Grammar– category –
Japanese grammar for English speakers. Particles, verb conjugation, sentence patterns, conditionals, and nuanced expressions organized by JLPT level N5 to N1. Browse by level: N4/N5, N2/N3, N1/N2. By topic: Particles, Verb Conjugation, Conditionals, Sentence Patterns. Full overview at the Japanese Grammar Hub.
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Commonly Confused Words: “sewa wo suru” and “mendō wo miru”
I want to say 'I take care of my little sister' in Japanese. Should I use 世話をする or 面倒を見る? Great question! Both mean caring for someone, but they have slightly different nuances and registers. Let me break them down! Both 世話を... -
切ない vs. 苦しい：Do You Know Which Should We Use?
I've seen 切ない in song lyrics a lot. Is it the same as 苦しい? They both seem to describe pain. They're related but very different feelings! 切ない is that bittersweet ache — nostalgia, longing, tender sadness. 苦しい is physical or in... -
“wazawaza” vs “sekkaku”：What’s The Difference with 16 e.g.
I always mix up わざわざ and せっかく. They both seem to involve effort or going out of one's way. What's the difference? Great observation — they're both about extra effort, but from opposite perspectives! わざわざ is often used to ackn... -
Easily Confused Words : shōgatsu vs. gantan vs. shinnen
New Year is one of the biggest events in Japan, but talking about it in Japanese is trickier than you might expect. Three words — 正月 (shinnen) — all relate to New Year but they are not interchangeable. Using the wrong one can make your... -
Most Effective Ways To Use ずいぶん, とても and かなり
Yuka I want to say ‘This is very delicious’ but I’m not sure whether to use とても, ずいぶん, or かなり. They all seem to mean ‘very’! Rei They all intensify adjectives, but they have different nuances! とて... -
“sunao” vs. “shōjiki”：What is The Difference Between Them?
My teacher said 素直になって about me being stubborn, but I thought 素直 meant honest. Isn't that 正直? This is a super common point of confusion! 素直 and 正直 both relate to honesty, but they mean different things. Let me clarify! Both... -
すでに vs. もう：How To Quickly Figure Them Out
Yuka I know both すでに and もう mean ‘already,’ but I keep second-guessing which one to use! Rei They overlap a lot! The key difference is register and nuance — let me break it down so you can use them confidently. Both すで... -
さっぱり vs すっきり: Physical Freshness vs Mental Clarity — What’s the Difference?
Learn the difference between sappari and sukkiri in Japanese. Sappari means physically refreshed or frank. Sukkiri means mentally clear or resolved. Both are common but work in different situations. -
すぐ vs. もうすぐ: Native Speakers Often Use These
You hear すぐ and もうすぐ dozens of times in a normal Japanese conversation. Both relate to "soon" or "in a moment," but they do not mean quite the same thing — and mixing them up can create subtle misunderstandings about timing. Here i... -
“sukunaku tomo” vs. “semete” : Most People Don’t Know How to Use
"At least" sounds like one simple concept — but in Japanese, two different words carry it in two very different emotional directions. 少なくとも (sukunakutomo) is the objective, factual minimum. せめて (semete) is the emotional appeal. M...
