JLPT Grammer for JLPT Level 3

To study the grammar of level N3 you first have to be sure and confident about the grammar of levels N5 and N4. In other words unless and until you are clear with the concepts and use of basic grammar i.e. N5 and N4 level you will not understand the grammar of N3.

The Japanese grammar of JLPT level N3 consists of grammar of N4 as well as some more additions of sentence patterns. The difficulty level of this level is more than level N4.

We will be introduced to approximately 60 new sentence patterns. To make the study of grammar of this level easy for you we have divided it into different lessons. Each lesson will introduce you to a set of new sentence patterns along with some examples. Again it is not necessary that one pattern can be used in only one way and has only one meaning to it. One pattern can have one or more than one use and meaning. In some sentence patterns there is no compulsion or rule that you should use a particular form of the verbs, adjectives or nouns but in some other this rule is applied. You will come to know this difference only when you start learning the sentence patterns. The patterns are made by joining two particles or a particle and a verb or only a word which has a meaning of its own. You will also realize that there are patterns which are almost similar to each other but a minute difference makes a big difference. In addition in many sentence patterns you will realize the time at which the action takes place plays a very important role in deciding which pattern should be used to convey the correct meaning.

As the level of difficulty has increased it is very important that you study them keenly, seriously and with lots of attention. Since this the higher level it is necessary for you to study the grammar everyday and with concentration. While learning these patterns you will notice that there are some clues present in it which help you to remember the use of the pattern at the right place also while answering the questions it becomes easier if you know the hint. Don’t be in a rush to finish off the syllabus because if you do so you finally will realize that you have confused yourself. Hence take time and study each grammar pattern carefully and one-by-one. Another important thing to keep in mind is that don’t jump from the first lesson to the forth or sixth lesson directly. You should study the lessons in the serial order only starting from the first lesson. But make it a habit to study grammar daily without fail. If you wish to pass the Dokkai section with flying colors then you have to be confident and thorough in Japanese grammar. The main reason behind this is that the Dokkai

section is based only on grammar. There are questions like fill in the blanks which are directly concerned to the sentence patterns. The other questions which are comprehension based also are connected to the grammar because if you don’t know the meaning of a particular sentence pattern then you might end up understanding it in a wrong way.As I always suggest you about Japanese grammar, once you learn a sentence patter try and make your own examples. In addition to this try and use these patterns in your conversations also. This practice not only helps you to get a command over grammar but also brings confidence in you that you know the language very well. So let’s now start studying the JLPT N3 Japanese grammar by reading and understanding the first lesson.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level

While learning Japanese grammar of level N4 we had seen that the sentence patterns of each lesson had some connection or relation with each other. However while learning the N3 level grammar we will not find any such relations or connections between the different sentence patterns. Each sentence pattern and its related use and meaning are separate from each other. In this lesson we will learn 5 new sentence patterns. So let’s start learning the grammar now.

1. In the first sentence pattern we will see the use of “~toshite/ ~toshitewa/ ~toshitemo/ ~toshiteno” either of them. The meaning which this sentence pattern conveys is either “not only…but also” which actually shows the contrast about a thing or on an occasion or “as”. It basically is used to talk about someone’s position, qualification or type. Noun always comes before this word. But when you use “~toshiteno” then at that time noun comes after this word. Keep this minute difference in mind thoroughly. Following are some examples of this sentence pattern.

 - (Nanbyou: incurable disease; nintei: recognized; This disease has been recognized as an incurable disease.)

 - (kare: he; He is not only a good doctor but is also famous as a writer.)

2. Here we will see the meaning and use of the phrase “~to tomoni”. This phrase is used in three different ways and hence has three different meanings depending upon the context of the sentence. Following are the three different uses along with the meaning and its examples.

A) The first use of “~ to tomoni” means together or along with and in Japanese it is “~ to ishouni”. When you want to use this phrase to convey the meaning together at that time always a noun comes before this phrase. For example:

 - (I want to spend the New Year along with my family.)

 - (Osaka is an economic centre of Japan along with Tokyo.)

B) The second use of “~to tomoni” is to show simultaneous actions or the events taking place at the same time. So in other words it means “simultaneously” or “at the same time”. In this type before “~ to tomoni” always the dictionary form of verb comes. In case of i-adjectives the “i”

remains as it is and “to tomoni” is added. In case of na-adjectives “na” is omitted and is replaced by “de aru”. Same as na-adjective in case of nouns “de aru” is added after the noun and then “to tomoni”. Let’s read the following examples which show us this usage.

 - (shidou: guidance; chikara: strength; Mr. Kobayashi is giving guidance to the students and at the same time he is busy doing research.)

 - (seihin: product; kaihatsu: development; konnan: very difficult; hiyou: money; Development of this product is very difficult and at the same time it requires a lot of money.)

