| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | JLPT N5 (beginner) |
| Grammar patterns covered | 25+ |
| Particles covered | 10 core particles |
| Verb forms covered | ます, ない, て, た (4 forms) |
| Best used as | Study checklist + quick reference before your exam |
| Recommended companion | JLPT N5 Study Guide (linked below) |
You’ve signed up for the JLPT N5. You know you need to study grammar — but which grammar? The official JLPT website doesn’t publish a syllabus, and searching online returns dozens of overlapping lists that never quite agree.
This guide cuts through the noise. Below you’ll find every grammar pattern that consistently appears at the N5 level, organized by category, ranked by importance, and illustrated with natural example sentences. Work through it section by section and check off each pattern as you master it.
How N5 Grammar Is Tested
The JLPT N5 consists of three sections: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar), Reading, and Listening. Grammar questions appear in the Language Knowledge section, which you’ll share with vocabulary questions in a single 25-minute block.
Grammar is tested in two ways:
- Sentence grammar — Choose the word or phrase that best completes a sentence (4 choices)
- Text rearrangement — Put 4 jumbled sentence parts into the correct order
You do not need to write sentences from scratch. The focus is recognition: can you identify the correct grammar form when you see it? That means pattern drilling and lots of example reading are more valuable than writing practice at this stage.
Passing score: N5 requires 80/180 total points, with a section-level passing threshold for Language Knowledge. Scoring zero on grammar while acing vocabulary won’t save you — each section must meet its minimum.
YukaI didn’t know the grammar section had a separate passing threshold! So I can’t just memorize vocabulary and skip grammar?
ReiExactly — each section needs to hit its own minimum. The good news is that N5 grammar patterns are very consistent, so mastering this list puts you in great shape.
Core Sentence Patterns
These are the skeleton of Japanese sentences. Every other grammar pattern builds on them.
| Pattern | Structure | Meaning | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜は〜です | [Noun] は [Noun/Adj] です | “[Topic] is [X]” | ★★★ |
| 〜は〜ではありません | [Noun] は [Noun] ではありません | “[Topic] is not [X]” | ★★★ |
| 〜が〜ます | [Subject] が [Verb-ます] | “[Subject] does [verb]” | ★★★ |
| 〜は〜ですか | [Noun] は [X] ですか | Yes/No question form | ★★★ |
| 〜も | [Noun] も | “[Noun] too / also” | ★★☆ |
| 〜の〜 | [Noun A] の [Noun B] | Possession / description: “A’s B” | ★★★ |
〜は〜です — “[Topic] is [X]”
Structure: [Noun] は [Noun or Adjective] です
Usage: Introduces or describes the topic of the sentence. は (pronounced wa here, not ha) marks the topic — what you’re talking about. です is the polite copula meaning “is/am/are.”
📝 私は学生です。(Watashi wa gakusei desu.) — I am a student.
📝 これは本です。(Kore wa hon desu.) — This is a book.
〜は〜ではありません — Negative of です
Structure: [Noun] は [Noun] ではありません or じゃありません (casual)
Usage: Negates a noun predicate. ではありません is formal; じゃありません is the everyday spoken equivalent.
📝 私は先生ではありません。(Watashi wa sensei dewa arimasen.) — I am not a teacher.
📝 これは私の本じゃありません。(Kore wa watashi no hon ja arimasen.) — This is not my book.
〜の〜 — Possession and Description
Structure: [Noun A] の [Noun B]
Usage: の connects two nouns. The first noun modifies the second — it can show possession (“my book”), category (“a Japanese restaurant”), or relationship (“a friend from school”).
📝 田中さんの車。(Tanaka-san no kuruma.) — Tanaka-san’s car.
📝 日本語の本。(Nihongo no hon.) — A Japanese language book.
