average wasabi)
Tanaka-san wa o-kane o motteimasu.
Mr. Tanaka has money. (= he is rich)
ほど Sono kuroi kamera wa kono akai kamera hodo yasukunai desu.
That black camera isn’t as cheap as this red camera.
Nakitai hodo benkyou shimashita.
Marks the subject of a verb. (The “doer” of the verb) I studied to the extent that I want to cry.

Marks the objects of some specific non-action verbs. Can also be pronounced gurai
wakaru (to understand), dekiru (to be able) KURAI
Indicates an approximate extent, limit or value.
GA
くらい
Marks the object of an adjectival-verb. (!) Nuance: used to indicate a neutral or small amount.
hoshii desu (to want), jouzu desu (to be good at), suki desu (to like/love)

が Connects clauses with a meaning of “but” or “despite”

Tanaka-san ga o-kane o motteimasu.
Mr. Tanaka has the money. (= with him right now)
Kanji wo juukai gurai kaku to oboeremasu.
If you write a kanji about 10 times, you can remember it.
Indicates a limit, extent, or amount of something that the speaker thinks is
DAKE small.
kono bunshou no imi ga wakarimasu.
Commonly used with dekiru (to be able) to create an “as much as possible”

だけ
(I) understand the meaning of this sentence.
meaning.
Indicates the direct object of a verb.
O Used with verbs of motion to show the place the action occurs.
Ichijikan dake matte kudasai.
Please wait just one hour.
Dekiru dake hayaku kaite kudasai.
Please write it as quickly as you can.

を
(!) The hiragana wo is used. (The “w” sound is only faintly enunciated) Means “only” or “to the exclusion of all other things”
Kutsu o kaimashita. sora o tobu BAKARI (!) In spoken Japanese, it is sometimes pronounced bakkari for emphasis,
(I) bought shoes. to fly in the sky

Indicates a indirect object.

ばかり or bakka as a shortened form.
Ano kyoushitsu wa onna no ko bakari imasu.
(the thing or person that an action is done for or directed toward). That classroom has only girls in it.
Indicates direct objects for some specific verbs: Indicates a possibility or suggestion.
naru (to become), au (to meet), noru (to ride) (!) Although demo is often treated as a particle, it is actually the ~TE + mo
Indicates a destination or location for a verb. DEMO form of de aru (meaning “even if it is...”)
NI
に
Indicates a specific point in time. (Monday / 3pm / 1972)
(!) kyou (today), ashita (tomorrow), kinou (yesterday) do not take this particle.
Indicates a period of time in which something repeats: ie. (twice) a week
でも Means “but” or “even so”, at the beginning of a phrase.
Turns interrogatives into “some~” words.
O-cha demo nomimashou ka? Itsudemo denwa shite kudasai.
Replaces na when using na-Adjectives as Adverbs. Shall we drink some tea or something? Please call me anytime.
Kanojo ni hon o agemashita. Doyoubi ni kouen ni aimashou.
Like dake, shika also indicates a limit, extent, or amount of something that
(I) gave her a book. Let’s meet at the park on Saturday. SHIKA
is small. However, shika is always used with a negative verb form.

しか
Ichinichi ni ko-hi- o nihai nomimasu.
(!) Nuance: implies that the amount is small, insufficient, or unsatisfactory.
I drink two cups of coffee a day.
Sen’en shika motte imasen
Creates a complete¹ AND-group of two or more nouns. I only have 1,000 yen.
Indicates a person that the action of a sentence is done with.
Indicates a time or place of beginning.
TO Marks quoted speech. KARA
Can join phrases meaning “and” or “after”
(!) In this usage, to sometimes informally becomes tte

と Marks a complete idea for use with verbs like omou (to think).
Connects two phrases showing a natural, predictable relationship.
から (!) See Page 1 (Neutral Verb Forms): ~U + kara and ~TE + kara
Kyou no kaigi wa ichiji kara sanji made desu.
Today's meeting is from one o'clock to three o'clock.
kanojo to eiga o mi ni ikimashita. Piza o tabesugiru to futorimasu yo.
(I) went to see a movie with her. If you eat too much pizza, you’ll get fat. MADE Indicates a time or place of end.
When followed by ni, indicates a time something must be done by/before.

DE
Indicates the place or area, or length of time inside of which something occurs.
Indicates the tool or means used to perform an action. まで Sanji made ni kite kudasai.
Please come by three o'clock.
Indicates the material something is made of.

で Indicates a reason or motive.

Nihongo o sankagetsu de oboemashita. Kaze de nebou shimashita.
HAZU
Common Grammar Patterns
Tanaka-san ha Sato-san no denwa-bangou o shitteiru hazu desu.
(I) learned Japanese in three months. Due to a cold, I overslept.
Expectation Mr. Tanaka should know Mr. Sato’s phone number.

MO Used with other particles to add a meaning of “also/too” or “even”.

(!) Usage: mo replaces wa and ga completely, but follows all other particles.
BEKI
Appropriateness
Shachou no sasoi dakara iku beki da to omoimasu.
It’s an invitation from the CEO, so I think (you) should go.

も WAKE
Turns interrogatives (dare, doko, itsu, etc.) into an “every~/all~” word. Watashi no tomodachi ga katta wake ja nai kedo ii shoubu deshita.
Situation / Fact My friend didn’t win, but it was a good match.
Osaka ni mo ikimashita. Kare wa itsumo sou desu yo.
I also/even went to Osaka. He is always that way. TAME Iku tame no junbi ga owarimashita ka?
Reason Are you finished getting ready to go?
Creates an OR-group.
KA Turns interrogatives (dare, doko, itsu, etc.) into a “some~” word.
TSUMORI
Intention
Konshuu hiragana to katakana o oboeru tsumori desu.
This week (I’m) going to learn hiragana and katakana.

か DAKE DE NAKU
At the end of a sentence, makes the sentence or phrase into a question. Kanojo wa nihongo dake de naku eigo mo hanasemasu.
banana ka ringo o kaimashou ka? Dareka tasukete! Not only She can speak not only Japanese but English too.
Shall we buy a banana or an apple? Somebody save me! NO HOU GA Zenkai yori konkai no tesuto no hou ga muzukashikatta desu.
The test this time was more difficult than last time.
E Can be interchanged with the particle ni to show a destination.
(!) The hiragana he is used. (The “h” sound is only faintly vocalized)
WAKE NI WA IKENAI
Must not
Uso wo tsukeru wake ni wa ikemasen yo.
You mustn’t tell lies.

へ
~EBA ~U HODO Ko-hi- wa nomeba nomu hodo oishiku narimasu.
Sengetsu Kyoto e ikimashita. The more the ~er The more you drink coffee, the more delicious it is.
(I) went to Kyoto last month.

YA Creates an incomplete¹ AND-group of two or more nouns. Giving and Receiving

I give I receive You give to me
や Hon ya enpitsu ya keshigomu o kaimashita
(I) bought a book, a pencil, an eraser (and some other stuff). Regular
Polite
AGERU
SASHIAGERU
MORAU
ITADAKU
KURERU
KUDASARU
1: With to, you must state all objects of the group, ya only lists some (implying that there are others)

© Lloyd Vincent, 2009. Redistributing without giving credit is terribad for your karma, don’t do it.