C) The third use of this phrase is to show that one change follows other change. These changes are natural. So in other words a change takes place and as a result of it the second change takes place. In this sentence pattern either a noun or dictionary form of verb comes before “to tomoni”. Following are some examples related to this use of “to tomoni”.

 - (As the age increased the body strength reduced.)

 - (keizaiseichou: economic growth; kokumin: nationals/ citizens; seikatsu: lifestyle; Along with the economic growth the national people’s lifestyle also flourished.)

3. In the third sentence pattern we will study the phrase “~ni oite/ ~ni oite wa/ ~ni oitemo/ ~ni okeru”. This phrase is basically used to point out a place or show time, period or era so in short it means “at”. Before this phrase a noun is used. Following are few examples.

 - (The meeting will be conducted at the meeting room on the first floor.)

 -

(jinsei: life; sairyou: the best; This day is the best day of my life.)

4. The fourth sentence pattern teaches us the use of the phrase “~ni oujite/ ~niouji/ ~niojita”. This sentence pattern has only one use but different meaning depending upon the context of the sentence. The various meanings are “according to, appropriate to, be suitable to or so as to suit”. In this sentence pattern also before this phrase the noun is always used. Read the following examples to understand the use of this phrase clearly.

 - (uwagi: rabbit; According to the season the rabbit who changes color are also there.)

 - (tairyoku: body strength; undou: exercise; Without over stressing yourself, do the exercise according to your body strength.)

5. The fifth sentence pattern introduces us with the phrase “~ni kawatte/ ~ni kawari” which has two different uses and meanings accordingly. Let’s study the uses, their meanings and examples independently.

A) The meaning of the first type of use of “~ni kawatte/ ~ni kawari” is in place of or instead of. This means that the phrase is used to show that a thing which we were using till now has been replaced by some other thing. Read the following examples which will help you understand this use more clearly.

 - (ningen: human beings; sagyou: work; Here, in place of humans robots work.)

 - (Now in place of type writer word processor is used.)

B) The second use is similar to the first but it means on behalf of or as a substitution. Here we use this phrase to show the substitution of one person by another. Here also before the phrase noun is used. Following examples will help you understand this.

 - (kekkonshiki: wedding ceremony; shusseki: attend; Instead of my father I went for the wedding ceremony.)

 - (shushou: Prime minister; kaishou: Foreign minister; houmon: visit; Instead of Prime minister, the Foreign minister visited America.)

By this we finish the first lesson of JLPT N3 Japanese grammar. It may happen that at the very first reading you may not be able to memorize it immediately. However if this happens do not worry and panic. To overcome this it is very important to read these sentence patterns at least once every day. By following this practice you will eventually realize that the grammar is thoroughly memorized by you automatically. This is true for all the sentence patterns of the N3 level. The above sentence patterns are very simple so it will not take much time to understand them. Once you are comfortable with these then proceed to the next lesson.

JLPT Japanese grammar for N3 Level lesson 2

After properly understanding the sentence patterns of lesson 1, then only start studying the grammar of this lesson. In this lesson you will observe that there are few sentence patterns which almost have the same meaning and use. So let’s start with the learning of the sentence patterns.

1. In this sentence pattern we will see the phrase which is used to show the comparison between various things. “~ni kurabete/ ~ni kurabe” which means in comparison with or as compared to is the phrase used in such sentences. Basically “kuraberu” is the verb whose different forms are used here along with “ni” particle. The meaning of “kuraberu” is to compare. Noun should always come before this phrase. Below are few examples which show you the use of this sentence pattern

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　- (Compared to my elder brother, my younger studies better.)

 - (Compared to last year, this year’s rainfall is good.)

2. “~ni shitagatte/ ~ni shitagai” is the sentence pattern to show spontaneous or natural change which takes place due to some other change. In other words one change follows another change. This sentence pattern is similar to sentence pattern no.2.C of lesson 1. There we used the phrase “~to tomoni”. Before “~ni shitagatte/ ~ni shitagau” either the dictionary form

of a verb or a noun comes. Read the following examples related to the use of the phrase “!ni shitagatte/ ~ni shitagai”.

 - (As a result of the nearing of the exams, tension also increased.)

 - (kougyouka: industrialization; shizen: natural; kankyou: environment; hakai: damage; As a result of industrialization, the natural environment got damaged.)

3. This sentence pattern is also very similar to or same as the third use of the phrase “~to tomoni” and the use of “~ni shitagatte”. The phrase which we are going to learn here is “~ni tsurete/ ~ni tsure”. This sentence pattern is again used to show a gradual change. The first change results and is followed by the second change. Same as the other two phrases here also either a noun or the dictionary form of the verb is used. Below are a few examples of this sentence pattern.

