JLPT N4 Grammar

The Complete JLPT N4 Grammar List - All 130+ Grammar Points

130+ Grammar Points • Click any link below to jump directly to it

Table of Contents

 

あいだ (aida) - while; during; between

How to use:
Verb + 間 (に)
I-Adj + 間 (に)
Na. Adj + な + 間 (に)
Noun + の + 間 (に)

間（あいだ） / 間に（あいだに）

Both mean “during a time period,” but they are used in different ways depending on whether something lasts the whole time or happens once inside that time.

① 間（あいだ） = “during the whole time”

Use this when something happens for the entire duration of another action or period.

The action continues throughout the whole period

Examples:
9時から5時までの間
“Between 9 and 5”
散歩している間、ずっと雨が降っていた
“It rained the whole time I was walking.”
しばらくの間、村には戻れない
“I can’t return to the village for a while.”


It is often paired with words like ずっと (“all the time”) to emphasize continuity.
 “For the entire time X is happening…”

② 間に（あいだに） = “sometime during that time”

Use this when something happens once inside a time period, not for the whole duration

Something happens inside the time window, at a specific moment

Examples:
散歩している間に、雨が降り始めた
“It started raining while I was walking.”
迷っている間に、お店が閉まっちゃった
“The shop closed while I was hesitating.”

 “At some point during X…”
As に marks the point where the action occurs, IN that interval of time

Easy way to remember
間 = the whole time (continuous background)
間に = one event happens inside that time" 

雨の間、家にいた。
“I stayed home during the rain.”
雨の間に、買い物した。
“I went shopping while it was raining / during the rain.”

あまり～ない (amari nai) - not very; not much; not really

あまり is used with negative forms to say that something is done or felt only a small amount.

In casual speech, it can become あんまり.

Structure:
あまり + Verb Negative form
あまり + Noun + じゃない / ではない
あまり + I-Adj. (－い) + くない
あまり + Na.Adj. + じゃない / ではない

(あんまり is casual / spoken)

Meaning: “It’s not very much / not really / not often”

Examples:
あまり好きじゃない
“I don’t really like it.”
あまり上手くない
“Not very good at it.”
クラウド、スラムのことはあまり知らないんだよね
“Cloud doesn’t really know much about the slums, right?”

So you can use あまり〜ない to say something is not very much, not often, or not really the case.

後で (ato de) - after~; later

後で（あとで）is a grammar point used to express “after” or “later.”

It is used to show that one action happens after another action is completed, or simply at a later time.

Formation:
Verb (past tense) + あとで
Noun + のあとで

Can also be used by itself: あとで = “later”

This grammar is used to indicate sequence in time, where the first action is completed and the second action follows afterward.

For example:

授業が終わったあとで、友達と話した
“I talked with my friends after class ended.”

会のあとでゆっくり話したい
“I want to talk slowly after the meeting.”

Here:

会のあとで = after the meeting

It can also be used on its own:

じゃ、あとで
“Alright, later.”

あとで is a straightforward way to express doing something after another event, or doing something later in time.


ば (ba) - conditional form; If [A] then [B]

The ば conditional form, is used to express “if A happens, then B will happen.”

The ば form expresses a condition that leads to a result.

To make the ば form with verbs, start from the dictionary form, change the final “u” sound to the corresponding “e” sound, then add ば:

How To Use:
Verb (ば form)
I-Adj.: Change い to ければ
Na-Adj. + ならば / であれば
N + ならば / であれば

(Negative Use)
Verb: Change ない to なければ
I-Adj.: Change ない to なければ
Na-Adj. + じゃなければ / でなければ
N + じゃなければ / でなければ

Verbs (う sound to え sound + ば):

食べる → 食べれば
"eat" -> “if you eat...”
飲む → 飲めば
"drink" -> “if you drink...”
行く → 行けば
"go" -> “if you go...”

For example:
仕事が終われば　他人だ。
“If the job ends, then we’re strangers.”

い-Adjective (replace the final い with ければ):

大きい → 大きければ
"big" -> “If it’s big…”

な-Adjectives and Nouns (Add ならば / であれば):

便利ならば
“If it’s convenient…”

Negative Verbs (change ない into なければ):

勉強しない → 勉強しなければ
“If you don’t study…”

行かない → 行かなければ
“If you don’t go…”

Negative い-Adjectives (change ない to なければ)

大きくない → 大きくなければ
“If it’s not big…”

Negative な-Adjectives / Nouns: (Add じゃなければ / でなければ:

便利じゃなければ
“If it’s not convenient…”

The ば form is an extremely important grammar point, but don’t worry too much about memorizing every rule immediately. With practice, the patterns become natural. The key thing to remember is that everything works toward an “eba” sound. 終われば, 食べれば, 飲めば, 行けば etc

場合は (baai wa) - in the event of; in the case that

場合は = “in the case of / if / in the event that”

場合は is used to present a specific situation (a “case”) and explain what action or outcome applies in that situation.

Structure:
Verb (casual) + 場合は
い-adj + 場合は
な-adj + な + 場合は
Noun + の + 場合は

 “If this situation happens, then…”

It’s often used for rules, warnings, instructions, or explanations.

Examples:
火事の場合は119をかけます
“In case of fire, call 119.”
地震が起きた場合はテーブルの下に潜ってください
“In the event of an earthquake, please go under the table.”
女の場合はもっと面倒だ
“In the case of women, it’s more complicated.”

You use 場合は to set up a situation and explain what applies or should be done in that case. “if/in the case that this situation happens, then…”

 

ばかり (bakari) - only; just; nothing but~

ばかり, is used to express: “only…”, “nothing but…”, “just doing the same thing over and over…”

Structure:
Verb (て-form) + ばかり
Noun + ばかり

The key idea is repetition or limitation, as in something happening repeatedly or being the same thing again and again. It can be neutral, but often carries a slightly negative nuance like frustration, surprise, or judgment.

Examples:

知ってることばかりだろうけど。
“It’s probably nothing but things you already know…”

否定ばかりじゃイイ男が台無し。
“If all you do is criticize, it ruins a good man.”

One important note is pronunciation:

ばかり (written form / standard speech)
ばっかり (casual spoken form)

They mean the same thing, but ばっかり is very common in conversation.

ばかり emphasizes repetition or restriction to one thing, often highlighting frustration or emphasis depending on context.


だけで (dake de) - just by; just by doing; with only

だけで, is used to express: “just by…”, “only by doing…”, “with just…”

It’s formed by combining:

だけ = “only”
で = “with / by means of”

So the meaning becomes something like:
“only with…” or “just by doing…”

Structure:
Verb + だけで
Noun + だけで

Examples:

次は、ふたりだけで勝負をしよう。
“Next, let’s have a match just between the two of us.”

