Grammar › N5
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.
Verb tenses
Say when something happens — now, before, and right now.
Particles
The little words that glue a Japanese sentence together.
は / が
wa / ga
"topic vs subject"
The big one — when a sentence takes は and when が.
を
o
"object"
Marks the direct object — 水を飲む.
に
ni
"time · destination"
Time and destination — and に vs へ.
で
de
"place · means"
Where an action happens, and how — 家で, バスで.
の
no
"possessive"
Links nouns — 私の本, 日本の会社.
と / や
to / ya
"and · with"
Full "and" vs the "and so on" や.
も
mo
"also · too"
"Too / also" — 私も.
か
ka
"question · or"
Turns a sentence into a question, and "A or B".
Describe & exist
Describe things, say what there is, and how things change.
Wanting
Say what you — or someone else — feel like doing or having.
Requests & invitations
Ask someone to do something, or suggest doing it together.
Liking
Say what you're into — and what you're not.
Permission
Give or ask for the OK to do something.
Rules & advice
What you must, mustn't, and don't have to do — plus giving advice.
〜てはいけない
te wa ikenai
"must not"
Say something isn't allowed — and the spoken 〜ちゃだめ.
〜なくてはいけない
nakute wa ikenai
"must / have to"
Obligation — plus the casual 〜なくちゃ / 〜なきゃ.
〜なくてもいい
nakute mo ii
"don't have to"
Say something isn't necessary — 〜しなくてもいい.
〜ないで
naide
"without · please don't"
Do without, or ask someone not to — 〜ないでください.
〜ほうがいい
hou ga ii
"had better"
Give advice — 行ったほうがいい.
Because & connecting
Give reasons and link your sentences together.
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