 - (If the product is good then its price also is expensive.)

 - (Along with the change in era there is a change in the method of marriage also.)

4. When you are indicating an object or a person at that time the sentence pattern “~ni taishite/ ~ni taishi/ ~ni taishitemo/ ~ni taishi suru” is used in Japanese grammar. This phrase basically means “towards”. A noun is always used before this phrase. Read the following examples to understand this pattern properly.

 - (You are not allowed to use impolite words towards guests.)

 -

(Mr. Chin has liking not only for Japan’s economy but also holds liking towards the Japanese literature.)

5. This sentence pattern teaches us the use of the phrase “~ni tsuite/ ~ni tsuite wa/ ~ni tsuki/ ~ni tsuitemo/ ~ni tsuite no”. This phrase literally means “regarding”. When we are talking or thinking about something at that time to express this we mostly use this phrase. A noun comes before this phrase. The only exception is when you use “~no tsuite no” at that time noun comes after this phrase. Some examples related to this sentence pattern are given below.

 - (There are many opinions regarding the root cause of this disease.)

 - (I want a book regarding the methods of using this computer.)

6. When a person wants to put forward his/ her judgment or when after something he/ she wants to express his/ her point of view at that time “~ni totte/ ~ni totte wa/ ~ni tottemo/ ~ni totteno” phrase is used in Japanese grammar. This phrase when translated in English will mean “from point of view of…”. Again in this sentence pattern also a noun comes before the phrase except when we use “~ni totteno”. When we use “ni totteno” at that time noun comes after this phrase. Let’s study some examples related to this sentence pattern which are given below.

 - (taisetsu: important; From my point of view this photograph is very important as compared to anything else.)

 - (kankyou: environment; mondai: problem; jinrui: human race; kadai: problem; From the point of view of human race the environmental problem is the problem for everyone.)

7. The sentence pattern which we are going to learn now has two different uses and two different meanings accordingly. The sentence pattern is “~ni tomonatte/ ~ni tomonai/ ~ni tomonau”. Following are its uses explained separately in detail along with the respective examples. A) The first use and meaning of this sentence pattern is according to/ in proportion to/ accordingly. When you use the sentence pattern in this way then either a noun or the root verb comes before this phrase. For example.

 - (In proportion to the increasing population, the other problems are also increasing.)

 - (In proportion to economic development, the environmental destruction has become a problem.)

B) The second use helps us to talk or tell about things which occur at the same time. Here before the phrase nouns are used. Read the following examples of this use.

 - (jishin: earthquake; kasai: fire; hassei: occur; When earthquake occurs at the same time fire also takes place.)

 - (jiyuu: freedom; sekinin: responsibilities; Along with freedom at the same time responsibilities were also received.)

8. Now in this sentence pattern we will be learning the use and meaning of the phrase “~ni yotte/ ~ni yori/ ~ni yoru/ ~ni yotte wa”. This phrase has five different uses and meanings respectively. However one thing common in all these uses is that always before this phrase noun comes. Let’s study each use keenly and understand them clearly.

A) In the first the phrase helps us to show who exactly has done a particular thing. In other words we can say it means “by”. Following examples will make this use clear to you.

 - (houan: government bill; kokkai: Japanese parliament; shounin: approve; The bills are approved by the Japanese parliament.)

 - (ishi: doctor; shindan: diagnosis; kekka: result; houkoku: report; I will report the results of the diagnosis done by the doctor.)

B) In the second use this phrase is used to show the root cause of something. Hence it basically means “because of”. Let’s read some examples related to this use.

 - (fuchuui: carelessness; jiko: accident; Sever accidents take place because of carelessness.)

(ansatsu: assassination; seiji: government; konran: confuse; The government of A country got confused because of the Prime minister’s assassination.)

C) The meaning of the phrase when we use it in the third way is “by means of” or “with the help of”. Following are the examples of this use.

 - (hanashiai: discussion; kaiketsu: solve; By means of discussion it is better to solve the problem.)

 - (Bus is a convenient means of commutation but is time consuming.)

D) The forth use simply means “according to”. The examples are as follows.

 - (shuukan: customs; Customs ar different according to different countries.)

 - (doryoku: hard work/ efforts; seika: result; The result will be according to the efforts put in.)

E) The fifth use of this sentence pattern which we will learn means “depending upon”. When we use this phrase according to the fifth meaning, most of the time “~ni yotte wa” form is only used. Below we have provided few examples of this use.

 - 　(fukusayou: side effects; Depending upon person to person, this medicine has its side effects.)

 - (shuukyou: religion; kinjirareru: prohibit; Depending upon the religion meat is prohibited.)