Particles (助詞 / じょし)
Particles are short words that mark the grammatical role of the noun before them. Learning particles is the highest-leverage grammar study you can do at N5 — they appear in nearly every sentence.
| Particle | Core Meaning | Typical Use | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| は (wa) | Topic marker | What you’re talking about | ★★★ |
| が (ga) | Subject marker | Who/what does the action; new info | ★★★ |
| を (wo) | Object marker | What receives the action | ★★★ |
| に (ni) | Direction / time / location (existence) | Going to, at (time), exists at | ★★★ |
| で (de) | Location (action) / means | Action happens at, travel by | ★★★ |
| へ (e) | Direction | Heading toward (more formal than に) | ★★☆ |
| と (to) | With / and | Do together with, list nouns | ★★☆ |
| も (mo) | Also / too / either | Adds to what was already said | ★★★ |
| か (ka) | Question marker | Turns sentence into a question | ★★★ |
| の (no) | Possession / connection | A’s B, category, explanation | ★★★ |
に vs で — The Most Confusing Particle Pair
Both に and で can translate as “at” in English, which trips up almost every beginner. The key question is: is something existing at a place, or is an action happening at a place?
| Particle | Use case | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| に | Location of existence (います/あります) | 図書館に本があります。 | There are books in the library. |
| で | Location where an action occurs | 図書館で勉強します。 | I study at the library. |
| に | Destination of movement (行く/来る/帰る) | 学校に行きます。 | I go to school. |
| で | Means / method | バスで来ました。 | I came by bus. |
Quick rule: If the verb is います or あります, use に. If an action verb follows, use で for the place.
は vs が — Topic vs. Subject
This is the most famous particle puzzle in Japanese. At N5, you just need the basic distinction:
| Particle | Function | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| は | Topic — “As for X…” (often known info) | 猫は魚を食べます。 | As for cats, they eat fish. |
| が | Subject — introduces new info, identifies | 猫が魚を食べています。 | The cat (specifically) is eating fish. |
| が | Object of desire / ability (〜たい, できる) | 水が飲みたいです。 | I want to drink water. |
Verb Forms
Japanese verbs change form to express tense, negation, requests, and more. N5 requires four essential forms. Once you know these, the grammar patterns in the next section fall into place automatically.
| Form | Ending | Used for | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ます形 (masu form) | 〜ます / 〜ません / 〜ました | Polite present, negative, past | ★★★ |
| ない形 (nai form) | 〜ない | Plain negative; base for ないでください, なければならない etc. | ★★★ |
| て形 (te form) | 〜て / 〜で | Requests (てください), sequences, permission | ★★★ |
| た形 (ta form) | 〜た / 〜だ | Plain past tense | ★★☆ |
ます Form — Polite Present and Past
Structure: Verb-stem + ます (present/future) | ません (negative) | ました (past) | ませんでした (past negative)
📝 毎日日本語を勉強します。(Mainichi Nihongo o benkyou shimasu.) — I study Japanese every day.
📝 昨日学校に行きませんでした。(Kinou gakkou ni ikimasen deshita.) — I didn’t go to school yesterday.
て Form — The Most Versatile Form
The て form (te-form) is essential because it is the base for multiple N5 patterns: 〜てください, 〜てもいい, and 〜てはいけない. It also chains actions together (“eat and then sleep”).
📝 窓を開けてください。(Mado o akete kudasai.) — Please open the window.
📝 食べて、寝ます。(Tabete, nemasu.) — I eat and then sleep.
For a complete breakdown of how to form the te-form for all verb groups, see:
Adjective Patterns
Japanese has two adjective classes, each with its own conjugation rules. Knowing the difference prevents a very common beginner error.
| Type | Dictionary form | Polite present | Polite negative | Polite past |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | 大きい (big) | 大きいです | 大きくないです | 大きかったです |
| な-adjective | 静か (quiet) | 静かです | 静かではありません | 静かでした |
い-Adjectives — The い Changes
Key rule: Drop the final い and add the ending.
📝 この部屋は広いです。(Kono heya wa hiroi desu.) — This room is spacious.
📝 昨日は寒くなかったです。(Kinou wa samuku nakatta desu.) — It was not cold yesterday.
Watch out: いい (good) is irregular — its negative is よくない, and its past is よかった, not いくない or いかった.
な-Adjectives — Treat Them Like Nouns
Key rule: な-adjectives conjugate exactly like nouns with です. When modifying a noun, add な between the adjective and noun: 静かな部屋 (a quiet room).
📝 彼女はとても親切です。(Kanojo wa totemo shinsetsu desu.) — She is very kind.
📝 ここは静かな場所です。(Koko wa shizuka na basho desu.) — This is a quiet place.
