JLPT N4 Grammar

The Complete JLPT N4 Grammar List - All 130+ Grammar Points

130+ Grammar Points • Click any link below to jump directly to it

Table of Contents

 

あいだ (aida) - while; during; between

How to use:
Verb + 間 (に)
I-Adj + 間 (に)
Na. Adj + な + 間 (に)
Noun + の + 間 (に)

間（あいだ） / 間に（あいだに）

Both mean “during a time period,” but they are used in different ways depending on whether something lasts the whole time or happens once inside that time.

① 間（あいだ） = “during the whole time”

Use this when something happens for the entire duration of another action or period.

The action continues throughout the whole period

Examples:
9時から5時までの間
“Between 9 and 5”
散歩している間、ずっと雨が降っていた
“It rained the whole time I was walking.”
しばらくの間、村には戻れない
“I can’t return to the village for a while.”


It is often paired with words like ずっと (“all the time”) to emphasize continuity.
 “For the entire time X is happening…”

② 間に（あいだに） = “sometime during that time”

Use this when something happens once inside a time period, not for the whole duration

Something happens inside the time window, at a specific moment

Examples:
散歩している間に、雨が降り始めた
“It started raining while I was walking.”
迷っている間に、お店が閉まっちゃった
“The shop closed while I was hesitating.”

 “At some point during X…”
As に marks the point where the action occurs, IN that interval of time

Easy way to remember
間 = the whole time (continuous background)
間に = one event happens inside that time" 

雨の間、家にいた。
“I stayed home during the rain.”
雨の間に、買い物した。
“I went shopping while it was raining / during the rain.”

あまり～ない (amari nai) - not very; not much; not really

あまり is used with negative forms to say that something is done or felt only a small amount.

In casual speech, it can become あんまり.

Structure:
あまり + Verb Negative form
あまり + Noun + じゃない / ではない
あまり + I-Adj. (－い) + くない
あまり + Na.Adj. + じゃない / ではない

(あんまり is casual / spoken)

Meaning: “It’s not very much / not really / not often”

Examples:
あまり好きじゃない
“I don’t really like it.”
あまり上手くない
“Not very good at it.”
クラウド、スラムのことはあまり知らないんだよね
“Cloud doesn’t really know much about the slums, right?”

So you can use あまり〜ない to say something is not very much, not often, or not really the case.

後で (ato de) - after~; later

後で（あとで）is a grammar point used to express “after” or “later.”

It is used to show that one action happens after another action is completed, or simply at a later time.

Formation:
Verb (past tense) + あとで
Noun + のあとで

Can also be used by itself: あとで = “later”

This grammar is used to indicate sequence in time, where the first action is completed and the second action follows afterward.

For example:

授業が終わったあとで、友達と話した
“I talked with my friends after class ended.”

会のあとでゆっくり話したい
“I want to talk slowly after the meeting.”

Here:

会のあとで = after the meeting

It can also be used on its own:

じゃ、あとで
“Alright, later.”

あとで is a straightforward way to express doing something after another event, or doing something later in time.


ば (ba) - conditional form; If [A] then [B]

The ば conditional form, is used to express “if A happens, then B will happen.”

The ば form expresses a condition that leads to a result.

To make the ば form with verbs, start from the dictionary form, change the final “u” sound to the corresponding “e” sound, then add ば:

How To Use:
Verb (ば form)
I-Adj.: Change い to ければ
Na-Adj. + ならば / であれば
N + ならば / であれば

(Negative Use)
Verb: Change ない to なければ
I-Adj.: Change ない to なければ
Na-Adj. + じゃなければ / でなければ
N + じゃなければ / でなければ

Verbs (う sound to え sound + ば):

食べる → 食べれば
"eat" -> “if you eat...”
飲む → 飲めば
"drink" -> “if you drink...”
行く → 行けば
"go" -> “if you go...”

For example:
仕事が終われば　他人だ。
“If the job ends, then we’re strangers.”