This is the last sentence pattern which we have studied of this lesson. Since “~ni yoru” and its related forms have five different uses learn them very carefully. The rest of the sentence patterns are also equally important hence learn them also thoroughly.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level lesson 3

This lesson will introduce us to a new set of sentence patterns of Japanese grammar of JLPT level N3. Most of the sentence patterns which we are going to learn in this lesson have only one use. They are very easy to understand and can be quickly learnt. Without any further discussion let’s directly start learning the sentence patterns.

1. When you hear some news or something from someone else and while talking about that which you have heard, you make use of the phrase “~ni yoru to/ ~ ni yoreba” in Japanese grammar. The actual meaning of this phrase is “on the basis of” or “according to”. Noun is used before this phrase. Read the following examples which explains the use and meaning of this sentence pattern.

 - (denki: weather; yohou: forecast; According to the weather forecast, tomorrow it might rain.)

 -

(According to my friends this movie is very interesting.)

2. In this sentence pattern we will learn the use of the grammar pattern “~wo/o chuushin ni shite/ ~wo/o chuushin ni/ ~wo/o chuushin to shite”. This pattern means “by keeping something as a center”, “by focusing something” or “by giving something important”. Before this phrase noun is used. Following are few examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (shouten: shops; Focusing the railway station as the center, many shops have been built around it.)

 - (sangyou: industry; Taking automobile industry as a focus, advancement is being done.)

3. A sentence pattern used in Japanese grammar which means “irrespective of” or “without being influenced by something” is “~wo/o towazu/ ~wa towazu”. A noun always comes before this phrase whenever used in a sentence. Following are few examples related to the use of this sentence pattern.

 - (In this hospital irrespective of day or night emergency patients are admitted.)

 - (Irrespective of your experience and academic record we will recruit those who are interested or wish to do something.)

4. When you want to represent one from the entire group and give importance to only one thing or a person and then talk about the other things and people at that time “~wo/o hajime/ ~wo/o hajime to suru” sentence pattern is used in Japanese grammar. “Hajime” basically means first or beginning. Some examples related to this sentence pattern are given below.

 - (Starting with your parents and then the other people of the family how is their health?)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(The

Parliament members and then the other inspection party visited the damaged site.)

5. Another new sentence pattern used in Japanese grammar which means “on the basis of” is “~wo/o motoni/ ~wo/o motoni shite”. Similar to the other sentence patterns which we have learnt till now, in this sentence pattern noun is used before this phrase. Below we have provided you with some examples to clearly understand the meaning and use of this sentence pattern.

 - (touhyou: voting: shinsashi: judgment; On the basis of the voting of the fans, the best 10 songs of this year will be decided.)

 - (Non-fiction means a story based on facts.)

6. The sentence pattern which we are going to learn now has only one use but the meaning changes a little according to the context of the sentence. The phrase is “~ue/ ~ueni” which means not only but also, in addition to or besides. Examples of the use of this sentence pattern are given below.

 - (Otaku: house; omiyage: gifts; In addition to feast I also received gifts at Mr. Hayashi’s house.)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(In addition to intelligence she also has a good personality.)

 - (This machine is not only easy to use but is also convenient as it is light weight.)

7. The sentence pattern which we will be introduced to now is “~uchi ni/ ~nai uchi ni”. This grammar pattern has two different uses and meaning accordingly. In both the uses before the phrase either a verb, i-adjective, na-adjective or noun is used. In case of verbs you can use either the root verb form or the nai form. When you want to use the i-adjective the “i” remains as it is and then the phrase is used. Similarly in case of na-adjectives na remains and the phrase is added to it. However in case of nouns “no” joins the noun and the phrase. In other words particle “no” comes between the

noun and the phrase. Let’s study each use carefully along with their respective examples.

A) The first use of this sentence pattern is when you express your wish of doing something before the current condition or situation changes. So in short it means during, till, before. Read the following examples which clearly show you this use and its meaning.

 - (Till the time I am in Japan I wish to visit Kyoto at least once.)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (Till you are young it is better to experience various things.) B) The second use helps you to tell about a particular condition which was not present earlier but has occurred due to something that you did. It generally means “while”. Read the following examples.

 - (namida: tears; While I was listening to her talk I got tears in my eyes.)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (I was cold first but my body became hot while I was running.)

8. The last sentence pattern of this lesson which we will study is “~kawari ni”. This sentence pattern is used in three different ways. All the three uses have been explained in detail below along with the appropriate examples. A) In the first use of “~kawari ni” always the dictionary form or root verb form of the verb comes before this phrase. This pattern is used when you want to say that instead of doing this I did that other thing. Hence in short we can say that it means “in place of” or “instead of”. For example

 - (Ongakukai: musical concert; Instead of going to the musical concert, it is better to buy 3 CD.)

