JLPT N5 GRAMMAR です This means "is", "am", or "are" (depending on the situation), though the meaning in English is a lot broader than in Japanese. Some other words (「いる」 and 「ある」) also mean "is", depending on the situation.
Example: わたしはマイクです。 I am Mike.
Example: これはペンです。 This is a pen.
も This means "too", "and", or "also".
Example: かれはサッカーがすきです。わたしもサッカーがすきです。 He likes soccer. I like soccer, too.
Example: けんはケーキもクッキーもたべました。 Ken ate both cake and cookies.
で This means "at" or "in", and is used when specifying where something happens.
Example: エミは学校ですう学をべんきょうします。 Emi studies math at school.
に/へ This means "to", and is used when describing a destination.
Example: リエ子はローマにいきました。 Rieko went to Rome.
に This is a general use preposition. It can mean "in", "at", "to", "for", and other general prepositional phrases, depending on the context.
Example: あの人に本を与えてください。 Please give the book to that person.
Example: 冬に、雪が降ります。 In winter, it snows.
Page | 1
を This denotes the object of an action.
Example: あの猫が魚を食べた。 That cat ate the fish.
～ませんか This means "Won't you ~ ?" or "Shall we ~ ?". It's an invitation.
Example: ケーキをたべませんか？ Won't you have some cake?
Example: えいがをみませんか？ Won't you (shall we) watch a movie?
は This denotes a topic.
Example: 彼女は嬉しいです。 She is happy.
～があります This means "there is". It is used for non-living things (use 「がいます」 for living things).
Example: つくえの上にボールがあります。 There is a ball on the desk.
Example: はこの中にプレゼントがありますか。 Is there a present in the box?
～がいます This means "there is" or "is" and is used for living things.
Example: あそこの木の下に、子ども二人がいます。 There are two children under the tree over there.
Example: きょうしつに田中先生がいますか。 Is Mr. Tanaka in the classroom?"
と This is a particle used to link nouns in a complete list.
Example: サラダはレタスとにんじんとラディッシュからしました。 The salad was made from lettuce, carrot, and radish.
Page | 2
～ましょう This is a polite volitional phrase, meaning "I'll" or "let's".
Example: 食べましょう。 Let's eat!
～ましょうか This is a polite volitional phrase used for suggestions.
食べましょうか。 How about we eat?
～てください This is used to link verb copulas, ending in "て" or "で", to "ください", making it into a request.
Example: 日本語ではなしてください。 Please speak in Japanese.
Example: 彼といってください。 Please go with him.
～てもいいです This is used to link verb copulas to "もいいです" meaning "it's enough" or "it's good". It can be used as a request for permission.
Example: 料理してもいいです。 Can I cook?
～てはいけません This is used to link copulas to "はいけません", meaning "it's not good". It is used to scold or otherwise disapprove.
Example: サーラーの手書きはいけません。 Sarah's handwriting is not great yet.
"はいけません", meaning "No you must not..." This is formed by using the te-form. て-form + はい けません...
Example: ここに車を止めてはいけません。You must not park the car here.
Page | 3
～から Phrase meaning "from".
Example: この電車はサンホせからサンフランシスコにいきます。 This train goes from San Jose to San Francisco.
～ている いる, when used after the て form of a verb, indicates that an action is ongoing (progressive tense, marked in English by "ing",) or in a certain state.
Example: 私は 読んでいます。I am reading.
Example: ドアが開いています。 The door is open.
Example: 僕は結婚しています。 I am married.
Example: 子供は走っています。 The children are running.
～にいく It means to go somewhere or to go do something.
Example: 私は泳ぎに行く。I go swimming.
Example: 彼は勉強に行った。He went to study.
Example: 彼女は東京に行く。She's going to Tokyo.
ないでください This means "please don't do", used in place of a "-te" form of a verb.
Example: このりんごを食べないでください。Please don't eat this apple.
Example: その本を読まないでください。Please don't read that book
～のがすきです It means to like doing something.
Example: 私はアニメを見るのが好きです。I like watching anime.
Example: 彼女は歌うのがすきです。She likes singing.
Page | 4
～のがじょうずです It means to be good at something.
Example: 彼女は歌うのがじょうずです。She's good at singing.
Example: あなたは泳ぐのが上手ですか? Are you good at swimming?
～のがへたです It means to be bad at something.
Example: 私は踊るのがへたです。I'm bad at dancing.
Example: 彼は勉強するのが下手です。He's bad at studying.
まだ～ていません It means that someone hasn't done something yet.