So here:

ふたりだけで = “just the two of us / only the two of us”
勝負をしよう = “let’s have a match”

だけで is commonly used to emphasize that something happens or is possible with very little, sometimes even unexpectedly little effort or limitation.


出す (dasu) - to begin to; to start to; to burst into; ... out (e.g. to jump out, to carry out)

〜出す, is used to express suddenly starting an action, bursting into an action, something moving outward or even something coming out into existence

Formation:
Verb (Masu Stem) + 出す

For example:

笑い出す = “to burst out laughing”
飛び出す = “to jump out”
走り出す = “to suddenly start running”

So 〜出す often adds the feeling that an action suddenly begins or bursts outward.

Examples:

駆け出す興奮に、激しく震えている。
“My engine trembles violently with the excitement of bursting forward.”

Here:

駆け出す combines 駆ける “to run” with 出す
giving the feeling of suddenly dashing out or launching forward

One thing to note: Another similar piece of grammar はじめる can be used to express 'to begin'. However だす often has a nuance of being unintentional or involuntary. Where as はじめる often expresses a direct intention to do the action.

〜出す is commonly used in Japanese for expressing sudden emotional reactions, movement, or the start of an action.


でございます (degozaimasu) - to be (honorific です)

でございます = “is / are / am” (very polite honorific です)

でございます is the extremely polite form of です, used in formal speech such as customer service, announcements, or very respectful conversation.

Structure:
です → でございます
ではありません → でございません

This is used to state something very respectfully.

It can be used to create a strong sense of formality, distance, and politeness.

Examples:
ただいま準備中でございます
“We are currently preparing.”
こちらは新商品でございます
“This is a new product.”
お席は満席でございます
“All seats are taken.”

You use でございます to say “is/are” in a very polite/honorific and formal way to say です, especially in customer service or official speech.


でも (demo) - ... or something; how about~

でも（suggestion use） = “or something / how about / maybe”

When でも comes after a noun, it is used to softly suggest something as one possible example, not the only option.

It makes the sentence sound less direct and more casual.

Structure:
Noun + でも + phrase

 “How about X?” / “X or something (as an example)”

Examples:
ゲームでもしましょう
“Let’s play a game or something.”

コーヒーでも飲む？
“Wanna grab some coffee or something?”

地面に亀裂でも入ってんじゃないかって
“Some people are even saying it’s like there might be cracks forming in the ground or something.”

Here, 亀裂でも shows it’s not a confirmed fact, just a possible explanation being casually suggested.

You can use Noun + でも to give an option or an example, 'or something'.


ではないか (dewanaika) - right?; isn't it?

〜ではないか and 〜じゃないか are used to seek confirmation, agreement, or emphasis, like “isn’t it?” / “right?”.

The literal meaning is: “Is it not?”

Structure:
Phrase + ではない + か
Phrase + じゃない + か
Phrase + ではありませんか

Formality levels:
じゃん        very casual
じゃないか        casual
ではないか        formal
ではありませんか        very polite

This expresses that the speaker strongly feels something is true and is asking the listener to agree or acknowledge it.

Examples:
遅かったじゃないか
“You were late, weren’t you?”
ハデにやってるじゃないか
“You’re really going all out, aren’t you?”
カーゴシップではないか！
“Isn’t that a cargo ship?!”

Summary:
Use 〜ではないか / 〜じゃないか to express “isn’t it?” or “right?” when seeking agreement, emphasizing a point, or confirming something strongly.


が必要 (ga hitsuyou) - is needed; is necessary

必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru) - need to; it is necessary to

必要がある / が必要だ, a grammar pattern used to express that something is needed or necessary.

It is used to indicate that something must exist, be done, or be present in order for a situation to be valid or complete.

Formation:
Noun + が + 必要だ / です
Verb (dictionary form) + こと + が + 必要だ / です
(は can also replace が for emphasis)


1. Noun + が必要だ
Used when something tangible or abstract is needed.

Examples:
カードキーが必要です
“A key card is necessary.”

2. Verb + ことが必要だ
Used when expressing that an action is necessary. The verb must be nominalized using こと.

Examples:
勉強することが必要だ
“It is necessary to study.”
行くことが必要だ
“It is necessary to go.”

Also 必要がある

Formation:
Verb (dictionary form) + 必要 + が + ある

There is also 必要がある which is much more natural to use verb 必要がある than ことが必要
This is a more natural/common variant used especially with verbs:

Examples:
行く必要がある
“There is a need to go / You need to go.”
変える必要がある
“There is a need to change it.”
そういう連中の意識を変える必要がある
“There is a need to change the mindset of those people.”

Summary:
Overall 必要がある / が必要だ is used to clearly state necessity or requirement, whether for objects, actions, or abstract changes.


がする (ga suru) - to smell; hear; taste

Introduction:
Noun + がする / がします is a grammar pattern used to express sensory impressions or sensations.

Structure:
Noun＋がする
Noun＋がします (Polite)

Meaning:
It attaches to nouns that relate to the five senses or subjective feelings, such as: sound (音, 声), smell (匂い), taste (味), feeling (感じ, 気配, 予感).
It can be used to mean: “to have the smell/taste/sound of…”, “to feel like…”, or even “to get the impression of…”.

Examples:
いい匂いがする
“It smells good.”
音がする
“There’s a sound.”
変な感じがする
“It feels strange.”
そんな予感がしてね。
“I have a bad feeling / premonition.”

So 予感がする 'to have a bad feeling/premonition' is made up of
予感 = “premonition” + がする = “to have that sensation”

Summary:
がする is used when you experience something through your senses or intuition, rather than describing it objectively.

がる (garu) - to show signs of; to appear; to feel, to think

Introduction:
がる / がっている, is a grammar pattern that turns adjectives into observable behavior verbs, it describes how someone seems to feel based on their actions.

Structure:
It’s typically formed by taking an adjective and attaching がる:
い-adjective → remove い + がる
な-adjective → attach がる

怖い (kowai, “scary / afraid”) → 怖がる
= “to act scared / show fear”

Examples:
子どもが怖がっている
“The child looks scared / is showing fear”
連中の悔しがる顔が見えるぜ。
“I can see their frustrated faces.”
そう恐がるな。
“Don’t be scared.”

悔しい (kuyashii, “frustrated / regretful”) → 悔しがる = “to show frustration”
恐い (kowai “scary / frightening”) → 恐がる = “to appear/act afraid”

Notes:
It’s important to note that this doesn’t directly describe someone’s inner feelings. Instead, it describes external signs of emotion, as in how someone appears to feel from the outside.

Summary:
がる / がっている is used to describe outward emotional behavior in others, turning adjectives into actions you can observe.

