JLPT N5 grammar

Sentence basics30 grammar points

CompareWays to say "even"Which particle goes after a place?

• だ・ですis, am, are (after a noun)
• ます・ません・ました・ませんでしたpolite verb endingsPolite
• 行いく・行いかない・行いった・行いかなかったplain verb forms
• 高たかい・高たかくない・高たかかった・高たかくなかったい-adjectives: is, isn't, was, wasn't
• 静しずかだ・静しずかじゃない・静しずかだった・静しずかじゃなかったな-adjectives: is, isn't, was, wasn't
• く・に-ly: quickly, quietly, well
• 行いく・行いきますplain and polite style
• かmakes a question; or
• 何なにか・何なにもsomething; nothing, not anything
• こ・そ・あ・どthis, that, that over there, which
• たちplural for people; "and the others"
• 一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつnumbers and counters
• はas for; the topic marker
• がwho or what; the subject marker
• をthe object marker; through; out of
• にin, at, to; from; per
• でat; by; with; in; because of
• へto; toward
• とand; with; (say, think) that
• の's; of; the … one
• もtoo; also; both
• 昨日きのう買かった本ほんthe book (that) I bought
• の・ことdoing; to do; that …
• のが好すき・上手じょうず・下手へたlike doing; good at doing
• ～は～が～has long hair; is tall
• ある・いるthere is; to have
• の上うえ・下した・前まえ・後うしろ・中なか・外そと・隣となり・間あいだon, under, inside, next to
• て-formand; the joining form
• ことができる・ができるcan; be able to
• 目めthe second, the third (after a counter)

Asking, offering and politeness10 grammar points

CompareAsking someone to do somethingKeigoSentence endings

• ねisn't it?; right?; okay?Spoken
• よyou know; I'm telling youSpoken
• なあhow …; I wish …Spoken
• は・が・を…particles dropped in casual speechSpoken
• ませんかwould you like to…?Polite
• くださいplease; please do; please don'tPolite
• あげる・くれる・もらうgive; give (to me); get
• お・ごpolite prefixes; "your …"Polite
• お願ねがいします・よろしくお願ねがいしますplease; yes, please; nice to meet youPolite
• よね…, right?; I know, right?Spoken

Wanting, may and must11 grammar points

Compare"Have to", "must" and "should""May I?", "you can" and "you don't have to"Giving adviceGiving orders and saying "don't"Ways to say "I'm going to" and "I plan to"

• たいwant to (do)
• がほしいwant (a thing)
• つもりだintend to; going to
• ましょう・ましょうか・（よ）うlet's; shall we?; shall I?
• てもいいmay; it's fine to
• てはいけない・ちゃいけないmust not; not allowed
• なくてもいいdon't have to
• なければならない・なくちゃ・なきゃmust; have to
• たほうがいい・ないほうがいいshould; had better (not)
• なる・するbecome; make it …; decide on
• なdon't (a blunt order)Spoken

Time and sequence7 grammar points

CompareAbout to, in the middle of, just didWhen, while, before, after

• ているis doing; is (in a state); does regularly
• もう・まだalready; still; not yet
• てからafter doing; and then; since
• 前まえにbefore; ago
• あとでafter; later
• ときwhen; at the time of
• たことがあるhave done; have never done

Reasons and purposes3 grammar points

CompareWays to say "because"Ways to say "in order to" and "so that"

• 〜に行いくgo to do (something)
• からbecause; so
• のでbecause; so (softer)

If, but and even though3 grammar points

Compare"Whereas" and "on the other hand"Ways to say "but"

• が・けど・けれど・けれどもbut; although; a soft lead-in
• しかしhowever
• でもbut (starting a new sentence)

Only, also, even and lists4 grammar points

Compare"And" and "things like"Ways to say "only"

• やand (among other things)
• のは～だthe one who… is; what… is
• たり～たりするdo things like A and B
• だけonly; just

More, most and how much5 grammar points

CompareComparing things

• から・までfrom; until; as far as
• より・のほうが・一いち番ばんthan; more; the most
• くらい・ぐらいabout; roughly
• あまり～ないnot very; not much; not often
• すぎるtoo; too much

Quoting, explaining and linking sentences7 grammar points

Compare"And", "also", "what's more"Passing on what you heardSaid, called, meansSpoken short formsWays to say "so" and "therefore"

• というcalled; named
• だからso; that's why
• そしてand (starting a new sentence)
• それからafter that; and also
• では・じゃあ・それでは・それじゃwell then; in that case
• んですthe thing is…; how come…?
• ってsays that…; as for…Spoken

While, instead, about, as2 grammar points

• ながらwhile doing
• 方かたhow to; the way of doing

Guessing, seeming and judging1 grammar points

CompareSaying how sure you are

• でしょう・だろうprobably; …, right?