Grammar reference

Japanese grammar reference by JLPT level

Browse 862 individual explanations and 50 guides that compare related forms in context.

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く・にAdjective forms before verbsN5

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29 guides

に・へ・をChoice guide

Choosing a particle for movementPicture the movement and ask what role the place plays. Use に for the endpoint reached, へ for the direction headed toward, and を for the route traveled through. The English words “to,” “through,” and “along” can help, but the Japanese choice ultimately depends on the scene and the verb.3 points · N5–N4

に・ために・ように・のに・にはChoice guide

Choosing the right purpose expressionThese forms are not interchangeable translations of “in order to.” Choose by asking what comes after the goal: a trip to perform an activity, an intentional action, a step toward a desired result, an evaluation of usefulness, or a requirement for success.5 points · N5–N4–N3

より・のほうが・一いち番ばん・どちらが・ほど～ない・に比くらべて・と同おなじで・と違ちがって・と同おなじくらいSystem guide

Building comparisons, superlatives, and equality statementsStart by deciding what kind of comparison you are making. Are you comparing two items, choosing the highest member of a group, saying that one falls short, claiming that something has no equal, or describing sameness? Then name the scale—price, speed, size, frequency, preference, or another quality. The comparison form organizes the items; the final description supplies the actual direction.10 points · N5–N3

だけ・しか～ない・ばかり・きり・のみ・にすぎない・でしかないChoice guide

Choosing the right way to say “only”For an ordinary neutral limit, start with だけ. Choose another form only when you want to add something: exclusion through a negative sentence, a noticeable concentration, a firm exact boundary, formal institutional tone, or the judgment that something is “merely” what you have stated.7 points · N5–N4–N3–N2

にくい・づらい・がたい・かねるChoice guide

Choosing how to express difficultyChoose according to the source of the barrier. にくい gives a broad, neutral assessment; づらい brings out strain felt by the person acting; がたい makes a severe formal judgment; and かねる says that a role, policy, responsibility, or careful judgment prevents the action. The first two overlap, so treat this as a practical guide rather than a rigid scale.4 points · N4–N2

そうだ・らしい・ということだ・とのことだ・と言いわれている・とされている・と考かんがえられている・によると・によれば・とか・んだって・だってRegister guide

Choosing how to report informationChoose a reporting form by asking where the information comes from and what you are doing with it. You may be directly relaying a source, passing on a vague rumor, presenting a claim that society already repeats, or drawing your own conclusion from evidence. Formal wording can create distance, but it does not automatically make a claim more reliable.9 points · N4–N3–N2

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290 grammar points