がり (gari) - someone tends to; has a tendency to; has a sensitivity to~ (used with personalities)

Introduction:
がり is closely related to がる, but instead of describing behavior, it describes a personality trait or tendency.

Structure:
い-adjectives → remove い + がり
な-adjectives → attach がり

Meaning:
This creates a noun-like expression meaning:
“someone who tends to…”
“a person who is sensitive to…”
“someone with a tendency toward…”

Examples:
怖い (kowai, “afraid / scary”) → 怖がり = “a timid person / scaredy-cat”

Unlike がる, which describes outward behavior (“acting scared”), がり describes a general personality tendency.

It is often used to describe recurring traits like:

寒がり = someone sensitive to cold
暑がり = someone sensitive to heat
恥ずかしがり = shy person
寂しがり = someone who hates being alone

It can also combine with や to emphasize personality more strongly:

恥ずかしがりや = “a very shy person”

Like in the line:

酒飲んでないと寂しがりやさんなわけよ
“Basically, when I’m not drinking, I end up getting kind of lonely.”

Here the sentence is casually explaining a personality tendency:
without alcohol, the speaker becomes more aware of loneliness or feels more socially sensitive.

Notes:
It’s a very natural, slightly self-aware casual Japanese way of describing a pattern in behavior or mood.

Summary:
がり turns adjectives into personality nouns, describing someone’s natural tendency or sensitivity rather than a momentary emotion or behavior.

ございます (gozaimasu) - to be, to exist (honorific ある)

Introduction:
ございます, is the honorific polite form of ある / あります

Structure:
ある → ござる
あります → ございます

Meaning:
It means: “to be”, “to exist” or, “there is / there are”.

It is used to show respect and formality, especially in customer service, business, and polite speech.

Examples:
問題がございます
“There is a problem (polite).”
こちらの商品はございますか？
“Do you have this product available?”
なにかお探しの商品がございますか？
“Are you looking for any particular product?”

Summary:
ございます is the honorific polite way to express existence or availability, commonly used in formal and service-oriented Japanese.

始める (hajimeru) - to start to; to begin to~

Introduction:
Verb (masu-stem) + 始める is a grammar pattern used to express the beginning of an action, activity, or change.

Structure:
Verb (masu-stem) + 始める

Meaning:
It attaches to the masu-stem of a verb to means: “to start doing…”, “to begin to…”, “to start (verb-ing)”

This pattern focuses on expressing an action or process beginning.

It is commonly used for: actions people begin doing, ongoing activities, and natural changes or events.

Examples:
子どもが走り始めた
“The child started running.”
雨が降り始めた
“It started to rain.”

Notes:
A useful contrast is with verbs like 出す:

飛び出す “jump/fly out suddenly”
→ emphasizes a sudden or abrupt action

飛び始める “start flying”
→ emphasizes the beginning of the activity or process

So while both can describe something beginning, 〜始める usually focuses more on intentionally starting an ongoing action or state.

Like in the example:

まだ人が住み始める前で
“Before people had started living there…”

住み始める = “start living”
前 = “before”

So the sentence describes a time before people began living there.

Summary:
〜始める is the standard way to express beginning to do an action, especially when the action or state continues afterward.

はずだ (hazu da) - it must be; it should be (expectation)

Introduction:
はずだ, conveys a strong expectation or logical assumption that something is true, even if the speaker cannot directly confirm it.

Structure:
Since はず is a noun, it behaves like one grammatically.
It can be used with:

Verbs (dictionary form) + はずだ
い-adjectives + はずだ
な-adjectives + なはずだ
Nouns + のはずだ

Meaning:
はずだ is used to express: “it must be…”, “it should be…”, “I expect that…”

Examples:
駅は包囲されているはずだ。
“The station should be surrounded.”

So here:

包囲されている = “is being surrounded”
はずだ = “should be / must be (based on expectation)”

Summary:
はずだ is very commonly used in dialogue and narration when the speaker is confident something is true based on logic, information, or prior knowledge, even if it isn’t directly confirmed.

はずがない (hazu ga nai) - cannot be (impossible); should not be the case

Introduction:
〜はずがない is used when the speaker strongly believes something is impossible or cannot be true based on logic, knowledge, or expectations.

Structure:
Verb + はず + が + ない
I-Adj. + はず + が + ない
Na-Adj. + な + はず + が + ない
Noun + の + はず + が + ない

(For polite speech use ありません)

Meaning:
〜はずがない is a strong negative version of はずだ (should be / expected to be).

It means “There is no way that X is true / X cannot be”.
It expresses strong disbelief or denial.

Examples:
こんな状態が長く続くはずがない
“There’s no way this situation will last long.”
バレットたちが簡単にやられるはずがない
“There’s no way Barret and the others would be easily defeated.”

Summary:
〜はずがない is used when the speaker is confident that something is impossible or cannot be true.

よう (you) - volitional form; let's do～

Introduction:
The volitional form, 意向形（いこうけい）, is used to express the speaker’s intention or willingness to do something, often translated as “let’s do~.”

Structure:
Ichidan (る) Verbs: Replace final る syllable with よう
食べる → 食べよう

Godan (う) Verbs: Change the final sound to the お row + う
読む → 読もう
買う → 買おう

Polite Form:
Ichidan (る) Verbs: Replace final る syllable with ましょう
食べましょう

Godan (う) Verbs: Change final vowel to い + ましょう
行きましょう

Irregular verbs:
する → しよう
来る → こよう

Meaning:
The volitional form is how to express intention or invitation in Japanese, kind of like "let's" or "I will."

It turns a verb into a statement of will. Depending on context, it can mean the speaker is proposing to do something together with someone else ("let's go," "let's eat"),

“Let’s eat!” 食べよう
“Let’s go!” 行こう

or it can mean the speaker is expressing their own resolve or plan to do something ("I'll do my best," "I think I'll go to bed early").

明日のテストのために頑張ろう。
"I'll do my best for tomorrow's test."

早く寝ようと思う。
"I think I'll go to bed early."

It carries a nuance of a decision, suggestion, or willingness to act.

Examples:
The volitional form is used to say things like:

ね、屋根のうえ行こう。
“Hey, let’s go onto the roof.”
最初の入力、行ってみよう。せーの！
“Let’s try the first input. Ready?”
がんばろうね、せーの！
“Let’s do our best, okay? Ready?”

Notes:
The polite version of the volitional form is 〜ましょう, which was covered in the N5 level.

Summary:
The volitional form can be used to express volition/will to do an action and is used constantly in everyday Japanese.

ろ (ro) - imperative form (命令形)

Introduction:
The imperative form, 命令形, used to give strong, direct commands.

Structure:
る / Ichidan verbs: replace る with ろ
食べる "To eat" → 食べろ "Eat!"

