JLPT N5 grammar points
Each note explains how a pattern is built and when to use it, gives example sentences, and links to the real N5 questions that test it.
More N5 grammar
These points aren't tested in our past-paper questions yet.
- だTo be, Is
- ですTo be, Is
- はAs for... (Highlights sentence topic)
- もAlso, Too, As well, Even, Either, Neither
- これThis
- それThat
- あれThat (over there)
- のIndicates possession
- いいい-Adjective meaning 'good'
- い-AdjectivesAdjectives ending in い
- な-AdjectivesAdjectives that are also nouns
- かQuestion marking particle
- がSubject marking particle, Identification particle
- よEmphasis (Sentence ending particle)
- ねIsn't it?, Right? (Sentence ending particle)
- る-Verb (Dictionary)る + ます (Ichidan Verbs)
- う-Verb (Dictionary)う + ます (Godan Verbs)
- をObject marking particle
- ますPolite Verb Endings
- る-Verb (Negative)Will/Does/Do (not)
- う-Verb (Negative)Will/Does/Do (not)
- とAnd
- ここHere, This place
- そこThere, That place
- あそこOver there
- でAt, In
- にIn, At, To, For, On
- かOr
- とWith
- でしょうRight?, Probably, Isn't it?
- だろうRight?, Probably, Isn't it?
- があるTo be, There is
- がいるTo be, There is, To remain (in a state)
- このThis
- そのThat
- あのThat (over there)
- ～んです・のですExplanatory, Emphasis, The fact is
- の (Questions)Contextual and Explanatory Questions
- い-Adjective (Past)Was, Were (Past tense)
- のVerb nominalizer, The one who..., That which...
- い-Adjective + NounDescribing a noun
- な-Adjective + NounDescribing a noun
- へいくTo go to, To head toward
- するTo do, To make into
- くるTo come
- る-Verb (Past)る - Verbs (Past tense)
- う-Verb (Past)う - Verbs (Past tense)
- 好きLike, Fond of
- きらいDislike, Not fond of
- のがすきLike doing, Love doing
- がある + NounNoun (B) that has Noun (A), Noun (B) with Noun (A)
- い-Adjectives くないNot (Adjective)
- でWith, By (using)
- のでBecause, So, Since, The reason being
- からBecause, Since
- からFrom
- けど・だけどBut, However
- がBut, However
- る-Verb (Negative-Past)る - Verbs (Negative-past tense)
- う-Verb (Negative-Past)う - Verbs (Negative-past tense)
- Verb + てAnd, Then (Linking events)
- ている①Is, Am, Are (~ing)
- へTo, Toward
- Verb + にいくTo go ~, To go in order to ~
- 誰Who
- なぜWhy
- どうしてWhy
- なんでWhy
- い-Adjective (Predicate)い-Adjective (Predicate)
- な-Adjective だな-Adjective (Predicate)
- だった・でしたWas, Were (Past tense)
- じゃないIs not, Isn't
- じゃなかったWas not, Wasn't
- い-Adjective くなかったWas not, Wasn't (Adjective)
- とQuotation
- ってCasual quotation
- Verbs (Non-past)(Non-past)
- Verb［た・ている］+ NounVerb modified noun, Relative clause
- が・の (Subject)Particle Swapping
- のPossessive use (Noun omission)
- なDo not, Don't (Prohibitive)
- だけOnly, Just
- どれWhich (of three or more)
- どこWhere
- どのWhich (of three or more), What (kind)
- ている②State of being, Has (have) done
- てからOnce...is done, Once...happens, After doing
- Verb + て+ BAnd, And then, After that (sequence)
- もうAlready, Anymore
- まだStill
- まだ～ていませんStill haven't done (something)
- てもいいIt is alright/fine/okay even if, Can/may, ~ is also okay
- たいWant to do
- たり～たりするThings like ~ and ~
- けっこうQuite, A lot, Fairly, Rather
- たくさんMany, A lot of, Plenty, Enough
- まえにBefore, In front of
- くらい ①About, Approximately
- Noun + までUntil, Till, To (but no further than)
- Verb + までUntil (something) happens
- すぎるToo much, Very
- にするTo decide on, To choose, To make something into, To view something as
- ～になる・～くなるTo become (Adjective)
- のなかで～がいちばん～Out of ~, ~ is the best/most ~
- より～のほうがTo be more ~ than ~
- なにか・なにもSomething, Nothing, Anything, Not anything, Some kind of, Not any kind of
- 誰か・どこか・誰も・どこもSomeone, Somewhere, Not anyone, Not anywhere
- ましょうLet's, Shall we (Polite volitional)
- ～ましょうかShall we, Shall I
- ませんかWon't you, Would you not, Why don't we
- Verb + てもいいIt's okay to, It's alright to, Can/may
- てくださいPlease do (Polite request)
- ないでくださいPlease don't (Polite request)
- てはいけないMust not, May not
- なくてはいけないMust do, Have to do
- なくてはならないMust do, Have to do
- たほうがいいIt'd be better to, Should do
- ないほうがいいIt'd be better not to, Shouldn't do
- なくちゃ・なきゃMust do, Have to do
- やThings like, And the like
- たことがあるHave done before
- ている③Has/have done, Is ~ing (Repetition)
- Adjective + て・Noun + でAnd... (Conjunctive)
- Adjective + て + BAnd..., Both and (Conjunctive)
- のがへたTo be bad at, Poor at, Unskillful
- のがじょうずTo be good at, Proficient
- Adjective + の(は)The 'one' that... (Indefinite pronoun, Adjective nominalization)
- あげるTo give (away), To present, To provide
- くれるTo give (me), To be given
- もらうTo receive, To get, To obtain
- けれどもBut, Although
- つもりだTo plan to, To intend to
- で (quantity/total)For a quantity or set totaling a price
- いかがHow, How was it? (Polite)
- またAlso, Again, Additionally
- ながらWhile doing, During
- ください (requesting an item)Please give me, Please may I have
- 動詞（普通形・非過去）＋名詞Plain non-past verb + noun (relative clause)
- でも (but/however)But, However
- で (number of people)Alone, Together as (doing something as a group of)
- あまり～ないNot very, Not much
- ～をおねがいしますPlease (requesting an item or person), May I speak to
- だからSo, Therefore (Sentence-initial)
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.