JLPT N1 Grammar Points: All 52 Patterns Explained
Every grammar point in the A Star Japanese JLPT N1 course, grouped by lesson. Open a pattern for its meaning, how to build it, example sentences and practice questions.
The Instant That โ ใๆฉใใใปใๅฆใใปใชใใปใใฐใใ
- ใใๆฉใใ"No sooner had X than Y." Dramatic, written register; second clause is an energetic past-tense actiโฆ
- ใใๅฆใ"As soon as" โ formal and literary; happily takes uncontrollable reactions.
- ใใชใ"The moment X, (surprisingly) Y." Same subject does an unexpected second action, observed by the spโฆ
- ใใใฐใใ"As soon as X, Y (undoes it) โ every time." Repetition plus exasperation.
Extreme Degree โ ๆฅตใพใใชใใปใฎๆฅตใฟใปใฎ่ณใใปใจใใฃใใใชใ
- ใๆฅตใพใใชใ"Extremely / the height of" โ attaches to na-adjective stems, usually critical.
- ใใฎๆฅตใฟ"The pinnacle / epitome of" โ attaches to nouns.
- ใใฎ่ณใ"The utmost..." โ humble, ceremonial, mostly set phrases.
- ใใจใใฃใใใชใ"Indescribably / you wouldn't believe how..." Positive or negative, somewhat conversational.
Emphasis and "Even" โ ใใใปใ ใซใปใฆใใใปใฐใใ
- ใใใ"Even" โ the formal/written ใใ.
- ใใ ใซ"Even / merely" โ literary, survives in fixed combos: ๆณๅใใใ ใซๆใใใ (terrifying even to imagine), ๅคขใซใ ใซโฆ
- ใใฆใใ"Only by doing X (does Y hold)." ่ฆๅดใใฆใใๆๅใฎๅใณใๅใใ.
- ใใฐใใ"Precisely because X." Emphasised reason, often defending strictness: ๆใใฆใใใฐใใๅณใใๅฑใใฎใ .
Uncontainable โ ใ็ฆใๅพใชใใปใไฝๅใชใใใใใปใใซใฏใใใชใ
- ใใ็ฆใๅพใชใ"Cannot suppress (an emotion)." Emotion noun + ใ็ฆใๅพใชใ; strictly formal/written.
- ใใไฝๅใชใใใใ"Forced to by circumstances" โ news register.
- ใใใซใฏใใใชใ"Inevitably causes / will definitely do." Subject is often a thing or authority: ๆๅใใใใซใฏใใใชใ = neveโฆ
- ใใชใใงใฏๆธใพใชใ"Won't get away without doing." Social/moral pressure to act: ่ฌใใชใใงใฏๆธใพใชใ = won't get off without apโฆ
Reluctant Concession โ ใชใใพใงใใปใชใใใฆ(ใฏ)ใปใใฎใใปใจใฐใใใซ
- ใใชใใพใงใ"Even if not (quite) X, at least..." โ sets a realistic lower bar.
- ใใชใใใฆ(ใฏ)ใใชใ"Without X, Y is impossible." Formal/written necessity: ๅชๅใชใใใฆๆๅใฏใใๅพใชใ.
- ใใใฎใ"If only...
- ใใจใฐใใใซ"As if to say..." โ a vivid physical action stands in for unspoken words.
"No Matter What" โ (ใ)ใใ๏ผใใจใปใใใใพใใใปใงใใใใงใใใปใซใใ๏ผใซใใ
Limits & Restriction โ ใใใใฆไปใซใชใใปใซใใใชใใปใซใใใใชใใปใพใงใใชใ
- ใใใใใฆ(ไปใซ)ใชใ"There is no other than X" โ formal high praise.
- ใใซใใใชใTwo meanings: ่ฆใ๏ผ่ใ + ใซใใใชใ = unbearable to witness; emotion noun (ๆ่ฌใปๆๆฟ) + ใซใใใชใ = overwhelmed witโฆ
- ใใซใใใใชใ"Easy to imagine" โ almost always ๆณๅใซใใใใชใ or ๅฏใใใซใใใใชใ.