う / Godan verbs: change the final う sound to the え row
行く "To go" → 行け "Go!"
止まる "To stop" → 止まれ "Stop!"

Irregular verbs:
する "To do" → しろ "Do it!"
くる "To come" → こい "Come!"

Meaning:
The imperative form is much stronger and more forceful than forms like 〜てください or even V-stem + なさい. It’s commonly used in urgent situations, commands, action scenes, or when there’s a strong power difference between speakers.

Examples:
止まれ！
“Stop!”

慎重に行け。
“Go carefully.”

これで沈め！
“Sink with this!” / “Take this!”

おい、ちょっと待て！
“Hey, wait a second!”

All of these use the imperative form to give direct, forceful commands, which is why they sound urgent and intense.

Notes:
It can sound very rude or aggressive, so it’s not something normally used in everyday polite conversation.

Summary:
The imperative form is used to give direct commands or orders in Japanese.

いらっしゃる (irassharu) - to be; to come; to go (honorific form of いる)

Introduction:
いらっしゃる is the sonkeigo (respectful honorific) verb used to elevate the status of the person you are talking about.

Structure:
いる・くる・いく into いらっしゃる
Verb［ている］ into Verb［ていらっしゃる］

Conjugations
いらっしゃる (dictionary form)
いらっしゃいます (polite)
いらっしゃらない (negative)
いらっしゃった (past)

Meaning:
It is the honorific form of:

いる (to be / exist)
くる (to come)
いく (to go)

So depending on context, いらっしゃる can mean:

いる → いらっしゃる “to be (here/there)” (honorific)
くる → いらっしゃる “to come” (honorific)
いく → いらっしゃる “to go” (honorific)

It is used when speaking respectfully about someone else’s actions or presence, never your own or your in-group.

Examples:
いいところにいらっしゃいました。
“You came at a good time.” / “You’re here at just the right time.”

Here, the speaker is politely acknowledging the other person’s arrival.

Summary:
いらっしゃる is a respectful way to describe someone’s existence, movement, or presence, used to elevate the listener or the person being talked about.

いたします (itashimasu) - to do (humble form of する); to venerably do

Introduction:
〜いたす is the humble (kenjōgo) form of する, used when you talk about your own actions or your in-group’s actions in a respectful way toward the listener.

Structure:
する → いたす / いたします
お + verb stem + いたす
ご + (noun/verb stem) + いたす

Meaning:
〜いたす / 〜いたします = humble “to do” (する).

It lowers your own position to show politeness and respect to the other person like “We/I humbly do X (for you / for the situation)”.

It is commonly used in customer service, business, and formal speech.

Examples:
ご提供いたします
“We will humbly provide (this for you).”
お待たせいたしました
“We have kept you waiting (very politely).”

Summary:
〜いたします is used to humbly say “I/we will do X” in a very polite respectful way toward the listener. (kenjōgo form of する).

かどうか (ka douka) - whether or not～; if...or not

Introduction:
かどうか is used to express uncertainty between two possibilities, like “whether X is true or not”.

Structure:
Verb + かどうか + phrase
I-adj + かどうか + phrase
Na-adj + かどうか + phrase
Noun + かどうか + phrase

Meaning:
かどうか = “I don’t know if X is true or not / whether X happens or not”

Examples:
正しいかどうかわからない
“I don’t know whether it is correct or not.”
その場所がスラムエンジェルのアジトかどうか
“Whether that place is the Slum Angels’ hideout…”
とにかく列車が動くかどうかよ
“Anyway, it’s whether the train will move or not…”

Summary:
かどうか can be used to express uncertainty whether something is A or B.

かな (kana) - I wonder~

Introduction:
かな is used to express “I wonder…” in Japanese.

Structure:
Phrase + かな

Meaning:
かな is commonly used when someone is wondering about something, thinking to themselves, expressing uncertainty, and considering what to do

Examples:
どうかな？
“I wonder…” / “How about it?”

アバランチに逃げ場などあるかな？
“I wonder if Avalanche even has anywhere to escape…”

かな adds a feeling of uncertainty, contemplation, or thinking out loud.

Notes:
かな can also imply things like:

- doubt
- hope
- hesitation
- asking for advice
- making a soft suggestion
- expressing intention or desire

It often gives sentences a softer, more thoughtful feeling.

Summary:
かな is used to express a feeling of uncertainty, contemplation, or thinking out loud, “I wonder…”.

かしら (kashira) - I wonder~ (feminine)

Introduction:
かしら, a sentence-ending particle used to express: “I wonder…”.

Structure:
Phrase + かしら

Meaning:
かしら is placed at the end of a sentence or phrase to express a soft self-questioning or thinking aloud.

It can be used in two main ways:

- Asking a gentle question (soft tone)
- Expressing inner thought or doubt aloud

Examples:
どういう意味かしら
“I wonder what it means…”
どうしてこんなに楽しいのかしら
“I wonder why this is so fun…”

Notes:
It is similar in meaning to かな, but:

かな = gender-neutral (casual “I wonder”)
かしら = softer, more feminine speech style

Summary:
かしら is a soft, reflective way of saying “I wonder,” often associated with feminine speech and a gentle tone of curiosity or thought.

かい (kai) - turns a sentence into a yes/no question (casual)

Introduction:
かい, is a casual sentence-ending particle used to turn a statement into a yes/no question.

Structure:
It attaches to the end of a sentence:

Verb + （の） + かい
I-Adj. + （の） + かい
Noun/Na-Adj. + （なの） + かい
(の contracts into ん and なの into なん)

Meaning:
It is essentially a more informal version of か, and is mainly used in:

- casual speech
- older or rough male speech styles
- talking to children or people of lower status (in tone or context)

Examples:
そうかい。
“Is that so?” / “Oh, really?”

今夜のうちに出ていってくれないかい？
“Could you leave by tonight?”

Notes:
When it becomes more natural in speech, contractions often occur:

の → ん
なの → なん

For example:

行くのかい → 行くんかい
元気なのかい → 元気なんかい

Summary:
かい is a direct, casual way to ask a yes/no question, often carrying a slightly old-fashioned or rough conversational tone depending on who is speaking.

かもしれない (kai) - might; perhaps; indicates possibility

Introduction:
かもしれない is used to express possibility, uncertainty, or speculation.

Structure:
Verb / I-Adj. + かもしれない
Na-Adj. / Noun + かもしれない
(Also: かも, かもしらん, かもしれません)

Meaning:
It’s often translated as:

“might”
“maybe”
“perhaps”

Examples:
高いかもしれない。
“It might be expensive.”

面白いかもしれない。
“It might be interesting.”

実は、生きているのかもしれない。
“They might actually still be alive.”

