JLPT N5 GRAMMAR

です
This means "is", "am", or "are" (depending on the situation), though the meaning in English is a
lot broader than in Japanese. Some other words (「いる」 and 「ある」) also mean "is",
depending on the situation.

 Example: わたしはマイクです。 I am Mike.

 Example: これはペンです。 This is a pen.

も
This means "too", "and", or "also".

 Example: かれはサッカーがすきです。わたしもサッカーがすきです。 He likes soccer. I like

soccer, too.
 Example: けんはケーキもクッキーもたべました。 Ken ate both cake and cookies.

で
This means "at" or "in", and is used when specifying where something happens.

 Example: エミは学校ですう学をべんきょうします。 Emi studies math at school.

に/へ
This means "to", and is used when describing a destination.

 Example: リエ子はローマにいきました。 Rieko went to Rome.

に
This is a general use preposition. It can mean "in", "at", "to", "for", and other general prepositional
phrases, depending on the context.

 Example: あの人に本を与えてください。 Please give the book to that person.

 Example: 冬に、雪が降ります。 In winter, it snows.

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を
This denotes the object of an action.

 Example: あの猫が魚を食べた。 That cat ate the fish.

～ませんか
This means "Won't you ~ ?" or "Shall we ~ ?". It's an invitation.

 Example: ケーキをたべませんか？ Won't you have some cake?

 Example: えいがをみませんか？ Won't you (shall we) watch a movie?

は
This denotes a topic.

 Example: 彼女は嬉しいです。 She is happy.

～があります
This means "there is". It is used for non-living things (use 「がいます」 for living things).

 Example: つくえの上にボールがあります。 There is a ball on the desk.

 Example: はこの中にプレゼントがありますか。 Is there a present in the box?

～がいます
This means "there is" or "is" and is used for living things.

 Example: あそこの木の下に、子ども二人がいます。 There are two children under the tree

over there.
 Example: きょうしつに田中先生がいますか。 Is Mr. Tanaka in the classroom?"

と
This is a particle used to link nouns in a complete list.

 Example: サラダはレタスとにんじんとラディッシュからしました。 The salad was made

from lettuce, carrot, and radish.

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～ましょう
This is a polite volitional phrase, meaning "I'll" or "let's".

 Example: 食べましょう。 Let's eat!

～ましょうか
This is a polite volitional phrase used for suggestions.

 食べましょうか。 How about we eat?

～てください
This is used to link verb copulas, ending in "て" or "で", to "ください", making it into a request.

 Example: 日本語ではなしてください。 Please speak in Japanese.

 Example: 彼といってください。 Please go with him.

～てもいいです
This is used to link verb copulas to "もいいです" meaning "it's enough" or "it's good". It can be
used as a request for permission.

 Example: 料理してもいいです。 Can I cook?

～てはいけません
This is used to link copulas to "はいけません", meaning "it's not good". It is used to scold or
otherwise disapprove.

 Example: サーラーの手書きはいけません。 Sarah's handwriting is not great yet.

"はいけません", meaning "No you must not..." This is formed by using the te-form. て-form + はい
けません...

 Example: ここに車を止めてはいけません。You must not park the car here.

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～から
Phrase meaning "from".

 Example: この電車はサンホせからサンフランシスコにいきます。 This train goes from San

Jose to San Francisco.

～ている
いる, when used after the て form of a verb, indicates that an action is ongoing (progressive
tense, marked in English by "ing",) or in a certain state.

 Example: 私は 読んでいます。I am reading.

 Example: ドアが開いています。 The door is open.
 Example: 僕は結婚しています。 I am married.
 Example: 子供は走っています。 The children are running.

～にいく
It means to go somewhere or to go do something.

 Example: 私は泳ぎに行く。I go swimming.

 Example: 彼は勉強に行った。He went to study.
 Example: 彼女は東京に行く。She's going to Tokyo.

ないでください
This means "please don't do", used in place of a "-te" form of a verb.

 Example: このりんごを食べないでください。Please don't eat this apple.

 Example: その本を読まないでください。Please don't read that book

～のがすきです
It means to like doing something.

 Example: 私はアニメを見るのが好きです。I like watching anime.

 Example: 彼女は歌うのがすきです。She likes singing.

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～のがじょうずです
It means to be good at something.

 Example: 彼女は歌うのがじょうずです。She's good at singing.

 Example: あなたは泳ぐのが上手ですか? Are you good at swimming?

～のがへたです
It means to be bad at something.

 Example: 私は踊るのがへたです。I'm bad at dancing.

 Example: 彼は勉強するのが下手です。He's bad at studying.

まだ～ていません
It means that someone hasn't done something yet.

