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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ながら: How to Say ‘While Doing’ in Japanese (N4 Grammar)
Eating while watching TV. Listening to music while studying. Japanese has a dedicated grammar pattern for actions done simultaneously: 〜ながら. It's one of the most practical N4 patterns you'll use every day — and it's refreshingly simp... -
てしまう vs ておく vs てみる: Te-Form Auxiliaries Explained
You know te-form. Now it's time to level up. てしまう, ておく, and てみる are three auxiliary patterns that attach to the te-form of verbs and dramatically change the nuance. All three are N4-level and appear constantly in natural Japane... -
ほしい vs たい: How to Express Wanting in Japanese
'I want a coffee.' 'I want to drink coffee.' In English these feel similar, but in Japanese they use completely different grammar. ほしい and たい are both 'want' — but ほしい wants THINGS (nouns), while たい wants to DO things (verbs). ... -
Japanese Counters: How to Count People, Things, and Animals
In Japanese, you can't just say 'three dogs' or 'five sheets of paper' — you need a counter word that matches what you're counting. 三匹 (san-biki) for small animals, 五枚 (go-mai) for flat objects. It sounds complex at first, but once y... -
Japanese Conditionals: と vs ば vs たら vs なら — Complete Guide
📖 At a GlanceTopicJapanese conditionals: と, ば, たら, ならLevelN4–N3Key ruleEach form encodes a different relationship between condition and resultBiggest trapたら is the most flexible but overusing it sounds unnaturalTime to re... -
そう vs よう vs らしい vs みたい: Hearsay and Inference in Japanese
📖 At a GlanceTopicそう vs よう vs らしい vs みたい — "seems like"LevelN4–N3Key ruleEach word signals a different type of evidenceBiggest trapそう has two completely different meanings depending on conjugationTime to read~10 min Y... -
ください vs おねがいします: Two Ways to Say Please in Japanese
Both ください (kudasai) and おねがいします (onegaishimasu) translate as 'please' in English — but they work differently and mixing them up can sound unnatural. Here's the complete guide to choosing the right one every time. Featureくださ... -
い-Adjective vs な-Adjective in Japanese: Complete Conjugation Guide
Japanese has two types of adjectives — and they act completely differently. If you've ever said 静かいです (shizukai desu) instead of 静かです, or 綺麗じゃない instead of 綺麗くない... you've met this problem. Here's the complete breakdo... -
Japanese Shadowing Method: 5-Step Routine to Sound Like a Native
Shadowing is one of the fastest ways to improve Japanese pronunciation, rhythm, and natural speech flow. This guide walks you through a practical 5-step shadowing routine you can start today — no special equipment needed. StepActivityDur... -
は vs が: When to Use Which Japanese Particle — Complete Beginner Guide
は (wa) and が (ga) are both subject markers — but they don't mean the same thing. This is one of the most asked questions by Japanese learners, and one of the trickiest to answer. This guide breaks it down into clear, usable rules. Part...