お客さんたち、怖がってるかも。
“The customers might be scared.”

ああ、いいかもね。
“Yeah, that might be nice.”

Notes:
There are also more casual and polite variations:

かも casual shorthand
かもしれません polite
かもしらん rough/casual dialectal variation

Summary:
かもしれない is one of the most common ways in Japanese to express uncertainty or possibility without sounding too direct, "It might be".

から作る (kara tsukuru) - made from; made with

Introduction:
〜から作る is used to describe the materials or ingredients something is made from, focusing on the origin or source substance.

Structure:
Noun + から作る

Meaning:
〜から作る = “made from / made with” (source/material)

It expresses the origin or raw material that something comes from.

Examples:
コーヒーは豆から作られる
Coffee is made from beans.

太陽石は陰石と黒水晶から作られる
“The sun stone is made from shadow stone and black quartz.”

Notes:
It often overlaps with 〜で作る, but there is a subtle difference in nuance.

Summary:
〜から作る is used to express that something is made using certain materials, focusing on what it comes from originally.

きっと (kitto) - surely; undoubtedly; almost certainly; most likely

Introduction:
きっと is an adverb used to express a high degree of certainty or strong expectation.

Structure:
きっと + event / action

Meaning:
きっと means things like: surely; undoubtedly; most likely; definitely (I believe)

It is placed before the event or action you are making a prediction about.

Examples:
明日はきっと雨でしょう。
“Tomorrow will surely be rainy, right?”

Here, きっと shows the speaker’s strong expectation that it will rain, even though it’s still a prediction rather than a confirmed fact.

Or like:

きっと大丈夫さ。きっと…。
“She’ll definitely be okay… definitely…”

Summary:
きっと strengthens the speakers guess or hope, expressing confidence in what they expect to happen.

頃 (koro / goro) - around; about; when

Introduction:
頃 can be used to express something occurring 'around' a particular time, or 'when' something happened.

Structure:
Noun (time) + ごろ (around; about)
Verb (casual) / I-Adj. + ころ (when)
Noun + の + ころ (when)
Na-Adj + な / だった + ころ (when)

Meaning:
頃 can be read as either ころ or ごろ depending on how it’s used. Both relate to time, but the usage is different.

ごろ is used with specific time nouns and means:“around” or “about”.

Example:

５時ごろ = “around 5 o’clock”
今ごろ = “around now”

So ごろ is specifically used for approximate times.

ころ, on the other hand, means: “when” or “around the time that…”.
It refers to a period or point in time when something happened.

Example:

若いころ = “when I was young”

Examples:
子供の頃からダンサーになるのが夢で。
“Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a dancer.”

でも、俺がソルジャーになった頃には…。
“But around the time I became a SOLDIER…”

Summary:
ごろ = around a specific nouns of time ころ = around the time when something happened

こと (koto) - Verb nominalizer

Introduction:
こと can be used to nominalize verbs (turn them into nouns).

Structure:
Verb (casual, non-past) + こと

Meaning:
When こと follows a verb, it turns that verb into a noun. You can think of it as meaning “the act of” or “the thing of” doing that action.

Examples:
For example:

食べる = “to eat”
食べること = “the act of eating”

Now the verb is being treated like a noun.

This works similarly to using “-ing” in English, where a verb can function as a noun:

ゲームをすることが大好きです。
“I love playing games,” or literally, “I love the act of playing games.”

So by adding こと to a verb, you can talk about actions as nouns.

More Examples:

倒せることはわかった。
“We understood that it can be defeated.” lit "The act of it being able to be defeated, we understood"

声が聞こえることがあるだろ？
“There are times you can hear voices, right?” lit "there are times when you can do the act of hearing voices right?"

Summary:
こと can be used as a verb nominalizer to treat/talk about verbs, as nouns.

ことがある (koto ga aru) - sometimes do; there are times when

Introduction:
ことがある is used to describe something that happens occasionally, not regularly.

Structure:
Verb (dictionary form / negative) + ことがある
I-adjective + ことがある
Na-adjective + な + ことがある
(Also: こともある = “sometimes (emphasis on occasional nature)”)

Meaning:
It is used to express that something happens from time to time.

ことがある = “sometimes do / there are times when”

Examples:
Example meaning:
声が聞こえることがあるだろ？
“There are times when you can hear voices, right?”

Here:
聞こえることがある = “you sometimes hear (it)”

声が聞こえる = “voices can be heard”
ことがある = “sometimes happens”
だろ？ = “right?”

Notes:
Important rule:
If you use non-past form → “sometimes happens”
If you use past form (たことがある) → “have experienced (doing it)”

ことがある = occasional action
たことがある = past experience

Summary:
ことがある is used to say something happens sometimes or occasionally. "There are times when..."

ことができる (koto ga dekiru) - can; able to

Introduction:
ことができる is used to express ability or possibility to do an action. It works similarly to the potential form of verbs.

Structure:
Verb (dictionary form) + ことができる

Meaning:
It is used to express that it is possible to do an action.

Verb + ことができる “It is possible to do X / I can do X”

Examples:
召喚獣を呼び出すことができます
“You can summon a summon beast.”

Lit. You can do the act of summoning a summoned beast.

Summary:
So you can turn a verb into a noun-like phrase by following the verb with ことができる to show that the action is possible.

ことになる (koto ni naru) - It has been decided that..; it turns out that..; it will end up being...

Introduction:
ことになる is used when something is decided or happens due to external circumstances, not because the speaker personally decided it.

Structure:
Verb (dictionary form / negative form) + ことになる
(More formal: こととなる)

Meaning:
ことになる means “it is decided that / it turns out that / it will end up that”, It often feels passive or indirect, like “it has been arranged that…”

The key idea is that “Something is decided / ends up happening due to circumstances or outside factors (not by my own decision)”

Common past forms:
ことになった = it ended up being decided
ことになりました = polite version

Examples:
さて　どっちが制裁されることになるのかな
“Now then… I wonder which one will end up being punished.”

Here:

制裁される = “be punished / receive punishment”
ことになる = “will end up happening / will be decided”

The speaker is not talking about a personal decision, but about the outcome or result that circumstances will lead to.

The nuance is: “Which one is it going to end up being decided for punishment?” or more naturally: “Which one is going to end up getting punished?”

Summary:
ことになる is used to show that something is decided or ends up happening due to outside factors, not personal choice.

ことにする (koto ni suru) - to decide on; have decided to

Introduction:
ことにする is used when you personally decide to do or not do something. It expresses your own intention or decision.

Structure:
Verb (dictionary form) + ことにする → decide to do
Verb (ない form) + ことにする → decide not to do

Meaning:
ことにする when used following a verb means “decide to / have decided to" do that action. It expresses a personal decision/intention to do that action.

