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JLPT N4 · 文法
Grammar JLPT N4
Grammar JLPT N4: 161 Grammar patterns · Every grammar point, organised by lesson and by theme.
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Ⅰ 動詞の形
- V可能形（動詞の可能形） v kanoukei doushino kanoukei What can be done — possibility form of the verb, expressing capacity or enabling condition. The object often changes を → が.
- 〜ことができる kotogadekiru Can do… — the same meaning as ability but more formal, stiffer, often used in writing, announcements, and rules.
- 〜が見えます ga miemasu Visible, appearing in sight — the scene naturally caught the eye, not because I intentionally looked at it.
- 〜が聞こえます ga kikoemasu Hear — sound enters the ear by itself, not because one actively listens.
- 〜が見られる / 〜が聞ける ga mirareru ga kikeru There are opportunities/conditions to see, to listen — emphasizing existing opportunities and not something that naturally comes to the senses.
- Vているのが見える／聞こえる vteirunoga mieru kikoeru See / hear what someone is doing — use の to nominalize an entire scene, an entire event.
- 〜ができます（完成・出現） gadekimasu kansei shutsugen Done, completed, appeared — unintentional usage of できる: rice is cooked, house is built, new shop grows.
- 〜(ら)れる（能力可能） ra reru nouryoku kanou Having the ability to do things — use the ability form to talk about your own abilities. The object carries が.
- 意志動詞・無意志動詞 ishi doushi muishi doushi Willing verbs and non-willing verbs — the foundation for choosing the correct N4 grammar. Verbs without will cannot be used with commands, requests, and intentions.
- て形・た形（動詞の活用） te kei ta kei doushino katsuyou How to divide the form て and form た — the foundation of almost all N4 grammar.
- 自動詞 ↔ 他動詞（ペア） jidoushi tadoushi a Autonomous verb-alternative verb pair. Alternate verb = person doing (use を); verb = transforming thing (use が).
- 自動詞 ＋ ている（結果の状態） jidoushi teiru kekkano joutai Remaining status after transformation is complete — door is open, light is on, person is standing. Not 'ongoing'.
- 他動詞 ＋ てある tadoushi tearu Someone did it on purpose and left it like that — emphasizing the purpose, preparation behind the state.
- 〜てある と 〜ている の使い分け tearu to teiru no tsukaiwake Distinguish between てある and ている. てある = someone does it intentionally, but automatically + ている = is merely a state.
- 〜ておく teoku ① Make ready to prepare for the upcoming work. ② Leave it as it is, don't touch it.
- 〜てしまう teshimau ① Done clean, complete. ② Mistake, mistake, regret — unexpected results.
- 〜てみる temiru Try it and see — do it to see the results, the results are unknown.
- 〜てくる / 〜ていく tekuru teiku Direction and change over time. くる = moving towards the speaker / from the past to the present. いく = leave the speaker / from now on.
- 〜ている（習慣） teiru shuukan Repetitive habits — not doing right now, but doing regularly.
- まだ〜ている mada teiru Still going on… — action or state still going on up to now.
- 〜ながら nagara Just… and… — one person does two things at the same time. The main thing lies in the latter.
- 〜ないで naide Don't do A but do B — work later in the state of not/not doing work before.
- 〜たあとで taatode After finishing… then… — emphasizes the time after, the previous job has been completed.
- 〜ことがある（偶発） kotogaaru guuhatsu Sometimes sometimes… — things sometimes happen, not always.
- 〜て（方法・様態） te houhou youtai By…, in the state of… — the form て describes how the main action is performed.
- 〜とおりに toorini Exactly as…, just as… — do exactly according to what was said, seen, instructed.
- 受身形（受身の作り方） ukemi kei ukemino tsukurikata Passive conjugation — 'to be/have someone do something'. After conjugation, it acts like a verb Ⅱ類.
- 直接受身（N1はN2に〜られる） chokusetsu ukemi n1han2ni rareru Direct passive — the subject directly receives the action. The executor carries に.
- 客観受身（Nは/が〜られる） kyakkan ukemi nha ga rareru Objective passive — subject is thing, event; do not mention who did it. Used in news, announcements, writing.