B) The second use of this sentence pattern is same as the B use of the grammar pattern “~ni kawatte”. This use means on behalf of or as a representative of. In this use before “kawari ni” always noun followed by the “no” particle comes. In other words “no” particle joins the noun and this phrase. Following are few examples.

 - (Instead of my ill father I had come.)

C) There is no specific meaning of the third use of this sentence pattern. It generally shows some comparison or may mean appropriate. For example

 - (yachin: rent; The room is small so it is expected that the rent will be less appropriately.)

With this we come to the end of this sentence pattern. Almost all the sentence patterns which we have studied in this lesson are easy therefore try and make your own examples for each pattern. These patterns are used frequently while talking by the Japanese people. So it would be better that you also try and use these patterns in your conversation with your friends.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level lesson 4

The Japanese grammar which we are going to learn in lesson 4 of JLPT N3 is used commonly while talking. There is no such connection between any of these sentence patterns. Till now the patterns which we learnt in the previous lesson in most of them we made use of only nouns. However most of the sentence patterns which we are going to study in this lesson will make use of nouns as well as verbs. So let’s begin with the sentence patterns.

1. The sentence pattern “~kurai/ ~gurai/~kuraida/~guraida” which we are going to study now has two different uses and different meanings based upon its use. Let’s see its uses separately one by one along with examples. A) In the first way this sentence pattern is used to show the degree or intensity of the occurrence of some event. Here the root verb form and “nai” form of verbs is used before the phrase. While using i-adjectives or na-adjective “i” and “na” remains respectively and the phrase is used after these adjectives. In case you are using a noun it is directly added to this phrase. Let’s read some examples which are provided below.

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (tana: shelf; The earthquake had a degree so as to make things fall from the shelf.)

 - (The degree of pain in the stomach was so much that it could not be controlled.)

B) The meaning of the second use is “at least” or in other words to show minimum of something. Here mostly only verbs and nouns are used in the sentence before the phrase. Below are some examples related to this use.

 - (Even if you were busy, you could have at least called up.)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (When people meet they should at least greet each other.)

2. The next sentence pattern of Japanese grammar which we are going to learn is “~saichuu ni/ ~saichuuda”. This sentence pattern basically means “in the middle” . The “te form” of the verb should always be used before this phrase. In addition if you are using a noun then join the phrase immediately after the noun used. Le’s read some examples related to the use of this phrase to clearly understand it.

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (shiai: match; It started raining in the middle of the match.)

 - (jiken: incident; chousa: investigation; We are in the middle of the investigation related to that incident.)

3. The sentence pattern “~shidai” is used very frequently by the Japanese people. The meaning of this sentence pattern is “as soon as”. In this case the action has not yet taken place. However we are just expressing what will happen or what should happen. In this sentence pattern the phrase should come immediately after a noun or the “masu base” form of the verb. When you read the following examples you understand this pattern more clearly.

 - (jyuusho: address; renraku: contact; As soon as your new address is confirmed please contact me.)

 - (As soon as you reach, give me a call.)

4. While telling the reason behind some loss which has occurred or something bad that has happened at that time in Japanese grammar the sentence pattern “~seida/ ~seide/ ~seika” is used. In addition this sentence pattern is also used to express some bad results which have taken place. This sentence pattern has a negative feeling to it. Following are examples provided for a better understanding.

 - (shippai: mistake; I did this mistake because of him.)

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (The photographs did not come good because of the camera.)

5. The sentence pattern “~tabi/ ~tabi ni” means whenever. Before “~tabi” only verbs and nouns are used. In case of verbs always the dictionary form or root verbs are used. In case of nouns the “no” particle comes between the noun and “tabi/ tabi ni”. So in other words the “no” particle joins the noun with “tabi/ tabi ni”. Examples of this pattern are as follows.

 - (keiken: experience; Whenever a person experiences something new he learns something out of it.)

 - (afurete: to get flooded; higai: damage; Whenever there is high rainfall, this river gets flooded and lots of damage takes place.)

6. A sentence pattern which shows that one action follows the other or doing something immediately after doing something else. The sentence pattern which is used in Japanese grammar for this purpose is “~ta totan”. This is a very frequently used sentence pattern of Japanese grammar. Here the first action finishes and immediately the second action start taking place. This pattern is different from “~shida” because in “~shidai” the action has not yet taken place. Whereas in “~ta totan” the first action has already taken place. While using “ta totan” always only the “ta form” of the verb is used before “totan”. The “ta” basically shows that the “ta” form has to be used. The following examples related to this sentence pattern will clearly show you this difference.

 - (I was so tired that I slept as soon as I got into the bed.)

 - (The teacher enters the classroom as soon as the first bell rings.)

