JLPT N4 Grammar

Every N4 pattern with a plain-English explanation and two natural examples. Tap a pattern to expand it; mark what you know. Also see N5 grammar.

0/81 learnedExpand allQuiz N4 →漢かんFurigana on

Potential form

可能形0/3

可能形（〜られる / 〜える）can, be able to do

〜ことができるcan do, it is possible to do

見える / 聞こえるcan be seen, can be heard (naturally)

Volitional and intentions

意向形と予定0/5

意向形（〜よう / 〜おう）let's do, I will do (casual)

〜ようと思うI think I will, I intend to

〜ようとするtry to do, be about to do

〜つもりだintend to, plan to

〜予定だbe scheduled to, plan to

Conditionals

条件形0/4

〜と（条件）if, when, whenever (natural result)

〜ばif (hypothetical condition)

〜たらif, when, after

〜ならif that is the case, if you are talking about

Giving and receiving

あげる・くれる・もらう0/6

あげるto give (outward, from me or my group)

くれるto give (to me or my group)

もらうto receive

〜てあげるto do something for someone else

〜てくれるsomeone does something for me

〜てもらうto have someone do something for you

Passive

受身形0/2

受身形（〜られる / 〜れる）to be done (passive)

迷惑の受身indirect passive (something bad happened to me)

Causative

使役形0/3

使役形（〜させる / 〜せる）to make or let someone do

使役受身（〜させられる）to be made to do (against one's will)

〜させてくださいplease let me do

Appearance, hearsay, and conjecture

推量・伝聞0/8

〜そうだ（様態）looks like, seems about to

〜そうだ（伝聞）I heard that, they say that

〜ようだit seems that, it appears that

〜らしいapparently, it seems (based on what one heard)

〜みたいだseems like, looks like, is like

〜がる / 〜がっているto show signs of (another person's feeling)

〜かもしれないmight, may, possibly

〜はずだshould be, is supposed to be

Obligation and advice

義務と助言0/4

〜なければならないmust, have to

〜なくてもいいdo not have to

〜たほうがいいhad better do, should do (advice)

〜たらどうですかhow about doing, why not do

Experience and habits

経験と習慣0/4

〜たことがあるhave done before (experience)

〜ことがあるthere are times when, sometimes

〜たばかりhave just done

〜てばかりいるdo nothing but, always be doing

Purpose and change

目的と変化0/4

〜ためにin order to, for the sake of

〜ように（目的）so that, in order that

〜ようになるto come to do, to reach the point where

〜ようにするto make an effort to, to try to make a habit of

Comparisons and extent

比較と程度0/3

〜ほど〜ないnot as ... as

〜ぐらい / 〜くらいabout, approximately, to the extent of

〜のような / 〜のようにlike, similar to

Nominalizers and decisions

こと・の0/3

〜ことにするto decide to do

〜ことになるit has been decided that

〜の（名詞化）the act of doing (nominalizer)

Quotation and embedded questions

引用と間接疑問0/5

〜と言うto say that (quotation)

〜と思うto think that

〜という（名前）called, named

〜かどうかwhether or not

疑問詞＋〜かembedded question (who, what, when ... )

Transitive and intransitive verbs

自動詞と他動詞0/3

自動詞と他動詞intransitive and transitive verb pairs

〜てあるhas been done (and remains so)

〜ている（結果の状態）resulting state (is broken, is on)

Keigo basics

敬語の基本0/5

お〜になるhonorific: someone (respected) does

お〜する / ご〜するhumble: I do (for you)

特別な尊敬語（いらっしゃる・召し上がる等）special honorific verbs

特別な謙譲語（いたす・参る等）special humble verbs

〜させていただくhumbly receive permission to do

Connectors

接続表現0/6

〜のにalthough, even though, despite

〜のでbecause, since (objective reason)

〜ながらwhile doing (two actions at once)

〜しand what is more (listing reasons)

〜てもeven if, even though

〜間に / 〜間while, during

Te-form compounds

て形の複合表現0/5

〜てしまうto finish completely; to do regrettably

〜ておくto do in advance, to leave as is

〜てみるto try doing and see

〜ていくto go on doing, to change from now on

〜てくるto start to, to have changed up to now

Commands and prohibition

命令と禁止0/3

命令形（〜ろ / 〜え）direct command (do it!)

〜なさいpolite command (do it)

〜な（禁止）do not do (strong prohibition)

Word formation

語形成0/5

〜すぎるtoo much, excessively

〜やすいeasy to do

〜にくいhard to do

〜さturns adjectives into nouns (-ness)

〜方way of doing, how to do