い-Adjective (replace the final い with ければ):

大きい → 大きければ
"big" -> “If it’s big…”

な-Adjectives and Nouns (Add ならば / であれば):

便利ならば
“If it’s convenient…”

Negative Verbs (change ない into なければ):

勉強しない → 勉強しなければ
“If you don’t study…”

行かない → 行かなければ
“If you don’t go…”

Negative い-Adjectives (change ない to なければ)

大きくない → 大きくなければ
“If it’s not big…”

Negative な-Adjectives / Nouns: (Add じゃなければ / でなければ:

便利じゃなければ
“If it’s not convenient…”

The ば form is an extremely important grammar point, but don’t worry too much about memorizing every rule immediately. With practice, the patterns become natural. The key thing to remember is that everything works toward an “eba” sound. 終われば, 食べれば, 飲めば, 行けば etc

場合は (baai wa) - in the event of; in the case that

場合は = “in the case of / if / in the event that”

場合は is used to present a specific situation (a “case”) and explain what action or outcome applies in that situation.

Structure:
Verb (casual) + 場合は
い-adj + 場合は
な-adj + な + 場合は
Noun + の + 場合は

 “If this situation happens, then…”

It’s often used for rules, warnings, instructions, or explanations.

Examples:
火事の場合は119をかけます
“In case of fire, call 119.”
地震が起きた場合はテーブルの下に潜ってください
“In the event of an earthquake, please go under the table.”
女の場合はもっと面倒だ
“In the case of women, it’s more complicated.”

You use 場合は to set up a situation and explain what applies or should be done in that case. “if/in the case that this situation happens, then…”

 

ばかり (bakari) - only; just; nothing but~

ばかり, is used to express: “only…”, “nothing but…”, “just doing the same thing over and over…”

Structure:
Verb (て-form) + ばかり
Noun + ばかり

The key idea is repetition or limitation, as in something happening repeatedly or being the same thing again and again. It can be neutral, but often carries a slightly negative nuance like frustration, surprise, or judgment.

Examples:

知ってることばかりだろうけど。
“It’s probably nothing but things you already know…”

否定ばかりじゃイイ男が台無し。
“If all you do is criticize, it ruins a good man.”

One important note is pronunciation:

ばかり (written form / standard speech)
ばっかり (casual spoken form)

They mean the same thing, but ばっかり is very common in conversation.

ばかり emphasizes repetition or restriction to one thing, often highlighting frustration or emphasis depending on context.


だけで (dake de) - just by; just by doing; with only

だけで, is used to express: “just by…”, “only by doing…”, “with just…”

It’s formed by combining:

だけ = “only”
で = “with / by means of”

So the meaning becomes something like:
“only with…” or “just by doing…”

Structure:
Verb + だけで
Noun + だけで

Examples:

次は、ふたりだけで勝負をしよう。
“Next, let’s have a match just between the two of us.”

So here:

ふたりだけで = “just the two of us / only the two of us”
勝負をしよう = “let’s have a match”

だけで is commonly used to emphasize that something happens or is possible with very little, sometimes even unexpectedly little effort or limitation.


出す (dasu) - to begin to; to start to; to burst into; ... out (e.g. to jump out, to carry out)

〜出す, is used to express suddenly starting an action, bursting into an action, something moving outward or even something coming out into existence

Formation:
Verb (Masu Stem) + 出す

For example:

笑い出す — “to burst out laughing”
飛び出す — “to jump out”
走り出す — “to suddenly start running”

So 〜出す often adds the feeling that an action suddenly begins or bursts outward.

Examples:

駆け出す興奮に、激しく震えている。
“My engine trembles violently with the excitement of bursting forward.”

Here:

駆け出す combines 駆ける “to run” with 出す
giving the feeling of suddenly dashing out or launching forward

One thing to note: Another similar piece of grammar はじめる can be used to express 'to begin'. However だす often has a nuance of being unintentional or involuntary. Where as はじめる often expresses a direct intention to do the action.

〜出す is commonly used in Japanese for expressing sudden emotional reactions, movement, or the start of an action.


でございます (degozaimasu) - to be (honorific です)

でございます = “is / are / am” (very polite honorific です)

でございます is the extremely polite form of です, used in formal speech such as customer service, announcements, or very respectful conversation.

Structure:
です → でございます
ではありません → でございません

This is used to state something very respectfully.