- 迷惑・所有物受身（N3を〜られる） meiwaku shoyuubutsu ukemi n3o rareru Passive damage / possession — having someone do something to one's belongings or one's body, carries the aspect of nuisance.
- 〜によって（受身の動作主） niyotte ukemino dousa shu By (who) — marks the doer in passive sentences about invention, discovery, composition, construction.
- 使役形（作り方） shieki kei tsukurikata How to conjugate — 'make / allow someone to do something'.
- 〜(さ)せる（使役） sa seru shieki ① Compulsory: force someone to do something. ② Allow: let someone do it.
- 使役受身形（作り方） shiekiukemi kei tsukurikata How to conjugate dictated — 'forced to do'.
- 〜(さ)せられる（使役受身） sa serareru shiekiukemi Being forced to do it — doing it not because I want to, has nuances of irritability, reluctance.
- 〜させてください sasetekudasai Please let me do… — politely ask permission to do something yourself.
- 〜させていただけませんか saseteitadakemasenka May I have permission to…? — the most polite way to ask permission at N4 level.
- ていねい形 と ふつう形 teinei kei to futsuu kei Polite form and common form — choose according to relationship and circumstances, not according to preference.
Ⅱ 気持ちを伝える
- 〜んです / 〜のです ndesu nodesu It's because…, the thing is… — explain the reason, context, or ask the reason. Make soft and sharing sentences.
- 〜ていただけませんか teitadakemasenka Can you... help me? — the most humble and polite way to ask .
- 〜てくださいませんか tekudasaimasenka Can you please…? — polite form of 〜てください, using honorific くださる in the negative interrogative form.
- 〜てくれませんか tekuremasenka Do me a favor...? — ask for a favor informally, with a friend or peer.
- 〜と伝えていただけませんか to tsutaeteitadakemasenka Please help me send a message that… — ask the listener to pass the message to a third person.
- 〜てほしい / 〜てもらいたい tehoshii temoraitai Want someone to do something — the speaker's wishes directed towards others. The person being asked to carry に.
- 〜たらどうですか taradoudesuka Or… try it? — gently suggest to the listener an action.
- 〜たらいいです taraiidesu ① Doing… is good — slight advice. ② On the question: what should I do now?
- 〜ばいいです baiidesu Just... is enough — point out methods, conditions to solve the problem. On the question: how to do it?
- 〜といいです toiidesu Hope…, wish… — wish something good happens, for yourself or for others.
- V意向形（作り方） v ikoukei tsukurikata How to divide the will — the usual form of 〜ましょう.
- V意向形（〜しよう） v ikoukei shiyou Come on, let's… go! or I'll… — invite intimacy or tell yourself.
- 〜(よ)うと思う yo uto omou I intend to… — the speaker's intention, decided at the moment of speaking.
- 〜つもり tsumori Intention, planning — a plan decided in advance, more certain than 〜ようと思う.
- 〜予定 yotei According to the schedule…, expected… — an objective plan that has been arranged, usually with a specific time.
- 〜ことにする kotonisuru I decided to… — myself make the decision.
- 〜ことになる kotoninaru Decided is… — the decision comes from the company, organization, situation, not my own.
- 〜にする（選択） nisuru sentaku Choose…, decide to take… — choose one thing from many options.
- 〜になる（変化・決定） ninaru henka kettei To become…, to become… — a natural change or an externally determined result.
- 命令形（作り方と使い方） meirei kei tsukurikatato tsukai hou Imperative form — giving orders briefly, roughly. Used in signs, sports cheers, fathers scolding children, quoting orders.
- 禁止形 〜な kinshi kei na Forbid, don't…! — prohibition is very strong and rough, on the same level as command.
- 〜なさい nasai Please… — command is softer than the imperative form, but still from top to bottom.
- 〜なければならない nakerebanaranai Must…, forced to… — obligation due to regulations, circumstances, laws.
- 〜なきゃ / 〜なくちゃ nakya nakucha Yes… here — shortened oral form of 〜なければならない, usually omitting the last part.
- 〜なくてもいい nakutemoii There's no need to..., it's okay to not do it.