7. The next sentence pattern which we are going to study is the use of “~te irai”. This pattern in one word means “since”. Here only the “te form” of the

verb is always used. Example of this sentence pattern “~te irai” is.

 - (Since the time I am in Japan, my ideas towards Japan have changed a little.)

 - (koui: love; Since that thing took place it looks like he holds love for her.)

8. When “~toori ni/ ~doori ni” is used as a sentence pattern it means “same as” or “in the same way”. When you use verb before this phrase it has to be either in its root verb form or in the “ta form”. When a noun is used before “toori ni” then always the “no” particle comes between these two. Rather the “no” particle joins the noun and “toori ni”. On the other hand when nouns is used before “doori ni” at that time the phrase comes immediately after this phrase. In other words “no” particle does not come between them. Let’s read the following examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (Please do as it is written in the manual.)

 - (Please proceed as indicated by the arrow.)

9. The sentence pattern which we are going to learn now is used to express or tell about some unfavorable result. The sentence pattern is “~tokoro ni/ ~tokoro e/ ~tokoro wo/o”. Here you will observe that different particles are used in all three options. Usually “~tokoro ni” is used with time, “~tokoro e” is used with place and “~tokoro wo/o” is used with situation. The dictionary form, ta form or te form plus iru is used before “tokoro ni”. When you use i-adjective before “tokoro ni” the “i” adjective stays as it is. Let’s see an example of each type.

 - (When we were talking about Ms. Kim at that time the concerned person came.)

 -

(When I was going to the bedroom at that time my friend came.)

 - (When I was secretly smoking at that time my sister saw me.)

10. “~hodo/ ~hododa/ ~hodono” is a sentence pattern used in two different ways Japanese grammar. Based on the use its meaning also differs. Both the uses and their meanings are explained in detail below. In addition few examples are also provided for each use. A) The first use shows us the degree or intensity of something. This use is similar to the “A” use of the sentence pattern “~kurai/ ~gurai”. The meaning of this could be “as much as” or shows an extent of something. The root verb form or the “nai” form of verbs is used before this phrase. In case of i-adjective, na-adjectives and nouns they remain as it is and the phrase is joined immediately after their use. Mostly this use has some negative shade to its meaning. Following are some examples.

 - (I can feel the degree of pain of the parents who have lost their children.)

 - (When I heard the voice of my mother after a long time I was so happy that I felt like crying.)

B) The second use of this sentence pattern means “the most”. Here either the root verb or a noun comes before the phrase. In addition sometimes at the end of the sentence the “wa/ ga nai” expression is also used. Read the following examples which show you this use.

 - (The most enjoying thing is to go for a trip with best friends.)

 - (She is the most intelligent girl I have ever met.)

By this we finish with the fourth lesson of JLPT N3 grammar. Many of the sentence patterns of this lesson are very important from the point of view of the JLPT exam. Especially in the grammar section which is the “dokkai” section has many questions related to these sentence patterns. As told earlier also do study or read all the sentence patterns at least once every day. Once you have finished learning these grammar patterns then let’s move ahead to our next lesson.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level lesson 5

In this lesson we will be learning various new sentence patterns of Japanese grammar which help us to give an excuse in a polite way, to talk about some bad results, To express a fear of something, expression which is used while telling your decision and many others. The sentence patterns are not very difficult to understand. So now let’s start with our study.

1. This pattern provides us with a phrase which helps us talk about some bad result that we have got. The phrase is “~bakari ni” which is used only to show bad results which are related to me or my feelings. In short it means “this is the only reason because of which the bad result has been received which makes me feel sad”. While using this sentence pattern if a noun or a na-adjective comes before this phrase then always add “de aru” after the noun or the na-adjective. “De aru” always comes between noun and the phrase or na-adjective and phrase. Always remember that this phrase and noun which is used cannot be joined by “no” particle. In case of na-adjectives you can either directly add “bakari ni” to it or add “de aru” and then the phrase. Let’s read a few examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (As I did not have money, I could not continue my studies in college.)

 - (arubaito: part time job; As I am not good at Japanese language, I am not getting a part time job.)

2. When you want to give a polite excuse “~monodakara” sentence pattern is used in Japanese grammar. This phrase literally means “therefore”. In this sentence pattern when you use a noun before “monodakara” at that time “na” is added to the noun and then the phrase comes. So in other words “na” joins the noun and the phrase.

 - (shuukan: customs; shitsurei: wrong;I don’t know the customs of Japan therefore I may make mistakes.)

 - (As I am the only child, I am raised leisurely therefore I have become selfish.)

3. The sentence pattern which we are going to learn now again makes the use of the word “you”. The actual sentence pattern is “~you ni/ ~you na”. This pattern has two different meanings according to its use. Each use along with its specific explanation has been provided below.