Verb + こと = The act of (verb)
にする = Decide to do

Examples:
次はオレたちだけでやることにする
“Next, we’ll decide to do it just by ourselves.”
もっと日本語を勉強することにしましょう
“Let’s decide to study Japanese more.”
夜はスマホを使わないことにした
“I decided not to use my phone at night.”

Notes:
Important contrast:
ことになる = something is decided for you (external decision)
ことにする = you decide it yourself (personal decision)

Summary:
ことにする is used to express making a personal decision about what the speaker will / wont' do. (decide on doing)

くする (ku suru) - to make something/someone (more)

Introduction:
くする is used to express actively changing something into a desired state.

Structure:
I-Adj. replace［い］with［く］+ する
Na-Adj + に + する

Meaning:
くする / にする is a grammar pattern meaning:

“to make something become…”
“to change something into…”
“to make something more (adjective)”

It is used to express causing a change in state or quality.

Examples:
速い → 速くする = “to make fast / speed up”
小さい → 小さくする = “to make small”
きれい → きれいにする = “to make clean/beautiful”
静か → 静かにする = “to make quiet”

So this pattern is about actively changing something into a desired state.

喪失が おまえを強くする。
“Loss makes you strong.”

Here:

強い (strong) → 強くする = “to make strong”

Summary:
くする / にする is used when someone is actively causing a change in quality or state, basically “making something become X.”

急に (kyuu ni) - quickly; immediately; hastily; suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly~

Introduction:
急に is an adverb used to describe something that happens suddenly, without warning, or unexpectedly.

Structure:
急に + Phrase

Meaning:
急に means “suddenly / all of a sudden / unexpectedly”. Describing something occurring all of a sudden or without expecting it to.

Examples:
なんだよ、急に興味出たか
“What? Did you suddenly become interested?”
息子が急に旅立つと言い出しましてね
“My son suddenly said he was going to leave.”

Summary:
急に is used when something happens abruptly or without warning, often surprising the speaker.

までに (made ni) - by ～; by the time that ～; until / up to the point... (indicates time limit)

Introduction:
までに is used to set a time limit or deadline for an action.

Structure:
Verb (Dictionary) + までに
Noun (Time / Date) + までに

Meaning:
までに can be used to express “by / by the time / before (deadline)”.
As in to do something before the point in time before it.

Examples:
30歳になるまでに結婚したいです
“I want to get married by the time I turn 30.”
明日までに終わらせてください
“Please finish it by tomorrow.”
Ｇくらいまでには　着くようにしねえとな
“We should try to arrive by around Plan G.”

Here:

Ｇくらいまでに = “by around G”
着くようにしねえとな = “we should make sure to arrive / better try to arrive”

The speaker is setting a target point or limit before something happens.

Notes:
までに focuses on a deadline (the point you must complete something by), not the duration.

Summary:
までに to used to express a deadline or “by the time” limit for completing an action.

まま (mama) - as it is; left in a state; without changing; while

Introduction:
まま is used to express something remaining 'as it is', 'unchanged', or 'left in the current state'

Structure:
Noun + のまま
Verb / I-Adj. + まま
Na-Adj. + な + まま
Demonstrative adjective + まま

Meaning:
You can think of まま as meaning “without changing from that condition.”

Examples:
It can be used with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and demonstratives.

For nouns:
Noun + のまま

昔のまま
“The same as long ago.”

For verbs:
Verb past form + まま
Verb negative form + まま

開けたまま
“Left open.”

しないまま
“Left undone.”

One important rule:
With verbs, まま is generally only used with the past form or negative form, not the normal present tense.

For adjectives:
い-adjective + まま
な-adjective + なまま

熱いまま
“While still hot.”

きれいなまま
“Remaining beautiful.”

And with demonstratives:
そのままでいい。
“It’s fine as it is.”

Like we saw in the clip:

このまま続けたら、星はどうなる？
“If this keeps going like this, what will happen to the planet?”

このまま = “like this” / “in this current state”
続けたら = “if it continues”
星はどうなる = “what will happen to the planet?”

Summary:
まま expresses something continuing in the same state without changing.

または (mata wa) - both; or; otherwise​; choice between [A] or [B]

Introduction:
または is a formal connector used to present alternatives or options between two things.

Structure:
Noun-1 + または + Noun-2

Meaning:
または can be used between two nouns to express:
1) Choose one option (A or B)
2) Sometimes used in formal contexts where both options are acceptable depending on situation

Examples:
ハニーガールまたはハニーボーイのご指名はありますか？
“Do you have a request for a Honey Girl or a Honey Boy?”
電話またはメールで返事してください
“Please reply by phone or email.”

Notes:
It is similar to あるいは, but slightly more formal/written.

Summary:
または is used to present formal alternatives between two nouns, like “A or B.”

みたいだ (mitai da) - it seems that / like; as if

Introduction:
みたいだ is used to express, “looks like…”, “seems like…”, “as if…”. “similar to…”.

Structure:
Verb / い-adjective + みたいだ
Noun / な-adjective + みたいだ

Meaning:
みたいだ is the casual, conversational version of ようだ "it seems like'' and is commonly used when making a judgment or guess based on what you see, hear, or sense directly.

Examples:
ハムみたいだぞ。
“It looks like ham.”

テレビに映ってた八番街、映画みたいだった。
“Sector 8 on TV looked like a movie.”

Here, the speaker is making a judgment based on direct observation.

Notes:
Unlike ようだ, みたいだ sounds much more casual and natural in everyday conversation with friends, family, or people close to you.

Summary:
みたいだ is used when something appears or feels a certain way based on the speaker’s impression or reasoning.

みたいな (mitai na) - like, similar to~

Introduction:
みたいな is another use of みたい this time used to modify a noun.

Structure:
Noun + みたい + な + Noun
Verb (Casual) + みたい + な + Noun

Meaning:
Unlike みたいだ, which comes at the end of a sentence, みたいな is used in the middle of a sentence to modify a noun.
Meaning “A (noun) like…” or “A (noun) similar to…”.

Examples:
あなたみたいな人はすごいと思う。
“I think a person like you is amazing.”

彼が持っているみたいなパソコンが欲しい。
“I want a computer like the one he has.”

みたいな expresses similarity or resemblance between:

- one noun and another noun
- or a noun and a situation, manner, or action described in a clause (often implicit or contextually understood)

It is used to show that something is like / resembles / behaves as if it were something else, without stating identity or literal equivalence.

As seen in the examples:

コルネオはヘビみたいな男。
“Corneo is a snake-like man.”
→ Corneo is being described as having qualities or behavior resembling a snake.

これで終わりみたいな言い方をするな。
“Don’t talk like this is the end.”
→ The speaker is saying the manner of speaking resembles “this is the end,” even though it is not literally the end.