- 〜てもいい temoii Allowed… — allowed. In the question is ask for permission.
- 〜てはいけない tehaikenai Do not…, prohibit… — prohibit based on regulations.
- 〜ほうがいい hougaii Should…, it's better to… — advice quite strong, meaning 'otherwise it's not good'.
- 〜なくなりました nakunarimashita Has become no more… — the change from 'yes' to 'no'. With ability form: losing the ability to do something.
- お〜ください o kudasai Please... — honorific form of request, lifting up the listener.
- Nに Nを あげる／さしあげる／やる nni no ageru sashiageru yaru Give, give (to someone else) — the recipient brings に. Choose the verb according to recipient position.
- Nが（私に）Nを くれる／くださる nga watashini no kureru kudasaru (Someone) gives it to me — the recipient is always me or someone on my side.
- Nは Nに／から Nを もらう／いただく nha nni kara no morau itadaku Received from whom — point of view is placed on the recipient. The donor carries に or から.
- Vて あげる／さしあげる／やる vte ageru sashiageru yaru Doing something to help someone — emphasizes grace through actions, not giving things.
- Vて くれる／くださる vte kureru kudasaru Someone does it for me — the beneficiary is always me or my side, with a nuance of gratitude.
- Nに Vて もらう／いただく nni vte morau itadaku Being done by someone, asking someone to do it — the point of view of the beneficiary. The bearer に.
- 〜てくださる と 〜ていただく tekudasaru to teitadaku Honorable words of giving - receiving through actions. くださる = respect (viewed from above), いただく = humble (viewed from me).
- Vて さしあげる vte sashiageru Humility: helping others — humble form of 〜てあげる.
Ⅲ 判断・伝達
- 〜と／って 言う（引用） to tte iu inyou Say… — quote. Directly use 「」, indirectly use ふつう形 ＋ と.
- 〜と言っていました to itteimashita (The other person) said that… — transmitted the third person's words to the listener.
- 〜と思う to omou I think… — stated opinion, conjecture of the speaker.
- 〜という意味です toiu imidesu Means… — explain the meaning of a word or sentence.
- どういう意味ですか / どういうN douiu imidesuka douiun What does it mean? / How is it? — ask about content, properties.
- 〜というN / 〜っていうN toiun tteiun The person's name is... — introduces the name of a person, place, or object that the listener does not know.
- 〜かどうか kadouka Yes… or no — insert a Yes/No question into the larger sentence.
- 疑問詞 ＋ か（埋め込み疑問文） gimonshi ka umekomi gimonbun Who/where/when/what… (do something) — insert questions with question words into the larger sentence.
- 〜のを知っていますか noo shitteimasuka Do you know…? — asks the listener if knows something or not.
- 〜のを忘れました noo wasuremashita Forgot to do something — forgot action that was supposed to be done.
- 〜と読みます / 〜と書いてあります to yomimasu to kaitearimasu Reading is…, written on it is… — と marks how to read or what is written.
- 〜でしょう / 〜だろう deshou darou Probably…, probably… — conjectured with medium certainty, voice lowered.
- 〜かもしれない kamoshirenai Maybe…, who knows… — possibility low, admittedly it could be right but it could also be wrong.
- 〜はず hazu It should, certainly be… — the inference has clear grounds (truth, promise, knowledge).
- 〜はずがない hazuganai Impossible… — strong negative based on reason: 'there is no reason for it to be so'.
- 〜ようだ youda It seems, it seems… — speculate from what one sees, hears, feels.
- 〜みたいだ mitaida Looks like, seems like… — verbal version of ようだ, used a lot in conversation.
- 〜らしい rashii Heard, apparently... — speculation based on information from outside (news, rumors, other people's stories).
- 〜そうだ（様態） souda youtai Looks like…, is about to… arrive — judging from the appearance seen before the eyes.
- 〜そうだ（伝聞） souda tsuta ki It is said that… — conveys the information as it is without adding judgment.
- 〜がる / 〜がっている garu gatteiru (Third person) shows…, appears to be… — describes objectively another person's emotions through external expressions.