A) The first meaning of this sentence pattern is “as it is/ same as”. Here basically we provide or show an example to do something same like it is. So this pattern actually shows or indicates the example based upon which you have to do the other thing. Let’s read the following examples which will help you understand this meaning and use properly.

 - (Fill the form as it is written here.)

 - (I do not like things which are sweet like cake.)

B) The meaning of the second use of this phrase is “in order to/ so as to”. In this sentence pattern either the dictionary form or the “nai” form of the verb is used before this phrase. Following are the examples of this use.

 - (This book is simple so as to students of primary school can also read it.)

 - (Take care of yourself in order to not catch cold.)

4. “~Ippouda” phrase is used in a sentence pattern to indicate the tendency of something which is proceeding gradually. The root verb form of verb will

be used before “ippouda”. Examples are as below. The kanji used for “ippouda” is   . A hint in this sentence pattern is that “ippouda” always comes to the end of a sentence.

 - (saikin: recently; tsuushin: communication; pasokon: computer; Recently the tendency of communication by computers in increasing.)

 - (Recently I am not using English very frequently, hence I have started forgetting it.)

5. When you are worried and have a fear of something in you at that time the sentence pattern “~osorega aru” is used in Japanese grammar. Basically the phrase “osore” means to be scared therefore the phrase “osorega aru” means “to have fear of something”. The dictionary form of verbs is used before this phrase. In case of nouns “no” particle comes between the phrase and the noun. Some examples of this sentence pattern are provided below.

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(shujyutsu: operation; If the operation in not done immediately, then I fear it will be very late.)

(akuji: deficit; If this type of deficit continues, then there is a fear of this company to close down.)

6. When any rules, schedule etc. is decided at that time to tell this decision the phrase “~koto ni natte iru” sentence pattern is used in Japanese grammar. The phrase “~koto ni natte iru” means “to decide”. Before this phrase either a verb or i-adjective comes. In case of verbs only root verbs or “nai” form is used. In case of i-adjectine “i” is not omitted. It stays as it is and the phrase is added to it. The examples of this phrase which shows its use and meaning are provided below.

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 (I have decided to meet a friend on the coming Sunday.)

 - (The rule of this hotel is to close the door at 12 o’clock.)

7. The sentence pattern which we are going to learn now is “~koto wa nai”. This phrase literally means “not at all necessary” or in other words “it is not necessary to do”. In the structure of this sentence pattern always the dictionary form of verb comes before the phrase. Following are some examples related to this sentence pattern

 - (If it is a bag of trip then there is no need of going and buying it as I will lend it to you.)

 - (The result of that inspection is not bad, so there is no need to worry.)

8. When you are doing something and at that time when you realize that there is no other way for this so have to do it in this way only, at that time “~shikanai” is used. In other words this phrase means that there is no 2nd or 3rd way of doing this so have to do it by using this way only. Once again in this form also the root verb or dictionary form of verbs is used before “~shikanai”. The examples are as follows.

 - (As the trains have stopped due to the accident, there is no other way than walking.)

 - (As I have promised, hence there is no other way but to go.)

9. The sentence pattern “~to iu kotoda” has two different uses in Japanese grammar. Based upon its uses the meaning also differs. Let’s study each use and meaning separately. In addition let’s also read the few examples keenly which have been provided. A) In the first use we have heard something from someone else and we are quoting it as we have heard it. In Japanese the things which we hear from someone else is known as “denbun”. This use generally means “it is said that” or “it is known that”. Below are some examples.

 - (It is said that the main reason of this accident is unknown.)

 -

(Based upon the weather forecast it is said that there will be lots of rain this year.)

B) The meaning of the second use of this phrase is very simple which is “in other words. Following is a conversation which shows you the use of this

sentence pattern.  - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　 ”Tomorrow I will be a bit too busy.” 

 - 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 ”Ok then, in other words are you not going to come for the party then?”

10. The last sentence pattern of this lesson which we are going to learn is “~wake ga nai/ ~wake wa nai”. This sentence pattern means “it is not possible” or “it is impossible for something to happen like this. Following are examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (As Mr. Chan is a Chinese, it is not possible that he cannot write kanji.)

 - (umi: sea; shinsen: fresh; As this place is far from the sea, it is not possible to get fresh fish.)

So here we complete our study of this lesson. Almost all the sentence patterns of this lesson are very easy and can be learnt very fast. Also as these sentence patterns are easy they are fun to learn.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level lesson 6

Some of the sentence patterns of Japanese grammar which we are going to learn in this lesson are not used frequently. However they are important to study from the JLPT exam point of view. Therefore even if they are not used you should study them and should be aware of its use and meaning. So now let’s get introduced to this new set of sentence patterns.

