JLPT N2 Grammar Points: All 46 Patterns Explained
Every grammar point in the A Star Japanese JLPT N2 course, grouped by lesson. Open a pattern for its meaning, how to build it, example sentences and practice questions.
The ใใ Family โ Logic and Conclusions
- ใใใใ "No wonder / that's why / it follows that." Draws a logical conclusion from new evidence.
- ใใใใงใฏใชใ"It's not (necessarily) that..." A PARTIAL denial that softens an assumption.
- ใใใใใชใ"There's no way / it can't possibly be." Strong logical impossibility.
- ใใใใซใฏใใใชใ"Can't (allow myself to)" for social/moral/practical reasons โ not physical inability.
Proportion and Change โ ใฐใใปใฉใปใซใคใใฆใปใซใใใใฃใฆ
- ใใฐใใปใฉ"The more X, the more Y." ็ทด็ฟใใใฐใใใปใฉไธๆใซใชใ = the more you practise, the better you get.
- ใใซใคใใฆ"As (gradually) X, Y changes too." ๆ้ใใใคใซใคใใฆ = as time passes...
- ใใซใใใใฃใฆTwo uses: (1) gradual change like ใซใคใใฆ; (2) "in accordance with" rules/instructions, from ๅพใ (to obโฆ
- ใปใฉ (extent)"To the point of / as much as." ๆญปใฌใปใฉ็ฒใใ = dead tired.
Concession and Contrast โ ใใฎใฎใปใซใใใใใใใปใคใคใใปใใใซ
- ใใใฎใฎ"Although (it's true that)..." Concedes a fact, then notes reality clashed with it.
- ใใซใใใใใใ"Despite / in spite of." Strong, formal contrast where the result defies expectation.
- ใใคใค(ใ)"Even while / even though." [ใพใ-stem] + ใคใคใ โ acting against your own awareness, often inner confliโฆ
- ใใใใซ"Even though" with criticism or blame.
Inevitability and Compulsion โ ใใใๅพใชใใปใใซใฏใใใใชใใปใใใปใใชใ
- ใใใใๅพใชใ"Have no choice but to" โ forced by circumstances, reluctant, formal.
- ใใใซใฏใใใใชใ"Can't help (doing)" โ an inner urge you can't suppress.
- ใใใใปใใชใ๏ผใปใใชใ"There's nothing for it but to" โ no other option remains.
- ใใชใใใใซใฏใใใชใ"Must / can't avoid" due to social or moral obligation.
๐ Basis & Means โ ๆฌก็ฌฌใปใซๅบใฅใใฆใปใ้ใใฆใปใใใใฃใฆ
- ใใซๅบใฅใใฆBased on โ the evidence or foundation.
- ใใซๆฒฟใฃใฆIn line with โ the shape you follow: a policy, plan or wishes.
- ใใ้ใใฆ / ใ้ใใฆThrough a medium (ๅไบบใ้ใใฆ) or throughout a period (ไธๅนดใ้ใใฆ).
- ใใใใใฃใฆSurrounding / over โ but ONLY for contested matters: debates, disputes, conflicts.
- ใๆฌก็ฌฌ (three patterns)ใพใ-stem + ๆฌก็ฌฌ = as soon as (never past tense).
โ ๏ธ Possibility & Refusal โ ใใญใชใใปใใญใใปใฃใใชใใปๅพใ
- ใใใญใชใCould well happen โ ONLY for undesirable outcomes.
- ใใใญใCannot / am unable to โ negative despite having no negative marker.
- ใใญใชใ vs ใใญใSame stem, opposite direction: ่จใใใญใชใ = might well say it (bad); ่จใใใญใพใ = I cannot say it (refusal).
- ใใฃใใชใNo chance whatsoever โ emphatic and casual only.
- ใๅพใ / ใๅพใชใFormal possibility.
๐ค Cause, Blame & Outcome โ ใใใใปๆซใซใปใฐใใใซใปใใใง
- ใใใใ๏ผใซ๏ผAnd after all that...
- ใๆซ๏ผใใ๏ผใซAfter a long process, finally โ neutral, can be positive.
- ใใใ vs ๆซใซๆฉใใ ใใใ (wasted effort, bad end) vs ๆฉใใ ๆซใซ (effortful, outcome open โ can be success).
- ใใฐใใใซAll because of just this โ blames one specific, often small trigger, with strong personal regret.
- ใใใง vs ใใใใงใใใง = because of (blame, negative).
๐ Necessary Conditions โ ใฆใฏใใใฆใปใชใใใจใซใฏใปใฆใใใงใชใใจใปใใใจใใฃใฆ
- ใใฆใฏใใใฆOnly after doing X did I realise Y โ pairs with ๅใใ/ๆฐใฅใ/ๅฎๆใใ.
- ใใชใใใจใซใฏUnless you do X, Y is impossible โ a strict, fairly formal precondition.
- ใใฆใใใงใชใใจ๏ผใฆใใใงใชใใใฐNot unless you first do X โ implies a step-by-step order.
- ใชใใใจใซใฏ vs ใฆใใใงใชใใจBoth mean "unless/without." ใฆใใใงใชใใจ implies a sequence (do this, then that); ใชใใใจใซใฏ is a broader prโฆ
- ใใใใจใใฃใฆJust because X, that doesn't mean Y โ blocks an assumed inference.
โก Sudden Sequence โ ใใจใใใปใใจๆใใจใปใใใชใใใฎใใกใซใปใใใชใ
- ใใใจใใ๏ผใซ๏ผThe instant X happened, (unexpectedly) Y โ verb-ใ + ใจใใ.
- ใใใจๆใใจ๏ผใใจๆใฃใใNo sooner X than Y โ often a rapid change or contrast (cryingโlaughing).
- ใใใใชใใใฎใใกใซX had barely happened / wasn't even finished when Y โ dict-form + ใ + ใชใ-form + ใใฎใใกใซ.
- ใใใใชใThe very moment X, Y โ literary/written register, same meaning as ใใจใใ.
- ใใจใใ vs ๆฌก็ฌฌๆฌก็ฌฌ = as soon as (planned, formal, the next clause is a future plan).
๐ฏ Fitting Expectations โ ใ ใใใฃใฆใปใ ใใซใปใใฎใ ใใใปใใจใ ใใ
- ใใ ใใใฃใฆAs you'd expect from X โ the result lives up to X, usually admiring.
- ใใ ใใซAll the more because X โ X intensifies the result, which can be positive OR negative (often emotionโฆ
- ใ ใใใฃใฆ vs ใ ใใซๆๅใชใ ใใใฃใฆๆททใใงใใ (lives up to it, neutral) vs ๆๅใชใ ใใซๆนๅคใๅคใ (precisely because โ X cuts both ways).
- ใใใฎใ ใใ๏ผใใฎใงIt's just that X, so...
- ใใใจใ ใใNoun(person) + ใฎ + ใใจใ ใใ = knowing them, surely Y โ a confident guess based on someone's known charโฆ
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Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are in JLPT N2?
The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list. The A Star Japanese JLPT N2 course teaches 46 grammar patterns across 10 lessons, and each one has its own page here.
How should I study JLPT N2 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.