Japanese Grammar List – Level 4 (JLPT N2 / CEFR B2)
You will be able to express yourself more precisely, understand more complex conversations, and follow a wider range of Japanese in everyday life. This is useful for having deeper conversations, understanding Japanese media, and communicating more confidently in Japan. (JLPT N2/CEFR B2 level)
- Lesson 1 – Topics, Perspectives & Context / 話題・観点・文脈の提示
- Lesson 2 – Basis, Correspondence & Means / 基準・関連・手段
- Lesson 3 – Causes, Reasons & Grounds / 原因・理由・根拠
- Lesson 4 – Timing, Sequence & Simultaneity / 時間・前後関係・同時
- Lesson 5 – Change, Progression & Completion / 変化・進行・完遂
- Lesson 6 – Conditions, Contrast & Concession / 条件・逆接・譲歩
- Lesson 7 – Irrelevance, Exclusion & Addition / 無関係・排除・添加
- Lesson 8 – Limitation, Emphasis & Degree / 限定・強調・程度
- Lesson 9 – Inference, Judgment & Certainty / 推量・判断・確信
- Lesson 10 – Emotion, Evaluation & Feelings / 感情・評価・心情
- Lesson 11 – Obligation, Necessity & (Im)possibility / 義務・必要・可能／不可能
- Lesson 12 – Purpose, Will & Assertion / 目的・意志・主張
- Lesson 13 – Connecting Sentences / 文と文をつなぐ表現
- Lesson 14 – Written Language, Formal Expressions & Keigo / 書き言葉・改まった表現・敬語
Lesson 1 – Topics, Perspectives & Context / 話題・観点・文脈の提示
You learn how to introduce topics and perspectives, explain context, and set the scope of what you are talking about.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～において／～における | in; at; in the field of |
| ～にあたって／～にあたり | on the occasion of; when doing |
| ～に際して／～に際し／〜際(に) | at the time of; upon |
| ～に先立って／～に先立ち | prior to; in advance of |
| ～をめぐって／～をめぐる | concerning; over (a disputed issue) |
| ～に関して／～に関する | regarding; concerning |
| ～上／～上の | from the standpoint of; in terms of |
| ～にしては | considering that; for a ~ |
| ～はともかく（として） | setting aside; ~ aside |
| ～はさておき | leaving ~ aside for now |
Lesson 2 – Basis, Correspondence & Means / 基準・関連・手段
You learn how to express the basis, standards, and conditions for something, as well as relationships, correspondence, and means.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～に基づいて／～に基づく | based on; on the basis of |
| ～に沿って／～に沿った | in accordance with; along |
| ～に応じて／～に応じた | in response to; depending on |
| ～をもとに（して） | using ~ as material; on the basis of |
| ～に従って／～に従い | in accordance with; following |
| ～次第だ／～次第で | depends on; depending on |
| ～向け／～向き | aimed at / suited for |
| ～を契機に（して） | taking ~ as an opportunity |
| ～にこたえて | in response to (a request, expectation) |
| ～を通じて／～を通して | through; by way of; throughout |
| ～を中心に（して） | centering on; mainly |
Lesson 3 – Causes, Reasons & Grounds / 原因・理由・根拠
You learn how to explain causes and reasons, give grounds for an opinion, and show how one thing leads to another.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～ことから | from the fact that; judging from |
| ～ことだから | because it is ~ (who/that we are talking about) |
| ～だけに | precisely because; all the more because |
| ～あまり（に） | out of too much ~ |
| ～以上（は） | now that; since |
| ～からには | now that; if ~ then |
| ～により／～による | due to; by (formal cause / agent) |
| ～ばかりに | simply because ~ (with a bad result) |
| ～せいか | perhaps because of |
| ～につき | due to; per (formal notices) |
Lesson 4 – Timing, Sequence & Simultaneity / 時間・前後関係・同時
You learn how to describe precise timing, sequence, and simultaneous events, including what happens immediately before or after something else.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～たとたん（に） | the moment that ~ |
