Comprehensive Japanese Grammar (Pre-intermediate/JLPT N4)

The grammar point し is used to list multiple reasons or pieces of information, often to emphasize that there are various factors contributing to a situation.

"because" or "and (sense of accumulating reasons ) "

We add そうです to い and な adjective bases to say that something “Seemingly” has those properties.

When we say ～そうです, we are guessing what something is like on the basis of our impressions or based on appearances.

“It looks like…” or “seems like.”

You can use the te-form of a verb + the helping verb みる to express the idea of “doing something tentatively” or “trying something.”

Sometimes, you are not sure what the outcome of your action will be, but do it and see how it goes.

ほしい means “(I) want (something).”

It usually appears after the particle が. In negative sentences, the particle は is also used.

ほしい is used to express the desire for something.

ほしい is い-adjective and conjugate as such.

If you want to express a desire to do something (a verb), you use a different grammar point "〜たい" for verbs.

The 「～がる」 is used when you want to make an observation about how someone is feeling.
It means "showing signs of wanting to do"

To emphasize third person’s desire so the topic is NOT “I (Speaker)” or listener.

たがります is polite form. (U-verb/Group 1 )

The 「～たがらない/～たがりません」 is used when you want to make an observation about how someone is not wanting to do something.

かもしれない is used to express uncertainty or possibility.

You can use かもしれません when you are not sure what is really the case, but are willing to make a polite guess.

"might" or "may."

た-form(casual past tense) + らどうですか is used to suggest or recommend an action to someone.

It’s a gentle and polite way to give advice or recommendations.

"How about...?" or "Why don't you...?"

You can add も to the number word, when you want to say “as many as.”

Only

The use of しか stresses that there is nothing else but the stated item or action. It’s a strong way to limit the scope of what you are talking about.

Understanding these nuances can help convey your thoughts more accurately in Japanese and capture subtle differences in meaning.

Giver は/が recipient (not “I” or someone in the speaker’s close relationship”) に item をあげる

Giver （not “I” or someone in the speaker’s close relationship ）は/が recipient に item をくれる

“To receive”

“Could you do…”

We use te-form of a verb + いただけませんか to make a polite request. This is more appropriate than ください when you request a favor from a stranger.

It is used to express a wish or hope that something good happens for someone else.

This phrase is typically used when you are wishing for the good will happen for another person's situation, not yourself (Speaker).

I hope … (for myself)

This shows the speaker’s attitude is more tentative and makes the sentence sounds more modest.

When a speaker wishes to express their opinion, describe a situation, or make a request in a conditional context (if), this pattern is used.

A た form + ら B ：If condition A is met, B will realise

When a speaker wants to express consequence or the condition and it will lead to good result, this pattern is used.

“Clause A ば clause B” : If A, then B.

This expression is used when you want to emphases something compares to other options.

You can use なら to give suggestion to someone. You can add がいいですよ or がおすすめです at the end of sentence.

You can use なら with a certain factor to make your decision. なら can be used in situations where you are not sure whether it will happen or not.

This connection と is used when things supposed to happen or natural consequences.

It could be used as general statement which most people agree to it.

～と expression is used following situations.

•Things supposed to happen, inevitable.

•When you give an instruction (process etc).

•The result can be seen straight after (short time frame)

You want to use te-form of a verb to describe the things you have done that you want to apologize for.

When you want to convey information that you heard from someone else, you can use そうです.

"I heard that..." or "It is said that..."

It is used for giving orders and commands or instructions from elders/superior to subordinates or children.

“Even if” or “Even though”

They are used to express a hypothetical or contrasting condition.

It indicates that the outcome will not change despite the condition.

～なくてもいい is used to express that someone doesn't need to or doesn't have to do something.

“You don’t have to”

なくて is the negative te-form and てもいい, which means "it's okay to..."

•一年に一回 (いちねんにいっかい) - Once a year

•一年に一度 (いちねんにいちど) - Once a year

•一ヶ月に一回 (いっかげつにいっかい) - Once a month

•1週間に1回 (いっしゅうかんにいっかい) - Once a week

•週に2日 (しゅうにふつか) - Twice a week

•1日に3時間 (いちにちにさんじかん) - Three hours a day

みたい is used to express similarity or resemblance.

"looks like," "seems like," or "appears to be."

Part 1 : Do something completely, or finish doing something, or have something done. It could be implied that the action was completed swiftly or without much difficulty.

Part 2 : ～てしまう is “lack of premeditation or control over how things turn out.”

This often comes with the sense of regret; something regrettable happens, or you do something which you did not intend to.

You can connect two verbs with ながら to indicate that the two actions are occurring at the same time.

The second verb, which comes after ながら, can be in any form.

The subject performing both actions is the same.

～ばよかった is used to express regret or a wish that something had been done differently in the past.

“I wish I had done” or “It would have been better if…”.

It is used to express gratitude for an action someone else has done for you.

It combines the te-form of a verb, which indicates the action, with くれる, which means "to give" (when someone does something for you), and ありがとう, which means "thank you."

Te-form + よかった is used to express relief, satisfaction, or happiness that something happened or that something was done.

If you want to mention something in the negative in the part before よかった, you can use the negative te-form なくて.

はずです is used to express expectation, assumption, or something that is supposed to be true based on knowledge, information, or logical reasoning.

“supposed to be the case”

“should”

When you want to say that you did something without doing something else, you can mention the missed action by using the negative form of the verb (～ない form) plus で.

Whether or not… ( I do not know, do you know..?)

It is used to express whether or not something is true or to indicate uncertainty

Interrogative (いつ、どこ etc) Short form +

• しっていますか

• わかりますか。

• しって（い）る？

• わかる？

You can use verbs in their short form to modify nouns. The verb phrase acts like an adjective, providing more information about the noun it modifies.

These verb phrases can describe actions related to the noun, specify which noun you're talking about, or provide additional details about the noun.

てある is used to describe a state resulting from a purposeful action.

It implies that someone has intentionally done something and the result of that action remains.

You can use the pattern “A間（あいだ）にB” means “B takes place while A” .

The verb A is in the present tense, even when the clause A describes a situation in the past.

“く / にする” is used in combination with adjectives.

It means “to make something (adjectives)”

～てほしい used to express a desire for someone else to do something. It can be seen as a way to request or express a wish.

By using the て-form of a verb and the adjective ほしい.

“B, despite the fact A”, “although”

When using のに in the structure A のに B, it highlights that B is an unexpected or contrary result given the situation A.

This grammar highlights what is required in order to do something.

Casual Verb + のに

“to do something, for the purpose of doing something”

～のような is used to express that something is like or similar to something else. It can be used to describe things, situations, or behaviors by comparing them to something else.

You use “noun A のように” when you want to describe an action which is “done in a manner similar to A”

When you want to talk about an action that was caused or forced by someone else, or when you were harassed or made to do something you did not want to, rather than expressing a proactive feeling, you can use させられる.

～ことにする is used to express a decision or choice that has been made.

“decide to do…”