Common Grammar Patterns
These are the patterns most frequently tested in the N5 grammar section. Master these and you’ve covered the majority of what the exam will ask.
| Pattern | Meaning | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たい | Want to do ~ | ★★★ |
| 〜てください | Please do ~ | ★★★ |
| 〜てもいいですか | May I do ~? / Is it OK to do ~? | ★★★ |
| 〜てはいけません | Must not do ~ / You cannot do ~ | ★★★ |
| 〜ています | Is doing ~ (ongoing action) / Is ~ (state) | ★★★ |
| 〜ませんか | Won’t you do ~? (invitation) | ★★☆ |
| 〜ましょう | Let’s do ~ (suggestion) | ★★☆ |
| 〜から | Because ~ / From ~ | ★★☆ |
| 〜が好き / 嫌い / 上手 | Like / dislike / good at (+ が) | ★★★ |
| 〜に行く / 来る | Go/come to do ~ (purpose) | ★★☆ |
| 〜ことができる | Can do ~ / to be able to do ~ | ★★☆ |
| 〜より〜のほうが | ~ is more … than ~ (comparison) | ★★☆ |
〜たい — “I Want to Do ~”
Structure: Verb-stem + たい(です)
Note: たい behaves like an い-adjective. The object of desire takes が (not を) in careful speech, though を is widely used in casual speech and both are acceptable at N5.
📝 日本に行きたいです。(Nihon ni ikitai desu.) — I want to go to Japan.
📝 何を食べたいですか。(Nani o tabetai desu ka.) — What do you want to eat?
〜てください — “Please Do ~”
Structure: Verb て-form + ください
Usage: A polite request or instruction. Used constantly in classrooms, service situations, and daily life.
📝 名前を書いてください。(Namae o kaite kudasai.) — Please write your name.
📝 もう一度言ってください。(Mou ichido itte kudasai.) — Please say it one more time.
〜てもいいですか — “May I Do ~?”
Structure: Verb て-form + もいいですか
Usage: Asking for permission. The affirmative reply is 〜てもいいです (“you may”) and the negative is 〜てはいけません (“you must not”).
📝 ここに座ってもいいですか。(Koko ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.) — May I sit here?
📝 写真を撮ってもいいです。(Shashin o totte mo ii desu.) — You may take a photo.
〜てはいけません — “Must Not Do ~”
Structure: Verb て-form + はいけません (or いけない in plain form)
Usage: Prohibition — stronger than 〜ないでください (please don’t). Used for rules and warnings.
📝 ここでタバコを吸ってはいけません。(Koko de tabako o sutte wa ikemasen.) — You must not smoke here.
📝 授業中に携帯を使ってはいけません。(Jugyouchuu ni keitai o tsukatte wa ikemasen.) — You must not use your phone during class.
〜ています — Ongoing Action or Resulting State
Structure: Verb て-form + います
Usage: Two main uses — (1) an action currently in progress (“I am eating”), and (2) a state that results from a past action (“The window is open,” meaning someone opened it). The difference depends on the verb type.
📝 今、ご飯を食べています。(Ima, gohan o tabete imasu.) — I am eating right now.
📝 窓が開いています。(Mado ga aite imasu.) — The window is open (= has been opened).
〜が好きです / 嫌いです / 上手です
Structure: [Thing/Activity] が 好き/嫌い/上手 です
Key point for English speakers: In Japanese, the thing you like is marked with が, not を. Saying 猫を好きです is a very common mistake.
📝 私は音楽が好きです。(Watashi wa ongaku ga suki desu.) — I like music.
📝 彼は料理が上手です。(Kare wa ryouri ga jouzu desu.) — He is good at cooking.
〜より〜のほうが — Comparisons
Structure: [A] より [B] のほうが [adjective] です — “B is more [adjective] than A”
📝 電車よりバスのほうが安いです。(Densha yori basu no hou ga yasui desu.) — Buses are cheaper than trains.
📝 夏より冬のほうが好きです。(Natsu yori fuyu no hou ga suki desu.) — I like winter more than summer.
YukaI keep mixing up 〜てもいいですか and 〜てはいけません. Is there an easy way to remember which is which?
ReiThink of it as a door: 〜てもいい opens the door (permission granted), and 〜てはいけない closes it with a lock (absolutely prohibited). Both start with the て-form, so the te-form is your key!
