JLPT N4 Grammar Points: All 72 Patterns Explained
Every grammar point in the A Star Japanese JLPT N4 course, grouped by lesson. Open a pattern for its meaning, how to build it, example sentences and practice questions.
Passive & Causative Forms
- ๏ฝใใใ (passive)Turns a verb passive: "was done to." ใใใใใซใปใใใใ = was praised by teacher.
- ๏ฝใใใ (causative)"Make/let someone do." ใในใใใ = make/let eat.
- ๏ฝใใใใใ"Was made to do." Causative + passive combined.
- ใใใใใฎใใใฟ (suffering passive)Uniquely Japanese passive expressing inconvenience: ใใใซใตใใใ = got rained on (and it was annoying).
Potential & Volitional Forms
- Potential form"Can do." Group 1: ใ-row + ใ (ใฎใใ).
- ใๆใ่จ่ (ra-nuki)Dropping ใ from Group 2 potential: ใในใใใ โ ใในใใ.
- Volitional form"Let's / I'll." Group 1: ใ-row + ใ (ใใใ).
- ๏ฝใใใซใชใ"Became able to." Marks a change in ability over time: ใฏใชใใใใใซใชใฃใ = became able to speak.
Giving Reasons & Contrast
Keigo โ Polite & Humble Speech
Relative Clauses & Modifying Nouns
- Relative clausesDescriptive clauses that come BEFORE the noun they modify.
- ใ in sub-clausesUse ใ (not ใฏ) to mark the subject inside a relative clause.
- Plain form ruleInside a relative clause, use the PLAIN form (ใ/ใ/ใชใ/ใชใใฃใ), never the ใพใ form.
- Stacking modifiersYou can combine multiple modifiers: ใใฎใใจใใ ใกใ่ฒทใฃใ้ซใใฑใผใญ (kinou tomodachi ga katta takai kฤki) = yesterโฆ
Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did
- ๏ฝใฆใฟใ"Try doing." Attempting something to experience it or see the result.
- ๏ฝใฆใใ"Do in advance/preparation." ใฆ-form + ใใ.
- ๏ฝใใฐใใ"Just did." ใ-form + ใฐใใ.
- Combining helper verbsThese patterns (ใฟใ, ใใ, ใฐใใ) layer onto any verb, dramatically increasing your expressive range witโฆ
Making Comparisons
Expressing Wishes and Desires
Reporting What People Say and Think
๐ฌ Everyday N4 โ Patterns You'll Use All the Time
- ใใฆใใ (state)Beyond just "is doing" โ also describes current states from past actions: ็ตๅฉใใฆใใพใ (am married), ็ฅใฃใฆโฆ
- ใใฆใใพใ / ใใกใใ"Ended up doing" โ regret or completion.
- ใใฐใใใฃใ"I should have / I wish I had." Conditional ใฐ + ใใใฃใ.
- ใใฟใใ"Seems like / looks like." Casual version of ใใใ .
The Four Conditionals โ ใจใปใฐใปใใใปใชใ
Giving & Receiving โ ใใใใปใใใใปใใใ
- ใใใ"I/we give" โ away from the speaker.
- ใใใ"Someone gives TO me" โ always points at the speaker or in-group.
- ใใใ"I receive." The subject is the receiver.
- ใฆ-form favoursใใฆใใใ (do for someone), ใใฆใใใ (someone does for me โ gratitude), ใใฆใใใ (have someone do for me).
Must, May & Must Not โ Obligation & Permission
- ใใชใใใฐใชใใชใ"Must / have to." [ใชใ-stem] + ใชใใใฐใชใใชใ/ใใใชใ.
- ใใชใใฆใใใ"Don't have to." [ใชใ-stem] + ใชใใฆใใใ.
- ใใฆใใใ"May / it's OK to." ใฆ-form + ใใใ๏ผใงใใ๏ผ.
- ใใฆใฏใใใชใ"Must not." ใฆ-form + ใฏใใใชใ.
๐ช Verb Pairs โ ่ชๅ่ฉ & ไปๅ่ฉ
- ่ชๅ่ฉ (intransitive)The thing acts on its own; takes ใ.
- ไปๅ่ฉ (transitive)Someone acts on the thing; takes ใ.
- ใใฆใใ (state)Intransitive + ใฆใใ = current state.
- ใใฆใใTransitive + ใฆใใ = state resulting from deliberate action, and it takes ใ.
- ใใฆใใ / ใใจใDo in advance and leave it ready.
๐ค How Sure Are You? โ ใงใใใใปใใใใใชใใปใฏใใปใซใกใใใชใ
โฑ๏ธ Timing โ ใใจใใใ ใปใ้ใซใปใใใกใซ
- ใใจใใใ Marks the phase of an action.
- ใใใจใใ vs ใใใฐใใใจใใ = objectively seconds/minutes ago.
- ใ้ (no ใซ)"The whole time." Both actions span the same interval: ๅฏใฆใใ้ใๆฌใ่ชญใใงใใ = I read the entire time the bโฆ
- ใ้ใซ (with ใซ)"At some point during." A one-off event inside the window: ๅฏใฆใใ้ใซ่ฒทใ็ฉใซ่กใฃใ = I went shopping while thโฆ
- ใใใกใซ"While it lasts" โ do it before the situation changes.
โ๏ธ Easy, Hard, Too Much โ ใใใใใปใใซใใใปใใใใใปใใชใใ
- ใใใใใพใ-stem + ใใใ = easy to do, or prone to happening.
- ใใซใใ / ใใฅใใHard to do.
- ใใใใToo much โ almost always a complaint.
- ใใชใใTwo simultaneous actions by the SAME person; the second is the main one.
- ใใใใฆ"Too ~ so that." ้ซใใใฆ่ฒทใใชใใฃใ = too expensive so I couldn't buy it.
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Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are in JLPT N4?
The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list. The A Star Japanese JLPT N4 course teaches 72 grammar patterns across 17 lessons, and each one has its own page here.
How should I study JLPT N4 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.