JLPT N4 Grammar List

JLPT N4 Grammar: 〜なさい (Nasai) – Giving Firm Instructions Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Do (instruction/command) 🎯 Primary Function To give a firm command or order, softer than the blunt imperative form (~ro/kore) but more authoritative than ~te kudasai. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Stem form) + なさい (nasai) Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable […]

Japanese Grammar: なら (nara) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘If’, ‘as for’, or ‘in that case’. It is used to express a condition based on a statement or situation provided by the listener or the context. 🎯 Primary Function To provide suggestions, advice, or reactions based on a specific premise or information shared by

Japanese Grammar: Expressing Obligation with なければならない (Nakereba Naranai) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Must; Have to; It is necessary to. 🎯 Primary Function To express an objective obligation or a duty that one cannot avoid. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (ない-form) + ければならない い-adjective (drop い) + くなければならない な-adjective + でなければならない Verb (ない-form) + なくてもいい

Japanese Grammar: なければいけない (nakereba ikenai) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Must’, ‘Have to’, or ‘Obliged to’. 🎯 Primary Function To express obligation or a situation where something is necessary or required. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Nai-form, remove い) + ければいけない Stem (remove い) + くなければいけない Stem + でなければいけない / じゃなければいけない N/A (This form is

Japanese Grammar: なかなか～ない (nakanaka ~ nai) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Not easily’ or ‘not readily’. It indicates that something expected or desired is taking longer than usual or is difficult to achieve despite effort. 🎯 Primary Function To emphasize that an action or change is not occurring as smoothly or quickly as expected.

Japanese Grammar: Using ながら (nagara) for Simultaneous Actions Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning While doing [Action A], one also does [Action B]. 🎯 Primary Function Expressing simultaneous actions performed by the same subject. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Stem Form) + ながら Not applicable (Primary usage is with verbs) Not applicable (Primary usage is with

Japanese Grammar: How to use など (nado) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘And so on’, ‘etcetera’, or ‘such as’. 🎯 Primary Function To indicate that the items or actions mentioned are non-exhaustive examples. 📋 Grammar Structure [Verb (Dictionary/Ta Form)] + など / [Noun] + など [i-Adjective (Dictionary Form)] + など [na-Adjective] + な +

Japanese Grammar: Verb + な (Prohibitive Form) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning The prohibitive form ‘な’ is used to command someone NOT to do something. It is a very strong and direct way of saying ‘Don’t…’. 🎯 Primary Function To issue a strong prohibition or command to stop an action. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb

Japanese Grammar: The Particle も (mo) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Also’, ‘too’, ‘as well’, or ‘even’. 🎯 Primary Function To indicate addition or to provide emphasis to a quantity or situation. 📋 Grammar Structure [Verb Te-form] + も [I-Adj Stem] + くても [Na-Adj] + でも [Noun] + も + [Negative Verb/Adjective] 🎭 Usage

Japanese Grammar Guide: Using 〜みたいに (mitai ni) for Comparisons Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Like’, ‘similar to’, or ‘in the manner of’. 🎯 Primary Function To describe an action (verb) or state (adjective) by making a comparison to a noun or another situation. 📋 Grammar Structure Plain form + みたいに / Noun + みたいに

Japanese Grammar: みたいな (mitai na) – Expressing Similarity and Examples Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Like’, ‘similar to’, or ‘resembling’. 🎯 Primary Function Modifying a noun by comparing it to another thing or person. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (plain form) + みたいな + Noun / Noun + みたいな + Noun I-adjective (dictionary form) +

Japanese Grammar: 〜みたいだ (mitai da) – Looks like / Seems like Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Mitai da’ is used to express that something looks like, appears to be, or resembles something else. It is also used to make a guess or conjecture based on observation. 🎯 Primary Function Expressing resemblance, similes, and informal

Japanese Grammar: または (Mata wa) – Providing Formal Alternatives Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Or’ / ‘Alternatively’ 🎯 Primary Function To present two or more alternatives where any one is acceptable. 📋 Grammar Structure [Verb Phrase] または [Verb Phrase] [I-Adjective] または [I-Adjective] [Na-Adjective] な または [Na-Adjective] な Not commonly used in negative structures; it

Mastering Japanese Grammar: まま (Mama) – As It Is Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘Mama’ (まま) expresses a state that remains unchanged, meaning ‘as it is,’ ‘just as,’ or ‘leaving something in a certain condition.’ 🎯 Primary Function To indicate that an action is performed or a situation exists while a previous state or

Japanese Grammar: までに (made ni) – Setting Deadlines and Time Limits Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning ‘By’ or ‘By the time’. 🎯 Primary Function To indicate a deadline or time limit for a single action. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Dictionary Form) + までに N/A (Typically used with Verbs or Nouns) N/A (Typically used with

Japanese Grammar Guide: 急に (kyuu ni) Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Suddenly, abruptly, or unexpectedly. 🎯 Primary Function An adverb used to describe an action or state change that happens quickly and without prior notice. 📋 Grammar Structure 急に + Verb 急に + i-Adjective (often with ~naru) 急に + na-Adjective (often with ~naru) 急に

Japanese Grammar: ことができる (koto ga dekiru) – How to Express Ability and Possibility Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning To be able to do something / Can do. 🎯 Primary Function Expressing potential, capability, or permission using a nominalized verb phrase. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Dictionary Form) + ことができる / ことができます Not applicable (generally used

Mastering 〜くする (Ku Suru): How to Make Things [I-Adjective] in Japanese Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “To make (something) [I-adjective],” or “to cause (something) to become [I-adjective].” 🎯 Primary Function To express a transitive causative change, where the subject performs an action to change the state or quality of an object (marked by the

Mastering ことにする (Koto ni Suru): Expressing Personal Decisions and Resolutions Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning To decide on a specific course of action, to make a personal resolution or policy. 🎯 Primary Function To indicate a personal or group decision, choice, or resolution made by the subject. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Plain Form: Dictionary,

「ことになる」(Koto ni Naru): Expressing External Decisions and Rules Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “It has been decided that…”, “It turns out that…”, “It is established that…” 🎯 Primary Function To express a situation, decision, or conclusion that is externally determined, established as a rule, or an unavoidable result. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Plain Form)