 Example: 私はまだ決めていません。I haven't decided yet.

 Example: 彼はまだ帰っていません。He hasn't returned yet.

～のほうが～より
It means that something is more (interesting/expensive/etc.) than something else.

 Example: この本のほうがあの新聞より高い。This book is more expensive than that

newspaper.
 Example: 図書館の方が学校より静か。Library is quieter than school.

～のなかで～がいちばん～
It means the best from something or the most (new/old/expensive/likeable/etc.).

 Example: あの図書館のなかでこの本がいちばん。This book is the best book in that library.

 Example: このお菓子の中でクッキーがいちばん好きです。From these sweets I like cookies
the most.

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つもりです
This means a plan or an intent of doing something.

 Example: 私は映画を見に行くつもりです。I'm going to go see a movie.

 Example: あなたは何を勉強するつもりですか? What are you going to study?

～く/ ～になる
It means to become (smart/tall/etc.). If used with -na adjectives it's adj+になる, for -i adjectives
it's adj+くなる.

 Example: あの女性はきれいになった。That woman became beautiful.

 Example: この自転車は古くなった。。This bicycle became old.

V stem + たいです
Creates the polite 'want to do' form of a verb

Example - I want to eat some cake - 僕は ケーキを 食べたい です。- Boku-wa kēki-o tabetai
desu.

～たり …～たりする
It makes a list of activities or attributes. It means something like "this and that/sometimes this and
sometimes that/in some parts this in other parts that". With nouns or -na adjectives it becomes
"～だったり …～だったりする".

 Example: 昨日私は本を読んだりお菓子を食べたりした。Yesterday I was reading a book

and eating sweets.
 Example: あの映画は面白かったりつまらなかったりする。That movie is interesting in some
parts and boring in other parts.
 Example: 彼女は親切だったりきれいだったりする。She's nice and beautiful.

～たことがある
It indicates that something has (or hasn't ever) happened in the past.

 Example: 私は東京へ行ったことがある。I've been to Tokyo.

 Example: 私はそれを聞いたことがない。I've never heard of this.

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や
This is a particle used to link nouns in an incomplete list.

 Example: 猫や犬や猿が動物園にいます。 There are cats and dogs and monkeys (among
other things) at the zoo.

～んです
It accents the sentence's content or softens a request or an order. It may be also said as "~ので
す". With -na adjectives and nouns it becomes "~なのです".

 Example: 私は今忙しいんです。I'm busy right now.

 Example: 私は今そうじ中なのです。I'm cleaning right now.
 Example: テニスはするんですか？ Do you play tennis? (at all, not right now)

～すぎる
It means "too much" or "too (big/small/expensive/etc.)".

 Example: 山田さんは食べすぎる。Mr. Yamada eats too much.

 Example: 私は食べ物を買いすぎた。I bought too much food.
 Example: このシャツは大きすぎる。This shirt is too big.

～ほうがいい
It means "it's better" or "it would be better", it may be also used to say that something should (or
shouldn't) be done.

 Example: あなたはこの本を買うほうがいい。You should buy this book.

 Example: 私はあのケーキを食べなかったほうがいい。I shouldn't eat that cake.

ので
It means "because" or "so". The cause is more impartial (like because a building is red or tall)
than with "から" or "だから" where it's more subjective (like because you think an apple tastes
good). With nouns and -na adjectives it becomes "なので".

 Example: この本は高いので買わない。I'm not buying this book, because it's expensive.

 Example: あの映画を見たので他の映画を見よう。I've seen this movie so let's watch a
different one.

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 Example: 彼女は病気なので来ない。She isn't coming because she's sick.

～なくちゃいけない
It means that something has to be done (lit: it's bad not to do it).

 Example: あなたは宿題を終わらなくちゃいけない。You have to finish your homework. (It's

not good for you to not finish your homework.)

でしょう
It means something like "isn't it/aren't you/aren't I/etc." or "right?". It's used when the speaker isn't
sure about something or in rhetorical questions.

 Example: あなたは七時まで帰るでしょ？ You'll come back before 7 o'clock, right?

 Example: これは本でしょ? It's a book, isn't it?
 Example: あのビルは普通じゃないでしょ? That building isn't normal, is it?
 Example: 彼は泳げないでしょ? He can't swim, can he?

～まえに
It means "before doing (something)" or "ago" (like 3 days ago).

 Example: 食べる前に手を洗って下さい。Please wash your hands before eating.

 Example: 私は一時前に帰った。I came back an hour ago.

～てから
It means to do something after doing something else.

 Example: 考えてから言ってください。Please speak after thinking.

 Example: 私は手を洗ってから食事をした。I had a meal after washing my hands.

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