N4 Grammar

Mastering 〜にくい (nikui): When Things Are Just Plain Difficult!

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning The pattern 〜にくい means “difficult to do,” “hard to do,” or that something has a tendency to be difficult or inconvenient. 🎯 Primary Function To describe that performing a specific action is challenging or inconvenient due to some inherent characteristic of the subject, object, or situation. […]

N4 Grammar

Mastering にする: Making Choices and Decisions in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Expressing a decision, choice, or intention regarding a noun or action, or changing something into a certain state. 🎯 Primary Function To indicate a decision or choice about something (a noun) or to decide to perform an action (using ことにする). It can also mean “to make

N4 Grammar

Mastering 〜に見える: Expressing Appearance in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning To look like, to appear, to seem 🎯 Primary Function To express an impression or perception based on visual observation or general understanding. 📋 Grammar Structure [Noun] + に見える [な-adjective] + に見える (remove な if followed directly) [い-adjective] (remove い) + く見える [Verb Dictionary Form/Verb ている

N4 Grammar

Mastering なさる (nasaru): The Honorific Verb for Doing

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning なさる (nasaru) is the honorific equivalent of the verb する (suru), which means “to do”. 🎯 Primary Function To respectfully refer to the actions of a person superior in status (e.g., boss, teacher, elder) or someone you wish to show high respect towards. 📋 Grammar Structure

N4 Grammar

Learn Japanese Grammar: なさい (nasai) – Giving Gentle Commands

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Used to give a relatively soft command or instruction. 🎯 Primary Function To instruct someone considered an inferior (like a child or student) to perform an action. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb ます-stem + なさい (Irregular verbs: する → しなさい, 来る (くる) → 来なさい (きなさい)) 🎭 Usage

N4 Grammar

Mastering Japanese Grammar: Understanding 「なら」 (Nara) for N4 Learners

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Expresses a conditional statement based on an assumed or previously mentioned topic/situation. Often translates to ‘If (it is the case that)…’, ‘As for…’, or ‘If you’re talking about…’. 🎯 Primary Function To set a specific topic or condition as the premise for the second part of

N4 Grammar

Mastering ければならない: Expressing Obligation in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “must,” “have to,” “need to” 🎯 Primary Function To express that an action is required, necessary, or obligatory. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb ない-form + ければならない 行く (iku) -> 行かない (ikanai) -> 行かなければならない (ikanakereba naranai) 食べる (taberu) -> 食べない (tabenai) -> 食べなければならない (tabenakereba naranai) する (suru) ->

N4 Grammar

Must Do This! Mastering なければいけない (nakereba ikenai)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “Must,” “Have to,” “Need to” 🎯 Primary Function To express necessity, obligation, or a strong requirement to do something. It indicates that if you don’t do the action, there will be negative consequences or it is not acceptable. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb in ない-form + ければいけない

N4 Grammar

なかなか~ない: Expressing Difficulty and Unexpected Delays (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Not easily; difficult to; takes time to; not quite/not very (when something doesn’t happen as expected) 🎯 Primary Function To express that an expected or desired action or state is not realized, often due to difficulty, resistance, or unexpected delay. It implies that the speaker feels

N4 Grammar

Mastering ながら (nagara): Doing Two Things at Once!

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Expresses that the subject is performing two actions simultaneously. 🎯 Primary Function To connect two verbs, indicating that the action of the first verb is happening at the same time as the action of the second verb (which is typically the main action). 📋 Grammar Structure

N4 Grammar

Mastering など (Nado): Listing Examples in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning and so on, etc., things like… 🎯 Primary Function To list examples of items, implying that the list is not exhaustive and there are other similar items not mentioned. 📋 Grammar Structure Noun + など Noun + など + Particle (e.g., が, を, に, も) 🎭

N4 Grammar

Understanding するな (Suru na): Mastering Strong Negative Commands in Japanese

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning The basic meaning of するな (suru na) is ‘Don’t do’. It’s a direct and often forceful way to tell someone not to perform an action. 🎯 Primary Function To express a strong prohibition or a direct command for someone to stop or not perform a specific

N4 Grammar

Understanding も (mo): Adding “Also,” “Too,” and “Even” in Japanese

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning も (mo) is a particle that adds a sense of inclusion, addition, or emphasis to the word or phrase it follows. 🎯 Primary Function It functions primarily to indicate that something else is true or applies in the same way, or to emphasize the degree of

N4 Grammar

Mastering みたいだ (Mitai da): Sounding Natural in Japanese Conjecture and Similarity

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Seems like; Looks like; Appears that; Is like; Similar to 🎯 Primary Function To express a conjecture (guess) based on what you see or feel, or to express similarity. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (Plain form) + みたいだ i-adjective (Plain form) + みたいだ na-adjective (remove な) +

N4 Grammar

Mastering みたいに (Mitai ni): Sounding Natural in Japanese

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Like, similar to, as if 🎯 Primary Function Used to express similarity or comparison, to give examples, or to convey a subjective impression or feeling. 📋 Grammar Structure Noun + みたいに Verb (plain form) + みたいに い-adjective (plain form) + みたいに な-adjective + みたいに 🎭 Usage

N4 Grammar

Mastering みたいな (Mitai na): Sounding Like a Native Speaker

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Expresses similarity to something or gives an example of something. 🎯 Primary Function To connect a noun, な-adjective stem, or い-adjective to a following noun, indicating that the following noun is *like* or *an example of* the preceding element. 📋 Grammar Structure [Noun] + みたいな +

N4 Grammar

Mastering 「または」: Choosing Wisely in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “or” 🎯 Primary Function To connect two or more nouns, noun phrases, or clauses, indicating a choice or alternative between them. 📋 Grammar Structure Noun A または Noun B Clause A または Clause B 🎭 Usage Contexts 🏢 Formal Situations Frequently used in formal speech, presentations,

N4 Grammar

Understanding まま (mama): Staying “As Is” in Japanese Grammar

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning “as is,” “without changing,” “in the same state.” 🎯 Primary Function To indicate that an action occurs or a state persists while a previous state or condition is maintained. 📋 Grammar Structure Verb (た-form) + まま Verb (ない-form) + まま Noun + の + まま い-adjective

N4 Grammar

Mastering までに (made ni): Your N4 Guide to Japanese Deadlines

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning Indicates a time limit or deadline by which an action or state must be completed. 🎯 Primary Function To specify the time by which an action must be finished or an event must occur. 📋 Grammar Structure N (time/event) + までに V (plain form) + までに

N4 Grammar

Mastering 急に (kyuu ni): The Japanese Adverb for “Suddenly”

Japanese Grammar Template Meaning & Usage ✨ Basic Meaning The basic meaning of 急に (きゅうに) is “suddenly,” “abruptly,” or “quickly and unexpectedly.” 🎯 Primary Function It functions as an adverb, modifying verbs and adjectives to indicate that an action or state change happened suddenly or without prior warning. 📋 Grammar Structure 急に + Verb /

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