It can be used to create a strong sense of formality, distance, and politeness.

Examples:
ただいま準備中でございます
“We are currently preparing.”
こちらは新商品でございます
“This is a new product.”
お席は満席でございます
“All seats are taken.”

You use でございます to say “is/are” in a very polite/honorific and formal way to say です, especially in customer service or official speech.


でも (demo) - ... or something; how about~

でも（suggestion use） = “or something / how about / maybe”

When でも comes after a noun, it is used to softly suggest something as one possible example, not the only option.

It makes the sentence sound less direct and more casual.

Structure:
Noun + でも + phrase

 “How about X?” / “X or something (as an example)”

Examples:
ゲームでもしましょう
“Let’s play a game or something.”

コーヒーでも飲む？
“Wanna grab some coffee or something?”

地面に亀裂でも入ってんじゃないかって
“Some people are even saying it’s like there might be cracks forming in the ground or something.”

Here, 亀裂でも shows it’s not a confirmed fact, just a possible explanation being casually suggested.

You can use Noun + でも to give an option or an example, 'or something'.


ではないか (dewanaika) - right?; isn't it?

〜ではないか and 〜じゃないか are used to seek confirmation, agreement, or emphasis, like “isn’t it?” / “right?”.

The literal meaning is: “Is it not?”

Structure:
Phrase + ではない + か
Phrase + じゃない + か
Phrase + ではありませんか

Formality levels:
じゃん        very casual
じゃないか        casual
ではないか        formal
ではありませんか        very polite

This expresses that the speaker strongly feels something is true and is asking the listener to agree or acknowledge it.

Examples:
遅かったじゃないか
“You were late, weren’t you?”
ハデにやってるじゃないか
“You’re really going all out, aren’t you?”
カーゴシップではないか！
“Isn’t that a cargo ship?!”

Summary:
Use 〜ではないか / 〜じゃないか to express “isn’t it?” or “right?” when seeking agreement, emphasizing a point, or confirming something strongly.


が必要 (ga hitsuyou) - is needed; is necessary

必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru) - need to; it is necessary to

必要がある / が必要だ, a grammar pattern used to express that something is needed or necessary.

It is used to indicate that something must exist, be done, or be present in order for a situation to be valid or complete.

Formation:
Noun + が + 必要だ / です
Verb (dictionary form) + こと + が + 必要だ / です
(は can also replace が for emphasis)


1. Noun + が必要だ
Used when something tangible or abstract is needed.

Examples:
カードキーが必要です
“A key card is necessary.”

2. Verb + ことが必要だ
Used when expressing that an action is necessary. The verb must be nominalized using こと.

Examples:
勉強することが必要だ
“It is necessary to study.”
行くことが必要だ
“It is necessary to go.”

Also 必要がある

Formation:
Verb (dictionary form) + 必要 + が + ある

There is also 必要がある which is much more natural to use verb 必要がある than ことが必要
This is a more natural/common variant used especially with verbs:

Examples:
行く必要がある
“There is a need to go / You need to go.”
変える必要がある
“There is a need to change it.”
そういう連中の意識を変える必要がある
“There is a need to change the mindset of those people.”

Summary:
Overall 必要がある / が必要だ is used to clearly state necessity or requirement, whether for objects, actions, or abstract changes.


がする (ga suru) - to smell; hear; taste


がる (garu) - to show signs of; to appear; to feel, to think


がり (gari) - "someone tends to; has a tendency to; has a sensitivity to~ (used with personalities)"


ございます (gozaimasu) - to be, to exist (honorific ある)


始める (hajimeru) - to start to; to begin to~


はずだ (hazu da) - it must be; it should be (expectation)


はずがない (hazu ga nai) - cannot be (impossible); should not be the case


よう (you) - volitional form; let's do～


ろ (ro) - imperative form (命令形)


いらっしゃる (irassharu) - to be; to come; to go (honorific form of いる)


いたします (itashimasu) - to do (humble form of する); to venerably do


かどうか (ka douka) - whether or not～; if...or not


かな (kana) - I wonder~


かしら (kashira) - I wonder~


かい (kai) - turns a sentence into a yes/no question (casual)


かもしれない (kamoshirenai) - might; perhaps; indicates possibility


から作る (kara tsukuru) - made from; made with


きっと (kitto) - surely; undoubtedly; almost certainly; most likely

きっと, is an adverb used to express a high degree of certainty or strong expectation. 
It means things like: surely; undoubtedly; most likely; definitely (I believe)

It is placed before the event or action you are making a prediction about.