- 〜たがる / 〜たがっている tagaru tagatteiru (Third person) wants to do… — objectively describe the wishes of another person.
- 〜がする gasuru There is a sound…, there is a smell…, there is a taste…, there is a feeling… — felt through senses other than sight.
Ⅳ 文をつなぐ
- ば形（条件形の作り方） ba kei jouken keino tsukurikata How to conjugate the conditional form 〜ば — the basis for conditional sentences and the patterns ばいい, なければならない.
- 〜ば（一般条件） ba ippan jouken If… then… — a general, normative or hypothetical condition. Often used for proverbs and natural cause and effect relationships.
- 〜たら（具体条件） tara gutai jouken If / when… then… — most flexible. It is both a hypothetical condition and 'after A happens, B'.
- 〜と（自動条件） to jidou jouken As long as… is… — the result inevitably, automatically happens. Used for machines, roads, natural laws.
- 〜なら（主題条件） nara shudai jouken If it's... then..., talking about... then... — receive what the other person just said and then give advice and opinions.
- 〜場合は baaiha In the case of… — the condition has a formal tone, often found in rules, notices, and instructions.
- 〜ないと（いけない） naito ikenai Must…, otherwise it is not possible — use the condition と in negative form to express obligation.
- 〜から（主観的理由） kara shukanteki riyuu Because… so… — the reason is subjective, assessed by the speaker himself.
- 〜ので node Because… so… — the reason is objective, the tone is softer and more polite than から.
- 〜ため（に）（原因） tame ni genin Because…, because… — state cause in a formal tone, often found in announcements and news.
- 〜ために（目的） tameni mokuteki To…, to… — deliberate purpose. The two clauses have the same subject, the first clause is the verb of will.
- 〜ように（目的） youni mokuteki So that…, so that… — the intention is towards a state, not an intentional action.
- 〜ようになる youninaru Become (do / have a habit of)… — the result of change over time.
- 〜ようにする younisuru Try to maintain… — conscious effort to turn something into a habit.
- 〜ようにしてください younishitekudasai Please try… — ask the listener to maintain the effort, be softer 〜てください.
- 〜ように言う / 注意する youni iu chuuisuru Tell someone to… — indirectly report orders, requests, reminders.
- 〜のに（逆接） noni gyakusetsu And yet, even though… but… — the result was contrary to expectations, accompanied by a feeling of surprise, regret, and blame.
- 〜のに（用途） noni youto Used to…, to do something… — state uses and then evaluate the cost, time, and convenience.
- 〜ても temo Even though… it's still… — negative condition: even though the condition is established, the result remains unchanged.
- 〜て / 〜で（原因・理由） te de genin riyuu Because… so… — the cause leads to the result naturally, without intention.
- 〜し、〜し shi shi Just… and also…, already… and also… — stacking many reasons or many properties in the same direction.
- 〜たり〜たりする tari tarisuru Which is… which is… — states some typical actions, implying there are other things.
- それで sorede Therefore, therefore — conjunction connecting a sentence, taking the previous sentence as cause and stating effect.
- N／疑問詞 ＋ でも n gimonshi demo ① Even… — give an extreme example. ② With question words: any… any.
Ⅴ 比較・助詞・敬語
- AよりBのほうが〜 ayoribnohouga B is better than A — compare two things, the thing is superior to carries のほうが, the standard of comparison carries より.
- AとBとどちらが〜か atobtodochiraga ka Between A and B, which one is…? — question comparing two objects.
- AはBほど〜ない ahabhodo nai A is not… equal to B — compare negative, the predicate is always negative.
- 〜すぎる sugiru Too…, excessive — beyond the appropriate level, often carrying negative nuances.
- 〜やすい yasui Easy to do, easy to happen — an action that is easily performed, or an event that easily arises.
- 〜にくい nikui Difficult to do, unlikely — opposite of やすい.
- 〜始める / 〜出す hajimeru dasu Start… — 始める is to start intentionally or slowly; 出す is to suddenly pop out, unexpectedly.
- 〜終わる / 〜続ける owaru tsuzukeru Done / done continuously — marks phase of the action.