- ใใพใงใใชใ"No need to even..." Classic set phrase: ่จใใพใงใใชใ = needless to say / goes without saying.
Cause, Circumstance & Manner โ ใใ(ใซ)ใปใจใใฃใฆใปใชใใซ(ใฎ)ใปใใใ
Basis, Boundaries & Turning Points โ ใ็ฎๅใใซใปใใใฃใฆใปใๅขใซใปใใใใซใใฃใฆ
- ใใ็ฎๅใใซ(ใใฆ)"Starting with X, (a whole series followed)." Requires a following series, not a one-off event.
- ใใใใฃใฆFormal "by means of X" (ๅฎๅใใใฃใฆ็คบใ) or "as of X" as a time cutoff (ๆฌๆฅใใใฃใฆ้ๅบใใใใพใ).
- ใใๅขใซ(ใใฆ)"With X as the turning point." A boundary on the timeline โ before/after X.
- ใใใใใซใใฃใฆ(ใฏ)๏ผใใใใใ "Depending entirely on X" โ formal/literary.
Without, Let Alone & Undaunted โ ใชใใซ(ใฏ)ใปใใใฎใจใใใใปใฏใใใใปใชใใใใใใ
- ใใชใใซ(ใฏ)"Without X" โ formal, flexible negative.
- ใใใใฎใจใใใ(ใซ)"Undaunted by X" โ pushing forward despite a serious obstacle.
- ใใฏใใใ"Let alone X, not even Y" โ a backward intensifier: the expected-easier thing turns out false too.
- ใใชใใใใใใ"X would be one thing, but..." โ a pointed, raised-eyebrow contrast.
Tendency, Seeming & In Passing โ ใใใใใใใปใใใปใใฆใใปใชใใ(ใซ)ใใฆ
- ใใใใใใใ"Have a (mildly critical) tendency to..." ๅฝผใฏๅคงใใใซ่จใใใใใใใ = he tends to exaggerate.
- ใใใ"Seem X-ish / take on the air of X" โ attaches to nouns, conjugates as a Group 1 verb.
- ใใใฆใ"While doing X, (also do Y)" โ one main outing, a bonus purpose folded in.
- ใใชใใ(ใซ)ใใฆ"Remaining in the state of X" โ often innate or unusually maintained.
Up To, Covered In & As Much As โ ใซ่ณใฃใฆ(ใฏ)ใปใซ่ณใใพใงใปใใใใ(ใใใฎ)ใปใพใฟใ
- ใใซ่ณใฃใฆ(ใฏ)"Now that it's reached the point of X" โ a single, serious extreme.
- ใใซ่ณใใพใง"All the way up to / down to X" โ a full, exhaustive range, nothing left out.
- ใใใใใ๏ผใใใใฎ"As much/many as X" โ emphasises a surprisingly large quantity.
- ใใพใฟใ"Covered in / smeared with X" โ a literal (ๆณฅใพใฟใ = covered in mud) or figurative (ๅ้ใพใฟใ = buried inโฆ
Duty, Purpose & Left Undone โ ใพใใใปในใ(ในใใใ)ใปใใใใ(ใซ)ใปใใใพใ
- ใใพใใ"Should never (do) โ unforgivable to..." Fixed, formal condemnation: ่จฑใใพใใ่ก็บ (an unforgivable act);โฆ
- ใในใ๏ผใในใใใ๏ผ"In order to..." (formal purpose: ๅคขใๅฎ็พใในใใๆตทๅคใธๆธกใฃใ).
- ใใใใใ(ใซ)"In order to (achieve X)" โ literary, desperate/all-in purpose.
- ใใใใพใ"Ended up never doing X" โ quiet regret that an intended action never happened.
Learn JLPT N1 grammar in the free app
Lessons with examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
Free on iPhone and Android ยท No ads
Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are in JLPT N1?
The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list. The A Star Japanese JLPT N1 course teaches 52 grammar patterns across 13 lessons, and each one has its own page here.
How should I study JLPT N1 grammar?
Learn one pattern at a time, read the example sentences aloud, then test yourself with practice questions. Comparing patterns that look alike (such as ones that both mean โbecauseโ) helps most.