How To Use:
きっと + event / action

For example:

明日はきっと雨でしょう。
“Tomorrow will surely be rainy, right?”

Here, きっと shows the speaker’s strong expectation that it will rain, even though it’s still a prediction rather than a confirmed fact.

Like in the clip:

きっと大丈夫さ。きっと…。
“She’ll definitely be okay… definitely…”

きっと strengthens your guess or hope, expressing confidence in what you expect to happen.


頃 (koro / goro) - around; about; when

Next up is 頃, read as either ころ or ごろ depending on how it’s used.

Both relate to time, but the usage is different.
ごろ is used with specific time nouns and means:“around” or “about”.

Example:

５時ごろ — “around 5 o’clock”
今ごろ — “around now”

So ごろ is specifically used for approximate times.

ころ, on the other hand, means: “when” or “around the time that…”.
It refers to a period or point in time when something happened.

Example:

若いころ — “when I was young”

How To Use:
Noun (time) + ごろ (around; about)
Verb (casual) / I-Adj. + ころ (when)
Noun + の + ころ (when)
Na-Adj + な / だった + ころ (when)

Examples:

子供の頃からダンサーになるのが夢で。
“Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a dancer.”

でも、俺がソルジャーになった頃には…。
“But around the time I became a SOLDIER…”

So remember:

ごろ = around a specific nouns of time
ころ = around the time when something happened


こと (koto) - Verb nominalizer

Next up is こと, the verb nominalizer.

When こと follows a verb, it turns that verb into a noun. You can think of it as meaning “the act of” or “the thing of” doing that action.

How To Use:
Verb (casual, non-past) + こと

For example:

食べる — “to eat”
食べること — “the act of eating”

Now the verb is being treated like a noun.

This works similarly to using “-ing” in English, where a verb can function as a noun:

ゲームをすることが大好きです。
“I love playing games,” or literally, “I love the act of playing games.”

So by adding こと to a verb, you can talk about actions as nouns.

Examples:

倒せることはわかった。
“We understood that it can be defeated.” lit "The act of it being able to be defeated, we understood"

声が聞こえることがあるだろ？
“There are times you can hear voices, right?” lit "there are times when you can do the act of hearing voices right?"

こと can be used like this to treat verbs, as noun phrases.


ことがある (koto ga aru) - sometimes do; there are times when


ことができる (koto ga dekiru) - can; able to


ことになる (koto ni naru) - It has been decided that..; it turns out that..; it will end up being...


ことにする (koto ni suru) - to decide on; have decided to


くする / にする (ku suru) - to make something/someone (more)


急に (kyuu ni) - quickly; immediately; hastily; suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly~


までに (made ni) - by ～; by the time that ～; until / up to the point... (indicates time limit)


まま (mama) - as it is; left in a state; without changing; while


または (mata wa) - both; or; otherwise; choice between [A] or [B]


みたいだ (mitai da) - it seems that / like; as if


みたいな (mitai na) - like, similar to~


みたいに (mitai ni) - like; similar to~


な (na) - don’t ~ (order somebody to not do something)


など (nado) - such as, things like~


ながら (nagara) - while; during; as; simultaneously


なかなか～ない (nakanaka nai) - not easy to; struggling to; not able to~


なら (nara) - if; in the case that~


なさい (nasai) - do this (soft/firm command)


なさる (nasaru) - to do (honorific)


に気がつく (ni kigatsuku) - to notice; to realize


に見える (ni mieru) - to look; to seem; to appear


にする (ni suru) - decide on; to go with


にくい (nikui) - difficult to do~


の中で (no naka de) - in; among~


のに (noni) - although, in spite of, even though~


のに (noni) - to (do something); in order to~


のは〜だ (nowa...da) - [A] is [B]; the reason for [A] is [B]; the one that...is...