| ～か～ないかのうちに | no sooner than; almost at the same time |
| ～次第 | as soon as (formal) |
| ～た上で | after doing ~ (and on that basis) |
| ～際（に）／～際は | when; on the occasion of |
| ～最中に | right in the middle of ~ing |
| ～てはじめて | only after ~ did I realize |
| ～ぶり（に） | after an interval of ~ |
| ～きり | since ~ (and not since) |
| ～かと思うと／～かと思ったら | no sooner than; just when |
| ～てからというもの | ever since ~ (a lasting change) |
| 〜にわたって/わたり | over; throughout; across |
| 〜てこのかた | ever since |
Lesson 5 – Change, Progression & Completion / 変化・進行・完遂
You learn how to describe ongoing changes, gradual developments, and actions that continue or are completed fully.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～つつある | be in the process of ~ing |
| ～一方だ | keep on ~ing (in one direction) |
| ～ばかりだ | only get more and more ~ |
| ～につれて | as ~ progresses, so does … |
| ～に伴って／～に伴い | accompanying; along with |
| ～とともに | together with; as ~ changes |
| ～きる／～きれない | do completely / cannot do completely |
| ～ぬく | do through to the very end (despite difficulty) |
| ～通す | keep doing all the way through |
Lesson 6 – Conditions, Contrast & Concession / 条件・逆接・譲歩
You learn how to express conditions, assumptions, contrasts, and concessions, including “even if,” “although,” and “supposing that.”
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～としたら／～とすれば／～とすると | supposing that; if we assume |
| ～ないことには | unless ~, (nothing can happen) |
| ～としても | even if; even supposing |
| ～にしても／～にしろ／～にせよ | even if; even granting that |
| ～にしても～にしても／～にせよ～にせよ | whether A or B |
| ～ものの | although; and yet |
| ～ながら（も） | although; despite |
| ～つつ（も） | even while ~ing; although |
| ～ものなら | if it were possible to ~ |
| ～たところで | even if ~, it would be useless |
| ～くせに | even though (with blame or contempt) |
| ～わりに（は） | considering; for |
| ～に反して／～に反する | contrary to |
| ～どころか | far from ~; on the contrary |
Lesson 7 – Irrelevance, Exclusion & Addition / 無関係・排除・添加
You learn how to express things that are unrelated to a condition, exclude or limit something, and add information or alternatives.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～にかかわらず／～にかかわりなく | regardless of |
| ～もかまわず | without caring about |
| ～を問わず | regardless of; irrespective of |
| ～はもちろん／～はもとより | not to mention; needless to say |
| ～に限らず | not limited to |
| ～ばかりでなく | not only ~ but also |
| ～上に | on top of; in addition |
| ～に加えて／～に加え | in addition to |
| ～どころではない | this is no time for ~ |
| ～ぬきで／～ぬきに（して） | without; leaving out |
| ～かわりに | instead of; in exchange for |
| ～に代わって／～に代わり | on behalf of; in place of |
Lesson 8 – Limitation, Emphasis & Degree / 限定・強調・程度
You learn how to emphasize a point, express limits and degrees, and describe things such as “only,” “precisely,” “even,” and “as much as.”
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～に限る／～に限って／～に限り | ~ is the best / of all times / only for ~ |
| ～こそ | it is precisely ~ that |
| ～からこそ | precisely because |
| ～てこそ | only by doing ~ |
| ～のみ／～のみならず | only / not only ~ but also |
| ～に過ぎない | no more than; merely |
| ～くらい／～ぐらい | to the extent that; about that much |
| ～だけの | as much as; enough to |
| ～まで（も） | even to the point of |
| ～も～ば～も／～も～なら～も | both ~ and ~ |
| ～やら～やら | things like ~ and ~ (and it’s a lot) |
Lesson 9 – Inference, Judgment & Certainty / 推量・判断・確信
You learn how to express strong guesses, judgments, and degrees of certainty, from “probably” to “there is no way.”