Summary:
みたいな is very commonly used to describe something as being like something else, often in a metaphorical or figurative way.

みたいに (mitai ni) - like; similar to~

Introduction:
The final use of みたい is みたいに which is used to modify verbs and adjectives. Used to mean “like…”, “similar to…”, “as if…”.

Structure:
Noun + みたいに + Verb / Adjective
Verb + みたいに + Verb / Adjective

Meaning:
みたいに means 'to do an action like X' or "to be... like X"

Examples:
子どもみたいに遊んだ。
“We played like children.”

Here:

子どもみたいに = “like children”
遊んだ = “played”

Further Examples:

あなたみたいに美しい人は初めてだ。
“This is the first time I’ve met someone as beautiful as you.”

いつもみたいにボコられて。
“Getting beaten up like always.”

Summary:
So to compare the uses, みたいだ ends a sentence, みたいな modifies nouns, みたいに modifies verbs and adjectives, describing how something is done or appears.

な (na) - don’t ~ (order somebody to not do something)

Introduction:
Verb + な is used as a strong prohibition meaning: “don’t do…” or “stop doing…”.

Structure:
Verb + な

Meaning:
Verb + な is a very direct and forceful way of telling someone not to do something, so it is usually used:

- between close friends
- in emotionally intense situations
- or in media like games, anime, and manga

It can feel quite strong or commanding depending on context, so it’s not commonly used in polite everyday speech.

Examples:
俺のことなら気にするな。
“Don’t worry about me.”

気にするな = “don’t mind / don’t worry”

Sometimes it can be slightly softened with よ:

行くなよ= “Don’t go, okay?”

Summary:
Verb + な is a straightforward and powerful way to forbid an action, often used for emphasis rather than politeness.

など (nado) - such as, things like~

Introduction:
など is used to mean: “such as”. “and so on”, “things like…”.

Structure:
Noun + など
Noun + など + の + Noun

Meaning:
など follows nouns and is used to give examples while implying there are more things in the same category.

Examples:
魔晄の本質など、誰もが知っている。
“Everyone knows things like the true nature of Mako.”

魔晄の本質など = “things such as the true nature of Mako”

ベンチやベッドなど「休憩ポイント」で休むと
Things like benches and beds, when you rest there as a ‘rest point’...

Notes:
など is often similar in meaning to とか, but tends to sound a bit more formal or written, while still being very common in speech.

Summary:
など is frequently used to soften statements or avoid listing everything explicitly, leaving room for additional examples.

ながら (nagara) - while; during; as; simultaneously

Introduction:
ながら is a grammar pattern used to express doing two actions at the same time.

Structure:
Verb (stem) + ながら + Main action (Verb)

Meaning:
ながら attaches to the masu-stem of a verb and means:

“while doing (A), do (B)”
“as (A), (B) happens”
“simultaneously”

Examples:
音楽を聞きながら勉強する
“Study while listening to music.”
歩きながら話す
“Talk while walking.”

So here in this clip:

使いながらいろいろ試してみるんだな
“Try various things while using it.”

Here:

使いながら = while using (secondary action)
試してみる = try doing (main action)

Notes:
A key rule is that:

the subject must be the same for both actions
(A) is the background or secondary action
(B) is the main action

So it often feels like:

A = “while…”
B = “the important thing happening”

Summary:
ながら expresses doing one action while also doing another action.

なかなか～ない (nakanaka nai) - not easy to; struggling to; not able to~

Introduction:
なかなか〜ない is a very useful expression for describing difficulty or lack of progress.

Structure:
なかなか + Verb (Negative form)

Meaning:
なかなか～ない often translates as: “can’t seem to…”, “not easily…”, “having a hard time…”, “not able to…”.

It combines:

なかなか = “easily / readily” + Negative verb = “not do / cannot do”

It expresses the idea that something:

- is not happening easily
- is taking time
- is hard to achieve or complete
- or the speaker is struggling to make it happen

Examples:
なかなか寝られない
“I can’t seem to fall asleep.”
なかなか終わらない
“It just won’t finish.”

In the example:

なかなか上まで行けないね
“Getting to the top isn’t easy, huh.” / “We can’t really make it up there.”

Notes:
At the N3 level, なかなか can also appear without a negative verb in casual speech to mean “quite” or “surprisingly”:

なかなか可愛い
“Pretty cute, actually.”

Summary:
So depending on context, なかなか～ない can either emphasize difficulty (with negative verbs) or unexpected degree (positive evaluation), but in the grammar focus here at the N4, it’s mainly the “not easily / struggling to” pattern.

なら (nara) - if; in the case that~

Introduction:
なら is another way to say “if” in Japanese.

Structure:
Verb (casual) + (の)なら
I-Adj. + (の)なら
Noun / Na-Adj. + (であるの)なら

Traditionally, verbs and adjectives could use の before なら, like:

行くのなら
“If you’re going…”

But in modern Japanese, the の is often dropped:

行くなら
“If you’re going…”

Meaning:
なら is used when bringing up a condition, topic, or situation and then responding to it with advice, commentary, or a result.

Examples:
ただの金目当てなら、ここまで来ないッスよね。
“If it was just about money, you wouldn’t come this far, right?”

Notes:
One important restriction with なら is that it’s generally used for uncertain situations or conditions.

For example:

暑いなら = “If you’re hot…”
欲しいなら = “If you want it…”

These work because the condition is uncertain.

But something like:

秋になるなら
“If it becomes autumn…”

sounds unnatural, because autumn becoming autumn is guaranteed to happen every year. なら is not usually used for certain, automatic events like that.

Summary:
なら is commonly used to: 'respond to something another person said', 'give advice or suggestions', 'narrow the topic to one specific case or situation' なら has a feeling of: “if that’s the case…” or “if we’re talking about that…”.

なさい (nasai) - do this (soft/firm command)

Introduction:
なさい is a soft but firm command form meaning: “do (this)”, or “make sure to do (this)”.

Structure:
It is attached to the verb stem (ます-stem):

Verb (ます-stem) + なさい

Meaning:
なさい is a way to express soft, firm command meaning: “do X”, or “make sure to do X”.

Examples:
食べなさい = “Eat”

勉強しなさい = “Study”

約束しなさい～
“Promise me (do it)~”

Here, 約束しなさい is a direct instruction softened by tone, making it feel more guiding than aggressively commanding.

In casual speech, it can even be shortened further to: な

like 約束しな～
“Promise me (do it)~”

Notes:
Although it comes from the honorific verb なさる, in this form it is not polite toward superiors. Instead, it is typically used:

- by parents to children
- teachers to students
- or in situations where someone has authority over another person

It sounds less harsh than the plain imperative, but still clearly carries instruction or authority.

