JLPT N4 grammar points
Each note explains how a pattern is built and when to use it, gives example sentences, and links to the real N4 questions that test it.
More N4 grammar
These points aren't tested in our past-paper questions yet.
- でもOr something, Any... (with question words), No matter (who)
- やすいEasy to, Likely to
- にくいDifficult to, Hard to
- づらいHard to, Tough to, Painful to, Difficult to
- だんだんGradually, Little by little, Step by step
- どんどんProgressively, Rapidly increasing, More and more
- ～らWe, Them, They, These, Those
- ていくTo ~ and go, To go on, To start
- てくるTo come to, To become, To continue, To be starting to, Has been ~ing
- かたWay of ~ing, How to ~, Manner of ~ing
- だけでJust by, Just with
- だが・ですがBut, Still, However, Nevertheless
- なくて (Sequence)To not ~ and ~, Not ~ and ~ (Conjugations)
- なくて (Reasons and Causes)Not ~ and, Not so, Because not
- ないでWithout doing, Not ~ and ~
- Verb［れる・られる］Was done to ~ by ~, Done without consent, Done to one's dismay
- 他動詞・自動詞Done through action vs. occurring on its own
- なおすTo do over, To redo
- ということ~ing, The ~ that ~ (Nominalization)
- ときWhen, At the time of
- まずTo start with, Firstly
- までEven, To even, To the extent of
- までにBy ~, By the time that ~, Before ~
- またAlso, As well, Moreover, Again, Additionally
- はじめるTo start, To begin to
- おわるTo finish, To end
- ごろAround, About
- あとでAfter, Later
- ていたWas doing ~
- に (Frequency)Times (In each time period), Every, Frequency of
- とうとうFinally, After all
- よりMore than, Over
- ごとにEach, Every
- なるべくAs ~ as possible, Wherever practicable
- るところだAbout to, On the verge of
- のにDespite, Although, Even though
- とおもうI think
- などSuch as, Things like, Etc., And so on
- みたいLike, Similar to, Resembling
- ことConverting a verb into a noun
- そうLook like, Appear, Seem, Have a feeling that
- さConverting adjectives to nouns
- とか～とかAmong other things, For example, Such as
- そういうLike that, Kind of
- Verb[よう]Let's, I shall (Casual volitional)
- ようだIt seems that, It appears that, It looks like
- ぜんぜん(Not) at all
- かなI wonder
- あまり～ないNot very, Not much, Not really, Hardly
- ばIf… then, (Conditional)
- ならWere it, If, If it's the case, As for (Conditional)
- がるTo feel, To think, To act as if, To want, To desire
- がするTo give off, Smell, Sound, Taste, Sensation
- する (Have/Wear)Have (a feature), Wear (an accessory)
- たがるTo want to (Third person)
- かもしれないMight, Maybe, Probably
- みたいに・みたいなLike, Similar to, Resembling
- そうに・そうなSeem, Look like, Sound
- のように・のようなLike (Noun), Similar to (Noun)
- 〜ようと思う・〜おうと思うI think I will, I think I shall, Going to, Gonna (Volitional + と思う)
- く・に～ly (Describing verbs), Adverbs
- ～にする・～くするAdjective + する, To make something/someone (more)
- くはEmphasis and Contrast
- といいI hope, I wish, You should, It would be good
- ようになるTo reach the point that, To come to be that, To turn into
- まい～のようにAlmost every ~, Nearly every ~, On a ~ basis
- じゃないかIsn't it?, Is it not?
- らしい ①Seems like, Apparently, I heard
- ておくTo do something in advance
- がほしいTo want something, To be in need of
- てほしいI want you to
- ときいたI heard that
- 聞こえるTo be audible, To sound (like), (Can) hear, To be heard
- 見えるTo be visible, To seem, To be in sight
- だすTo suddenly begin, To start doing
- ～代Teens, Twenties, Thirties, 1910s, 20s/30s
- かかる (Time/Price)Costs (money), Takes (time)
- する (Cost)Cost (money), Run you about (a certain price)
- Number + もEmphasis, As ~ as, Not even
- ほとんどAlmost all, Most, Hardly any, Few (Adverbial noun)
- そんな・こんな・あんな・どんなSuch a・Kind of, Something like ~
- 各Each, Every, Respective, Various
- の次にNext to (rank), Second to, Ranked after
- 以上 ①More than (or equal to), Over・(and) above, Any more・Greater, Exceeding
- いかLess than (or equal to), Under・(and) below, Any less・fewer, Not exceeding
- いがいExcept・besides, Other than, With the exception of
- ずっと ①Continuously, All throughout, Entire time, Ever (since), The whole time, All the way
- だいたいMost・mostly, Adequately・generally, For the most part, Roughly・approximately, In the first place
- のなかでIn, Among, Within
- ように・ようなAs・like, Just like
- Number/Amount + はAt least, Sort of, Or so
- なん + counter + かSome, Several, A few
- 真(っ)Completely, Exactly, Right
- Number + しか〜ないNo more than, Not exceeding, As few as・as little as, Only
- ～は～の一つだ〜 is one of (many) 〜
- ～ない～はないThere is not ~ that is not/does not
