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
level3 (N3)Nによって (N ni yotte) Meaning & Usage: “Depending on N / it depends on N” in Japanese
Learn JLPT N3 grammar Nによって (“depending on N / it depends on N”). Clear meaning, natural examples, common patterns like Nによって違う and embedded-question forms such as 何をするかによって, plus related grammar like Nによる and Nしだい.
level3 (N3)Nからみると / からすると / からいうと Meaning & Usage: “Judging from N’s standpoint” in Japanese
Learn JLPT N3 grammar Nからみると / からすると / からいうと (“judging from N’s standpoint / from N’s point of view”). Clear meaning, natural examples, nuance differences, and related grammar like Nにとって and Nにしてみれば.
level3 (N3)Nとして (N to shite) Meaning & Usage: “As N / in the role of N” in Japanese
Learn JLPT N3 grammar Nとして (“as N / in the role of N”). Clear meaning, natural examples, common patterns like NとしてのN and Nとしては, and related grammar such as Nで and Nにとって.
level3 (N3)Nにとって (N ni totte): For N / from N’s standpoint in Japanese
Learn JLPT N3 grammar Nにとって (“for N / from N’s standpoint”). Clear meaning, natural examples, common mistakes, and related patterns.
level3 (N3)何といっても (nanto ittemo) — “Above all / undeniably”
Learn JLPT N3 grammar 何といっても (“above all / undeniably / no question”). Clear meaning, natural examples, common mistakes, and related patterns like 何より(も).
level3 (N3)Nといえば (N to ieba): “Speaking of…” / “When you mention…”
Learn JLPT N3 grammar Nといえば (“speaking of / when you mention…”). Clear meaning, natural examples, common mistakes, and related patterns like NといえばNだ and Nといったら.
level2 (N4)V (short) + ことにしている: How to Say “Make it a Habit to …”
Learn V (short) + ことにしている to express “I make it a habit to …” in Japanese. Clear formation, nuance vs. ことにする / ことになる / ことになっている, natural examples, practice, and common mistakes.
level2 (N4)V (short) + ことにする: How to Say “Decide to do …” in Japanese
Learn V (short) + ことにする to express “decide to do …” in Japanese. Clear formation, nuance vs. ことになる and ことにしている, natural examples, practice prompts, and common mistakes—perfect for JLPT N4 learners.
level2 (N4)N のように / N のような: How to Say “Like N / Similar to N” in Japanese
Learn N のように (like N + verb/adj) and N のような (N-like + noun) to express similarity in Japanese. Clear rules, natural examples, common mistakes, and practice for JLPT N4 learners.
level2 (N4)V-stem + 方 (kata): How to Say “How to do ~” in Japanese
Learn V-stem + 方 (kata) to express “how to do ~” in Japanese: formation (ru/u/irregular), particle changes (を→の), への for destinations, natural request patterns, examples, practice, and common mistakes. Perfect for JLPT N4 learners.