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～に違いない／～に相違ない | must be; I’m sure that |
| ～に決まっている | surely; it’s obvious that |
| ～かねない | might well ~ (something undesirable) |
| ～おそれがある | there is a risk that |
| ～わけがない | there’s no way that |
| ～かのようだ／～かのように | as if; just like |
| ～とみえる／～とみられる | it appears that; is regarded as |
| ～ものと思われる | it is thought that (formal) |
| ～としか思えない | I can only think that |
| ～ないとも限らない | it’s not impossible that |
Lesson 10 – Emotion, Evaluation & Feelings / 感情・評価・心情
You learn how to express strong feelings, emotional reactions, evaluations, and the sense that something is worth doing.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～てたまらない | unbearably; can’t stand |
| ～てしかたがない／～てしょうがない | can’t help feeling ~ |
| ～てならない | can’t help but feel ~ (naturally arising) |
| ～ずにはいられない／～ないではいられない | can’t help but do |
| ～ことか | how ~ it is! |
| ～ことに（は） | to one’s surprise / delight / regret |
| ～ものだ | how ~! / used to / one should |
| ～ものがある | there is something ~ about it |
| ～かいがある／～がいがある | it is worth ~ing |
| ～に越したことはない | there’s nothing better than ~ |
Lesson 11 – Obligation, Necessity & (Im)possibility / 義務・必要・可能／不可能
You learn how to express necessity, obligation, and situations where something is impossible or there is no choice but to do it.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～ざるを得ない | have no choice but to |
| ～わけにはいかない／～ないわけにはいかない | can’t afford to / can’t not do |
| ～ほかない／～よりほかない | there is nothing to do but |
| ～しかない | have no option but to |
| ～ようがない／～ようもない | there is no way to |
| ～かねる | cannot (politely decline) |
| ～得る／～得ない | can / cannot possibly |
| ～ことはない | there is no need to |
| ～ものではない | one shouldn’t (general principle) |
| ～て当然だ／～て当たり前だ | it’s only natural that |
Lesson 12 – Purpose, Will & Assertion / 目的・意志・主張
You learn how to express purposes, intentions, strong determination, proposals, and firm statements about what you will or will not do.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～には | in order to do ~, (you need …) |
| ～に向けて／～に向けた／〜向け | toward (a goal or date) |
| ～を目指して | aiming at |
| ～てでも | even by ~ing (I will) |
| ～（よ）うではないか | let’s ~ (strong proposal) |
| ～てみせる | I’ll show you; I will definitely |
| ～ものか／～もんか | I’ll never ~! (strong refusal) |
| ～つもりで | with the intention of; as if |
| ～こととする／～こととなる | it is hereby decided that (formal) |
Lesson 13 – Connecting Sentences / 文と文をつなぐ表現
You learn how to connect sentences and ideas smoothly, including contrast, addition, cause and effect, clarification, and summary.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 一方（で）／反面 | on the other hand; while |
| それに対して | in contrast to that |
| ところが | however (contrary to expectation) |
| それにしても | even so; all the same |
| そのうえ／さらに／おまけに | moreover; furthermore |
| したがって | therefore (formal) |
| そこで | so; with that, (I did …) |
| すると | thereupon; then |
| ただし | however; provided that |
| もっとも | that said; although |
| なお／ちなみに | in addition (a note) / incidentally |
| つまり／要するに | in other words / in short |
Lesson 14 – Written Language, Formal Expressions & Keigo / 書き言葉・改まった表現・敬語
You learn formal and written Japanese, including expressions used in formal writing, objective descriptions, and polite and honorific language.
| Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ～（さ）せていただく | humbly do (with permission) |
| お／ご～いただく | receive the favor of your ~ing |
| ～ておられる | honorific of ～ている |
| ～でございます | polite/formal equivalent of ～です |
| ～と存じます | I believe / I think (humble) |
| ～とされている／～と言われている | is held to be / is said to be |
| ～という／～といった | such as; of the sort |
| ～であり、／～であるが | formal linking of ～である |
| ～化する／～的（な）／～性 | noun-building suffixes |
| ～に見られる／～が見られる | can be observed in (objective description) |
Would you like to review the previous level? Please see: Japanese Grammar List – Level 3 (JLPT N3 / CEFR B1)