Welcome to the grammar category on blog.gokigen.jp! Here, we break down Japanese grammar points in a way that’s easy for English speakers to follow, from the fundamentals to more advanced concepts.
Japanese grammar
Japanese grammar
Japanese grammar
level2 (N4)V (short) + 間に (aida ni): How to Say “While / During …” in Japanese
Learn how to use V (short) + 間に to say “while / during …” in Japanese. Clear rules (use ている), forms with verbs/adjectives/nouns, natural examples, “間に vs. ながら / 間,” common mistakes, and quick practice for JLPT N4 learners.
level2 (N4)Japanese V-てある: Result of Preparation
Learn how to use V-てある to say “has been done (in preparation)” in Japanese. See the pattern with transitive verbs, the difference from ておく, why intransitives don’t work, the set phrase ～と書いてあります, plus examples, drills, and common mistakes.
level2 (N4)Japanese Passive Form れる・られる: How to Say “be ~ed” and “be done by” with Natural Examples
Master the Japanese passive (れる・られる). Learn how to build (Doee) は (Doer) に V-れる/られる, conjugation for ru/u/irregular verbs, and when to use it: adversity passive, neutral reports, and positive passives. With clear examples, practice, and common mistakes.
level2 (N4)short form + はずです: Beginner’s Guide to Saying “I’m sure / It should be …” in Japanese
Learn how to use plain (short) form + はずです to express “I’m sure that…” or “It should be…” in Japanese. Clear formation for verbs, adjectives, and nouns (including negatives & past), natural examples, practice, and common mistakes—perfect for JLPT N4 learners.
level2 (N4)V-te + yokatta desu (〜てよかったです): The Beginner’s Pattern for “I’m glad that …” in Japanese
Learn how to say “I’m glad that …” with V-て + よかったです in Japanese. Clear meaning, how to form positives and negatives (〜なくてよかったです), natural examples, practice, and common mistakes for JLPT N4 beginners.
level2 (N4)How to Say “I Should Have…” in Japanese (V-ば + よかったです)
Learn V-ば + よかったです to express past regret in Japanese: “I should have…” / “I shouldn’t have…”. Clear formation, examples, common mistakes, and quick practice.
level2 (N4)How to Use “〜てしまう” in Japanese: Finish or Accidentally End Up Doing
Learn the Japanese grammar 〜てしまう. Say you’ve completely finished something or accidentally ended up doing it, with examples, structure, and practice sentences.
level2 (N4)Transitive vs. Intransitive Verb Pairs in Japanese (有対動詞) + 〜ている
Learn Japanese verb pairs (transitive/intransitive: 有対動詞) and how 〜ている changes meaning: action-in-progress vs. result state. With core pairs (開ける/開く, 閉める/閉まる, つける/つく, 消す/消える…), examples, drills, and common mistakes for N4 beginners.
level2 (N4)(short form) + ka / (short form) + ka dou ka: Beginner’s Guide to “whether/if …” in Japanese
Learn how to embed questions with (short) + か and (short) + かどうか to say “whether/if …” in Japanese. Clear rules, when to use か vs かどうか, verb/adjective/noun patterns, examples, drills, and common pitfalls for JLPT N4 beginners.
level2 (N4)N1 to iu N2 (〜という): Beginner’s Guide to “a N2 called N1” in Japanese
Learn the pattern N1 という N2 to say “a N2 called/named N1” in Japanese. Clear rules, natural examples, handy variants (という名前の, っていう), drills, and common mistakes—perfect for JLPT N4 beginners.