- 〜方（かた） hou kata What to do — turns verb into noun indicating method: 読み方, 使い方, 作り方.
- Vます形 → N（連用形の名詞用法） vmasu kei n renyoukeino meishi youhou Use the body ます as a noun — 帰り（return）, 始まり（beginning）, 終わり（end）, 考え（thinking）.
- の（名詞化） no meishika Nominalize with の — turn the action into a noun as subject or object.
- こと（名詞化） koto meishika Nominalization with こと — used for abstract, general, writing and fixed phrases.
- 〜のが好き / 上手 noga suki jouzu Like / good at doing — nominalize the action with の and then make it the object of emotions and abilities.
- 〜さ / 〜み sa mi Turning adjectives into nouns. さ = objective, measurable level. み = subjective feeling.
- 〜くなる / 〜になる kunaru ninaru Becoming… — a natural change of a state, not intentional by anyone.
- 〜くする / 〜にする kusuru nisuru Make… become… — a person who intentionally changes the state of an object.
- 助詞「で」の用法 joshi de no youhou Auxiliary で: ① place of action ② means, tools, materials ③ scope, limit ④ cause.
- 助詞「に」の用法 joshi ni no youhou Auxiliary に (expanded in N4): ① purpose of movement ② frequency mark ③ division ratio ④ object of action.
- 助詞「を」の用法 joshi o no youhou Auxiliary を: ① object ② departure point（家を出る）③ place passing through（道を歩く）④ the subject being ordered.
- 助詞「と」の用法 joshi to no youhou Auxiliary と: ① with whom ② the opponent of a two-way action ③ quote ④ list full.
- 助詞「も」の用法 joshi mo no youhou Auxiliary も: ① also ② all the way… (emphasizing the number is more than expected) ③ with question word + negative = not… anything.
- 数量 ＋ は（最低限） suuryou ha saiteigen At least… — put は after the quantity to emphasize the minimum.
- 〜だけ dake Only, only — limits the scope in a neutral way, without feeling of deprivation.
- 〜しか〜ない shika nai There is only… (only) — limitation with the feeling of little, not enough. The predicate requires negation.
- 〜まで / 〜までに made madeni まで = for until, the action continues. までに = before, deadline for a one-time job.
- 〜ばかり / 〜たばかり bakari tabakari ① All, just… — biased, often with a critical meaning. ② Just… finished.
- 〜まま mama Just leave…, in a state of… — do something else while a constant state.
- 〜間に / 〜とき(に) aidani toki ni 間に = while A is happening, B happens once. とき = at, time.
- 〜ところ（るところ/ているところ/たところ） tokoro rutokoro teirutokoro tatokoro About / are / just now — locates the action on the time axis using three different connections.
- 〜途中で / 〜途中に tochuude tochuuni Midway, on the way… — the stage midway of a journey or action.
- 〜とか〜とか toka toka Which is…, such as… — lists several examples, implying something else. voice.
- 〜ずつ zutsu Each… one…, each… — divide equally among each person/time, or repeat the same amount.
- 〜は〜が、〜は〜（対比） ha ga ha taihi A is…, and B is… — use は twice to contrast two objects.
- こそあど（こ・そ・あ・ど） kosoado ko so a do Indicator system こそあど — これ/この/ここ/こちら/こんな/こう and corresponding rows.
- 副詞（まだ・もう・きっと・ぜひ など） fukushi mada mou kitto zehi nado Adverb N4 — many obligatory adverbs accompanied with certain affirmative or negative forms.
- 終助詞（ね・よ・よね・かな） shuujoshi ne yo yone kana Auxiliaries at the end of sentences: ね seek agreement, よ report new information, よね confirm, かな ask yourself.
- 接続詞（それに・けれど・たとえば など） setsuzokushi soreni keredo tatoeba nado Conjunctions connecting sentences — choose according to logical relationship between two sentences.
- 敬語入門（尊敬語・謙譲語・丁寧語） keigo nyuumon sonkeigo kenjougo teineigo Three types of honorifics: 尊敬語 elevate the actions of others; 謙譲語 lower your actions; 丁寧語 make polite sentences.