JLPT N4 grammar
The 72 grammar points the course's N4 lessons teach, in the order they first come up. Each is taught in the lesson whose dialogue first uses it, with that line as its example, and a linked point has a page of its own: its meaning, the lines of the course that use it, and practice questions.
The JLPT publishes no grammar list for N4 or any level, so this list is the course's own. N4 papers ask grammar in the part they share with reading: choosing the form that fits a sentence, putting a sentence's pieces in order, and choosing what fills the gaps in a passage.
| Point | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 〜と思う | I think (that) … |
| 〜ば | if (conditional) |
| 〜のが / 〜のを / 〜のは (名詞化) | turning a phrase into a noun (the act of …) |
| 〜てしまう / 〜ちゃう | end up doing; do completely (often with regret) |
| 〜(よ)う | let's; I'll (plain volitional) |
| 〜と (条件) | whenever; if (natural result) |
| 〜はずだ | should be, is expected to |
| 〜てあげる / 〜てくれる / 〜てもらう | do for someone / someone does for me / have someone do |
| 〜ことができる | can, be able to |
| 〜ので | because, since (explaining a reason) |
| 〜ように (目的) | so that |
| 〜える (可能動詞) | can (potential form) |
| 〜方 (やり方) | way of doing |
| 〜けど / けれど(も) | but, although |
| 〜ようにする | make a point of, try to |
| 〜ることがある | sometimes (does …) |
| 〜ところだ | about to / in the middle of / have just |
| 〜なら | if (it's the case that); as for |
| 〜し、〜し | and what's more (listing reasons) |
| 〜について | about, concerning |
| 〜ていく / 〜てくる | go on doing; come to; do and come |
| 〜ておく / 〜とく | do in advance; leave as is |
| 〜のに | although, even though (unexpected) |
| 〜始める / 〜終わる / 〜続ける | start / finish / keep doing |
| 〜かな / 〜かしら | I wonder |
| 〜ことにする | decide to |
| 〜ために | in order to; for (the sake of) |
| 〜たら | if; when (after) |
| 〜(さ)せる | make / let someone do |
| お〜になる | respectful form of a verb |
| 〜そう (様態) | looks like, seems about to |
| 〜さ (名詞化) | -ness (noun from an adjective) |
| 尊敬語 (いらっしゃる / おっしゃる / 召し上がる …) | respectful verbs for others' actions |
| 謙譲語 (参る / 申す / いたす / 伺う …) | humble verbs for one's own actions |
| お〜する / ご〜する | humble form of a verb |
| 〜たばかり | have just done |
| 〜てみる | try doing and see |
| 命令形 / 〜な (禁止) | do it! / don't! (plain command) |
| 〜(ら)れる (受身) | is done (by someone); passive |
| 〜そうだ (伝聞) | I hear that … |
| 〜たほうがいい / ないほうがいい | had better (advice) |
| 〜がする (音・匂い・味・気) | (a sound / smell / taste / feeling) is sensed |
| 〜やすい / 〜にくい | easy to / hard to |
| 〜てくださる / 〜ていただく | someone kindly does (for me) |
| 〜ずに / 〜ないで (せずに) | without doing |
| 〜かもしれない | might, may |
| 〜かどうか | whether or not |
| 〜なければならない / なくてはいけない | must, have to |
| 〜まま | as it is; leaving it … |
| 〜てある | has been done (and remains so) |
| 〜と言う / 〜という | say that …; called … |
| 〜ても / 〜でも | even if, even though |
| 〜にする | decide on; make (it) into |
| 〜間 / 〜間に | while, during; within the time |
| 〜とき | when … |
| 〜までに | by (a deadline) |
| 〜と同じ / 〜と違う | the same as / different from |
| 〜ようだ / 〜みたいだ | it seems, appears; like |
| 〜らしい | apparently; typical of |
| 〜だろう | probably (plain) |
| 〜すぎる | too much, over- |
| 〜ようになる | come to (be able to) … |
| 〜ことになる | it has been decided that; it turns out that |
| 〜てほしい | want someone to do … |
| 〜(よ)うと思う | I'm thinking of doing … |
| 〜てばかり / 〜ばかり | nothing but, only |
| 疑問詞〜か (埋め込み) | a question inside a sentence (… where/who/what …) |
| 〜たことがある | have done (experience) |
| 〜なくてもいい | don't have to |
| 〜ように言う / 頼む | tell / ask someone to do |
| 〜たがる | (someone else) wants to |
| 〜ほど〜ない | not as … as |