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JLPT N5 · beginner grammar

JLPT N5 Grammar

The building blocks of beginner Japanese — each point explained plainly, then shown in real sentences pulled from actual Japanese podcasts, with a timestamp so you can hear it.

Wanting

Say what you — or someone else — feel like doing or having.

〜たい
tai
"want to (do)"
Say what you feel like doing — 食べたい, 行きたい. Conjugates like an い-adjective.
〜が欲ほしい
hoshii
"want (a thing)"
Say you want a noun — 水が欲しい. How 欲しい differs from 〜たい.

Requests & invitations

Ask someone to do something, or suggest doing it together.

〜てください
te kudasai
"please do…"
Make a polite request from a verb's て-form — and the negative 〜ないでください.
〜ましょう
mashou
"let's…"
Suggest doing something together — 行きましょう — and the softer 〜ましょうか.

Liking

Say what you're into — and what you're not.

〜が好すき
ga suki
"like"
Say what you like — 映画が好き. Why it takes が, and 好き as a な-adjective.

Permission

Give or ask for the OK to do something.

〜てもいい
te mo ii
"may / it's OK"
Give or ask permission from a verb's て-form — and the casual 〜ていい？.
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