Summary:
なさい is a controlled, instructive command, its firm, but not as harsh as blunt imperative forms.

なさる (nasaru) - to do (honorific)

Introduction:
〜なさる is the honorific (sonkeigo) form of する, used to show respect toward someone else’s actions. It is never used for your own actions.

Structure:
する → なさる

Honorific form often appears as: なさいます / なさいました / なさらない

Meaning:
〜なさる means “to do” (honorific form of する)
It elevates the listener or the subject, commonly in formal speech, customer service, or respectful warnings/instructions.

“(You / they) do X” = respectfully elevating the other person

It replaces する when speaking politely about someone else’s actions.

Examples:
会議でそのような発言は決してなさらないように
“Please do not make such remarks in the meeting.”

Summary:
〜なさる is use when you want to respectfully say “to do” about someone else’s actions in formal or polite situations.

に気がつく (ni kigatsuku) - to notice; to realize

Introduction:
〜に気がつく is used when someone becomes aware of something they didn’t notice before, or realizes something after understanding or observation.

Structure:
Verb + こと + に気がつく
Verb + の + に気がつく
Noun + に気がつく

Meaning:
に気がつく means "notice / realize X”

It focuses on the moment of becoming aware of something important.

Examples:
鞄を忘れたことに気がついた
“I realized that I forgot my bag.”
間違いに気がつく
“I notice a mistake.”
エネルギーの存在に気がついていた
“They had noticed the existence of the energy.”

Summary:
So you can use 〜に気がつく when you become aware of something or realize something you didn’t notice before.

に見える (ni mieru) - to look; to seem; to appear

Introduction:
に見える is used when you judge something based on appearance or observation, meaning it seems or looks a certain way.

Structure:
Verb + ようにみえる
I-Adj.(-い) + そうに / く + みえる
Na-Adj. + (そう）+ に + みえる
Noun +（の + よう）+ に + みえる

Meaning:
に見える is used to mean “From what I can see, it looks like X”

Examples:
顔見知りに見えた
“He looked like someone I’ve seen before.”
疲れて見える
“You look tired.”
元気そうに見える
“You seem energetic.”
子どものように見える
“He looks like a child.”

Summary:
So you can use に見える to describe how something appears based on visual judgment or impression. That it seems or looks a certain way,

にする (ni suru) - decide on; to go with


にくい (nikui) - difficult to do~


の中で (no naka de) - in; among~


のに (noni) - although, in spite of, even though~


のに (noni) - to (do something); in order to~


のは〜だ (nowa...da) - [A] is [B]; the reason for [A] is [B]; the one that...is...


お～ください (o kudasai) - please do (honorific)


お～になる (o ni naru) - to do (honorific)


おきに (oki ni) - repeated at intervals, every~


おります (orimasu) - Humble polite いる


終わる (owaru) - to finish; to end~


らしい (rashii) - it seems like; I heard; apparently~


らしい (rashii) - -like; typical of; -ish


られる (rareru) - potential form; ability or inability to do something


さ (sa) - -ness; nominalizer for adjective


さっき (kitto) - some time ago; just now


させる (saseru) - causative form; to make/let somebody do something


させられる (saserareru) - causative-passive; to be made to do something


させてください (sasete kudasai) - please make / let someone X


さすが (に) (sasuga ni) - as expected; just what you’d expect; naturally; be that as it may, that’s a bit much (when something exceeds reasonable limits)


し (shi) - and; and what’s more; giving reasons


しか～ない (shika nai) - only, nothing but


そんなに (sonna ni) - so much; so; like that


それでも (sore demo) - but still; and yet; even so~


それに (sore ni) - besides; in addition; also; moreover~


そうだ (sou da) - I heard that; it is said that~


そうだ (sou da) - looks like; appears like; seeming~


そうに (sou ni) - seems like; looks like~


たばかり (ta bakari) - just finished; something just occurred


たところ (ta tokoro) - just finished doing, was just doing


他動詞 & 自動詞 (tadoushi jidoushi) - Transitive & Intransitive Verbs


たがる (tagaru) - wants to do~ (third person)


たら (tara) - if; after; when~


たらどう (tara dou) - why don't you?; how about? (used to give advice)


たらいいですか (tara ii desu ka) - what should I do?; speaker seeking instructions from listener


て (te) - conjunctive particle; and; so; because of [A], [B]...; and (then)


～て (～te) - please do for me (casual request)


てあげる (te ageru) - to do for; to do a favor


て欲しい (te hoshii) - I want you to; need you to~


ていく (te iku) - to start; to continue; to go on


ていた (te ita) - was doing something (past continuous)


～ていただけませんか (te itadakemasen ka) - could you please...; won't you (humble request)


てくれる (te kureru) - to do a favor; do something for someone


て来る (te kuru) - to do… and come back; to become; to continue; to start~


てみる (te miru) - try doing


てもらう (te morau) - to get somebody to do something


ておく (te oku) - to do something in advance


てしまう (te shimau) - to do something by accident, to finish completely


てすみません (te sumimasen) - I’m sorry for


てやる (te yaru) - to do for; to do a favor (casual form of てあげる) also used roughly 'give or do to an inferior'.


てよかった (te yokatta) - I’m glad that...


ているところ (teiru tokoro) - in the process of doing


ても (temo) - even; even if; even though~


と (to) - whenever [A] happens, [B] also happens


と言ってもいい (to ittemo ii) - you could say; one might say; I'd say~


という (to iu) - called; named; that~


ということ (to iu koto) - that means...; convert phrase into noun


と言われている (to iwareteiru) - it is said that~


と聞いた (to kiita) - I heard...


と思う (to omou) - to think…; I think…; you think…


とか～とか (toka toka) - among other things; such as; like~


ところ (tokoro) - just about to; on the verge of doing something


続ける (tsudzukeru) - continue to; keep on~


〜って (tte) - named; called~


られる (rareru) - passive form; passive voice


は～が (wa...ga) - [A] but [B]; however; comparison


やすい (yasui) - easy to; likely to; prone to; have a tendency to~


やっと (yatto) - at last; finally; barely; narrowly~


予定だ (yotei da) - plan to, intend to


ようだ (you da) - appears; seems; looks as if~


ように & ような (you ni / you na) - like; as; similar to~


ようになる (you ni naru) - to reach the point that; to come to be that; to turn into~


ようにする (you ni suru) - to try to; to make sure that~


ようと思う (you to omou) - thinking of doing; planning to~


ぜひ (zehi) - by all means; certainly; definitely~


全然 (zenzen) - completely; totally; extremely; very (pos. context, e.g. 全然いいよ)


全然～ない (zenzen nai) - (not) at all


づらい (zurai) - difficult to do~