お～ください (o kudasai) - please do (honorific)


お～になる (o ni naru) - to do (honorific)


おきに (oki ni) - repeated at intervals, every~


おります (orimasu) - Humble polite いる


終わる (owaru) - to finish; to end~


らしい (rashii) - it seems like; I heard; apparently~


らしい (rashii) - -like; typical of; -ish


られる (rareru) - potential form; ability or inability to do something


さ (sa) - -ness; nominalizer for adjective


さっき (kitto) - some time ago; just now


させる (saseru) - causative form; to make/let somebody do something


させられる (saserareru) - causative-passive; to be made to do something


させてください (sasete kudasai) - please make / let someone X


さすが (に) (sasuga ni) - as expected; just what you’d expect; naturally; be that as it may, that’s a bit much (when something exceeds reasonable limits)


し (shi) - and; and what’s more; giving reasons


しか～ない (shika nai) - only, nothing but


そんなに (sonna ni) - so much; so; like that


それでも (sore demo) - but still; and yet; even so~


それに (sore ni) - besides; in addition; also; moreover~


そうだ (sou da) - I heard that; it is said that~


そうだ (sou da) - looks like; appears like; seeming~


そうに (sou ni) - seems like; looks like~


たばかり (ta bakari) - just finished; something just occurred


たところ (ta tokoro) - just finished doing, was just doing


他動詞 & 自動詞 (tadoushi jidoushi) - Transitive & Intransitive Verbs


たがる (tagaru) - wants to do~ (third person)


たら (tara) - if; after; when~


たらどう (tara dou) - why don't you?; how about? (used to give advice)


たらいいですか (tara ii desu ka) - what should I do?; speaker seeking instructions from listener


て (te) - conjunctive particle; and; so; because of [A], [B]...; and (then)


～て (～te) - please do for me (casual request)


てあげる (te ageru) - to do for; to do a favor


て欲しい (te hoshii) - I want you to; need you to~


ていく (te iku) - to start; to continue; to go on


ていた (te ita) - was doing something (past continuous)


～ていただけませんか (te itadakemasen ka) - could you please...; won't you (humble request)


てくれる (te kureru) - to do a favor; do something for someone


て来る (te kuru) - to do… and come back; to become; to continue; to start~


てみる (te miru) - try doing


てもらう (te morau) - to get somebody to do something


ておく (te oku) - to do something in advance


てしまう (te shimau) - to do something by accident, to finish completely


てすみません (te sumimasen) - I’m sorry for


てやる (te yaru) - to do for; to do a favor (casual form of てあげる) also used roughly 'give or do to an inferior'.


てよかった (te yokatta) - I’m glad that...


ているところ (teiru tokoro) - in the process of doing


ても (temo) - even; even if; even though~


と (to) - whenever [A] happens, [B] also happens


と言ってもいい (to ittemo ii) - you could say; one might say; I'd say~


という (to iu) - called; named; that~


ということ (to iu koto) - that means...; convert phrase into noun


と言われている (to iwareteiru) - it is said that~


と聞いた (to kiita) - I heard...


と思う (to omou) - to think…; I think…; you think…


とか～とか (toka toka) - among other things; such as; like~


ところ (tokoro) - just about to; on the verge of doing something


続ける (tsudzukeru) - continue to; keep on~


〜って (tte) - named; called~


られる (rareru) - passive form; passive voice


は～が (wa...ga) - [A] but [B]; however; comparison


やすい (yasui) - easy to; likely to; prone to; have a tendency to~


やっと (yatto) - at last; finally; barely; narrowly~


予定だ (yotei da) - plan to, intend to


ようだ (you da) - appears; seems; looks as if~


ように & ような (you ni / you na) - like; as; similar to~


ようになる (you ni naru) - to reach the point that; to come to be that; to turn into~


ようにする (you ni suru) - to try to; to make sure that~


ようと思う (you to omou) - thinking of doing; planning to~


ぜひ (zehi) - by all means; certainly; definitely~


全然 (zenzen) - completely; totally; extremely; very (pos. context, e.g. 全然いいよ)


全然～ない (zenzen nai) - (not) at all


づらい (zurai) - difficult to do~