- すこしも～ないNot even a little, Not at all, Not in the least, Never
- すくなくないQuite a few, Quite a lot, Many, Not a few, Not a little
- ばあいはIn the event of, In the case of
- Verb[て] (Casual Request)Please do for me (Casual request)
- てよかったI'm glad that
- Verb［せる・させる］To make/let/have (somebody do something)
- といってもいいYou could say, You might say
- てもEven if, Even though
- てしまう・ちゃうTo do something by accident, To finish completely・totally, Unfortunately
- Verb[て] + B (Reasons and Causes)And・and so, Due to, Because of, Since, Conjunctive
- Causative-PassiveVerbs (Causative-passive voice), To be made to do something, To be forced to do
- Verb[て]・Noun[で] + BBy, With, On, By means of, ~ing with
- てあるSomething is done, Has been done, Remaining state
- ように～てほしいWant ~ to ~ like ~, Want ~ to be able to ~, Want ~ to ~ in the way of ~
- ているあいだにWhile, During the time that ~
- なくてもいいDon't have to
- てみるTo try to
- てすみませんI'm sorry for
- てあげるTo do something for someone, As a favor for
- てくれるTo do something for someone (usually you)
- てもらうTo get someone to do, To have someone do
- なさいCommand to do
- Verb[て] + B (Non-Sequence)Non-sequence, And, But (Contrast), Parallel action/state
- Verb[ないで](Please) do not (for me), Casual request
- てくれてありがとうThank you for ~ ing
- てくれない・てもらえないWon't you?, Will you?, Could you?, Can you?, Would you?
- ～のだろうかI wonder...
- お～になるTo do (Honorific)
- なさるTo do (Honorific)
- お～くださいPlease do (Honorific)
- いらっしゃるTo be (Honorific), To come (Honorific), To go (Honorific)
- ございますTo be, To exist (Polite)
- でございますTo be, Polite copula
- お〜するI humbly do, I am obliged to do, Humble speech
- いたすTo do (Humble), To venerably do
- ていただけませんかWon't you, Could you please (Humble request)
- たらWhen, From when, Just when, If
- ほかに(も)・ほか(に)はOther, Another, Any other, Anything else, As well as, Besides, In addition
- がひつようNeed, Necessary
- そんなにSo (much), That much, Like that
- ひつようがあるIt is necessary to
- たとえばFor example
- れる・られる (Potential)To be able, Can (Potential)
- んだけど・んですがBut..., And...
- はずだBound to (be), Expected to (be), Should be (able)
- かどうかWhether or not, If...or not
- と (Conditional)If, When, Whenever, And, [Conditional]
- ないとMust, Have to
- はずがないHardly possible, Cannot be, Highly unlikely, Improbable
- しか～ないThere's only, Nothing but
- だけでなくNot only… but also
- ことができるCan, Be able to
- かいQuestion marker
- もしIf (For emphasis)
- し～しAnd, Giving reasons
- でできる・からできるMade of, Made from, Produced from, Come from
- ながらWhile ~ing, During, As
- たところだJust finished doing, Was just doing
- ているところだIn the process of doing ~ right now/at this moment
- と～と、どちらがBetween ~ which one
- ようにするTo try to, To make sure to, To endeavor to
- なければいけないMust do, Have to do
- なければならないMust do, Have to do
- つづけるTo continue
- ようにいうTo tell, request, or order to do (in such a way)
- よていだPlan to, Intend to
- ようにいのるPray that/for, Hope that/for, Keep fingers crossed that
- たばかりJust did, Something just happened
- 化する-ification, -ization, To make something, To change, To become, Transform into
- 命令形(Verb)!, Do (something)!
- ようにSo that, In order to, In such a way that
- かしらI wonder
- らしい ②typical of, -ish・like, appropriate for, becoming of, befitting
- って感じKind of thing, Kind of vibe, Kind of feeling
- にみえるTo look, To seem, To appear
- とみえるIt seems that, It can be deduced, One can conclude that
- 風-style, Way, Fashion
- がみられるCan see, Can be seen, Can observe, Can be observed, Be evident, Chance to see something
- にきがつくTo notice (that), To realize (that)
- 〜でも 〜でもWhether ~ or, Neither ~ or
- それにAnd, Besides, Moreover, In addition
- それでBecause of that, So?, And then?, Therefore, With that
- Question-phrase + かIncluding questions within sentences
- それでもBut still, And yet, Even so, Nevertheless
- たらどうWhy don't you...?, What if you did...?
- とかんがえられているIs considered, Is thought of as
- とされているTo be considered, To be deemed, Be regarded as, Be accepted as, To be said, To be accredited with
- といわれているIt is said that, Is known as
- ばよかったShould have, I wish, It would have been better to
- に似るTo resemble, To take after
- という (called, named)Called, Named, That says
- やっとFinally, At last (after effort)
- たままAs is, While still, Leaving (something) as it is
Put your practice together
Work through a complete paper at your own pace or choose a timed mock exam. No account is needed to begin.