Example: 私はまだ決めていません。I haven't decided yet.
Example: 彼はまだ帰っていません。He hasn't returned yet.
～のほうが～より It means that something is more (interesting/expensive/etc.) than something else.
Example: この本のほうがあの新聞より高い。This book is more expensive than that newspaper.
Example: 図書館の方が学校より静か。Library is quieter than school.
～のなかで～がいちばん～ It means the best from something or the most (new/old/expensive/likeable/etc.).
Example: あの図書館のなかでこの本がいちばん。This book is the best book in that library.
Example: このお菓子の中でクッキーがいちばん好きです。From these sweets I like cookies the most.
Page | 5
つもりです This means a plan or an intent of doing something.
Example: 私は映画を見に行くつもりです。I'm going to go see a movie.
Example: あなたは何を勉強するつもりですか? What are you going to study?
～く/ ～になる It means to become (smart/tall/etc.). If used with -na adjectives it's adj+になる, for -i adjectives it's adj+くなる.
Example: あの女性はきれいになった。That woman became beautiful.
Example: この自転車は古くなった。。This bicycle became old.
V stem + たいです Creates the polite 'want to do' form of a verb Example - I want to eat some cake - 僕は ケーキを 食べたい です。- Boku-wa kēki-o tabetai desu.
～たり …～たりする It makes a list of activities or attributes. It means something like "this and that/sometimes this and sometimes that/in some parts this in other parts that". With nouns or -na adjectives it becomes "～だったり …～だったりする".
Example: 昨日私は本を読んだりお菓子を食べたりした。Yesterday I was reading a book and eating sweets.
Example: あの映画は面白かったりつまらなかったりする。That movie is interesting in some parts and boring in other parts.
Example: 彼女は親切だったりきれいだったりする。She's nice and beautiful.
～たことがある It indicates that something has (or hasn't ever) happened in the past.
Example: 私は東京へ行ったことがある。I've been to Tokyo.
Example: 私はそれを聞いたことがない。I've never heard of this.
Page | 6
や This is a particle used to link nouns in an incomplete list.
Example: 猫や犬や猿が動物園にいます。 There are cats and dogs and monkeys (among other things) at the zoo.
～んです It accents the sentence's content or softens a request or an order. It may be also said as "~ので す". With -na adjectives and nouns it becomes "~なのです".
Example: 私は今忙しいんです。I'm busy right now.
Example: 私は今そうじ中なのです。I'm cleaning right now.
Example: テニスはするんですか？ Do you play tennis? (at all, not right now)
～すぎる It means "too much" or "too (big/small/expensive/etc.)".
Example: 山田さんは食べすぎる。Mr. Yamada eats too much.
Example: 私は食べ物を買いすぎた。I bought too much food.
Example: このシャツは大きすぎる。This shirt is too big.
～ほうがいい It means "it's better" or "it would be better", it may be also used to say that something should (or shouldn't) be done.
Example: あなたはこの本を買うほうがいい。You should buy this book.
Example: 私はあのケーキを食べなかったほうがいい。I shouldn't eat that cake.
ので It means "because" or "so". The cause is more impartial (like because a building is red or tall) than with "から" or "だから" where it's more subjective (like because you think an apple tastes good). With nouns and -na adjectives it becomes "なので".
Example: この本は高いので買わない。I'm not buying this book, because it's expensive.
Example: あの映画を見たので他の映画を見よう。I've seen this movie so let's watch a different one.
Page | 7
Example: 彼女は病気なので来ない。She isn't coming because she's sick.
～なくちゃいけない It means that something has to be done (lit: it's bad not to do it).
Example: あなたは宿題を終わらなくちゃいけない。You have to finish your homework. (It's not good for you to not finish your homework.)
でしょう It means something like "isn't it/aren't you/aren't I/etc." or "right?". It's used when the speaker isn't sure about something or in rhetorical questions.
Example: あなたは七時まで帰るでしょ？ You'll come back before 7 o'clock, right?
Example: これは本でしょ?
Example: あのビルは普通じゃないでしょ? That building isn't normal, is it?
Example: 彼は泳げないでしょ? He can't swim, can he?
It's a book, isn't it?
～まえに It means "before doing (something)" or "ago" (like 3 days ago).
Example: 食べる前に手を洗って下さい。Please wash your hands before eating.
Example: 私は一時前に帰った。I came back an hour ago.
～てから It means to do something after doing something else.
Example: 考えてから言ってください。Please speak after thinking.
Example: 私は手を洗ってから食事をした。I had a meal after washing my hands.
Page | 8