Quick Quiz — Test Yourself (N5 Style)
Choose the best answer for each blank. These questions follow the same format as the actual JLPT N5 exam.
Questions
1. 私は毎朝コーヒー（ ）飲みます。
a) が b) に c) を d) は
2. 図書館（ ）本を読みました。
a) に b) で c) を d) へ
3. 窓を（ ）ください。寒いです。
a) 閉める b) 閉めて c) 閉めた d) 閉めない
4. 彼女はダンス（ ）上手です。
a) は b) を c) が d) に
5. この映画は（ ）ですか。 — はい、とても面白いです。
a) 面白い b) 面白く c) 面白くない d) 面白かった
6. ここで写真を（ ）はいけません。
a) 撮る b) 撮り c) 撮って d) 撮った
7. 東京（ ）大阪のほうが人が多いです。
a) が b) より c) で d) から
Answers and Explanations
1. c) を — コーヒーを飲む. The object of an action takes を. は, が, and に do not mark direct objects of transitive verbs.
2. b) で — 図書館で本を読む. Reading (an action) happens at the library, so で marks the location of the action. に would work if the verb were あります/います.
3. b) 閉めて — 〜てください requires the て-form. 閉める (to close) → 閉めて.
4. c) が — 〜が上手です is a set pattern. The skill or ability is always marked with が, not を or は.
5. a) 面白い — The question asks what the movie is like (present tense positive). 面白い is the plain dictionary form used as a predicate adjective before です.
6. c) 撮って — 〜てはいけません requires the て-form. 撮る → 撮って.
7. b) より — [A] より [B] のほうが is the comparison pattern. A is the baseline that B is compared against.
Tricky Patterns to Watch Out For
These are the error patterns that most commonly appear in N5 test questions — and in real beginner output. A question designed to catch you out will often hinge on exactly these distinctions.
| Common mistake | Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| は vs が with 好き | 猫を好きです | 猫が好きです | 好き/嫌い/上手 always take が for the object |
| い-adjective past tense | いかったです | よかったです | いい is irregular; its stem changes to よ |
| な-adjective before noun | きれいい部屋 | きれいな部屋 | な-adjectives use な (not い) before nouns |
| に vs で for action location | 公園に走ります | 公園で走ります | Running (action) at the park → use で |
| で vs に for destination | 学校で行きます | 学校に行きます | Going toward a destination → use に |
| て-form for requests | 食べるください | 食べてください | 〜てください always needs the て-form, not dictionary form |
| Comparison word order | バスより安い電車 | 電車よりバスのほうが安い | The thing you’re describing as “more” comes after より |
For a deeper look at the は vs が distinction (one of the trickiest topics even at N3), the full guide is here:
Keep Learning
You’ve covered all the major N5 grammar patterns. Here’s a suggested study path to lock them in and expand toward N4:
- Day 1–3: Drill core sentence patterns and particles using flashcards or a grammar workbook
- Day 4–5: Practice verb conjugations (ます, ない, て, た) with at least 20 verbs until the forms feel automatic
- Day 6–7: Focus on the common grammar patterns — write your own example sentences for each one
- Day 8+: Do timed practice with N5-style multiple choice questions, aiming for 80%+ before exam day
These articles will help you go deeper on the patterns covered here:
Good luck with your N5 exam. You’ve got this — 頑張ってください！
Which N5 grammar pattern do you find trickiest? Share in the comments below — your question might help another learner too!
— **Editor notes**: – Covered 25+ grammar patterns across core sentences, 10 particles, 4 verb forms, 2 adjective types, and 12 common patterns – Comparison tables and tricky-patterns table are the highest-value sections for exam prep – The は vs が section deliberately stays light (N5 level only) and points to the full wp:embed article – All balloon URLs use /2018/04/ and number-only filename format – All emojis replaced with HTML entities (📝) – 5 internal wp:embed links to verified slugs: te-form-japanese, wa-ga-japanese-particles, jlpt-n5-study-guide, japanese-conditionals-to-ba-tara-nara📖 Want to take your Japanese further? Practice speaking with a professional Japanese tutor on italki — affordable 1-on-1 online lessons at your own pace.
About the Author
Daisuke is the creator of JP YoKoSo — a Japanese learning site for English speakers. Every article is written to explain Japanese clearly, with real examples, grammar notes, and practical tips for learners at every level.
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