1. The first sentence pattern of this lesson which we are going to study is “~wake ni wa ikanai/ ~wake ni mo ikanai”. This sentence pattern has two different meanings and uses respectively. Study these two uses very carefully as they are a little confusing. A) In the first use the dictionary or root

verb form of verbs come before this phrase. The literal meaning of the first use of this sentence pattern is “due to some reason I cannot do this task”. Following are the examples of this use.

 - (ronbun: thesis; kansei: complete; kikoku: return to own country; I wish to return to my country but cannot go till the thesis gets completed.)

 - (It is not possible to do this work alone, but as everybody is busy getting help is impossible.)

B) The second use is opposite to the first. Here the “nai form” of the verb is used. The meaning of this use is that “due to some reason we have to do this task”. A similar sentence pattern to this one in Japanese grammar is “~shinakereba narimasen”. Let’s read the following examples related to this use.

 - (As there is an exam tomorrow I have to study.)

 - (As I have a family, I have to work.)

2. We have already learnt the use of the sentence pattern “~kara…made” in the basic Japanese grammar. Here we will see a similar rather same sentence pattern which is “~kara~ni kakete”. This sentence pattern has the same meaning which is “from – to”. This sentence pattern is used to show the range of time, distance, places etc. Before both “kara” and “ni kakete” nouns are always used. Below are some examples of this sentence pattern.

 - (sakuya: last evening; It was raining from last night to today morning.)

 -

(shou: lane; douro: road; kouji: construction; The construction work of the road is taking place from 1st lane to 3rd lane.)

3. The sentence pattern “~tatoe~temo/ tatoe~demo” which is used in Japanese grammar means “even if”. When we use this sentence pattern after “tatoe” the “te” form of verb is used and then mo is added to it. In case of i-adjective remove “i” and add “kutemo” to it. In case of na-adjectives remove “na” and add “demo” to it. Finally in case of nouns also add “demo” to the noun used. Following are some examples which have been provided for you so that you understand its use properly.

 - (shippai: wrong; koukanai: repent; Since I have decided to go by this road, even if something goes wrong I will not repent.)

 - (Even if the job is difficult I will still continue doing it.)

4. This sentence pattern which we are going to study now has a very simple meaning and use. However when we use verbs, adjectives and nouns the construction of the sentence changes according to the element which we are using. The sentence pattern is “~sae ~ba” which means “only if”. Therefore in short here if the condition is fulfilled then only the next action is possible. Following are the different sentence constructions which are to be used.

Root verb + sae + sureba/ shinakereba

In case of i-adjective remove “i” and replace it by “ku”. Then add sae + areba/ nakereba.

In case of na-adjectives remove “na” and replace it by “de”. The next step will be to add sae + areba/ nakereba.

For nouns there are two different constructions. You can use either of them. The first one is noun + de +sae + areba/ nakereba.

The second construction of noun is noun + sae + “ba form of verb”/ “kereba form of “i-adjective”/ “nara form” of na-adjectives/ “nara” form of noun.

Let’s read some examples of this sentence pattern.

 - (Instant noodles are easy to eat only if they are put in boiling water.)

 - (Only if the language would have been common then it would have been better for more and more communication.)

5. “~Mo ~ba ~mo/ ~mo ~nara ~mo” sentence pattern is used when you want to express that when one thing is present then the second thing has to be there. If the first thing is positive then the second thing has to be positive. Opposite to this if the first thing is negative then the second thing is also negative. In the previous lesson we have already seen the “ba” and “nara” forms of verbs and adjectives. In addition we have also seen that na-adjective cannot be changed to “ba” form instead it is changed to “nara” form. The sentence construction of this sentence pattern will be {noun + mo + “ba form of verb/ i-adjective or “nara” form of na-adjective + noun + mo}. Read the following examples to clearly understand this sentence pattern and its use.

 - (The reputation of the new restaurant is good because it is cheap and its taste is also good.)

 - (You are good at singing and also at dancing, therefore you will be a popular person in the party.)

6. When we want to say “this also and that also” at that time the sentence pattern “~yara ~yara” is used in Japanese language. In this sentence pattern we make use of either dictionary form of verb, i-adjective or noun. In case of i-adjectives “i” is not removed instead it remains as it is. Therefore the structure of the sentence will be

Root verb/ i-adjective/ noun + yara + Root verb/ i-adjective/ noun + yara

Below are some examples of this sentence pattern.

 - (Before returning to my country I was busy reserving tickets and buying gifts.)

 - (When I over drank wine, I had a headache and it was very painful for me.)

7. The last sentence pattern of this lesson which we are going to study is “~darake”. This sentence pattern is full of bad things or feelings. It carries a negative or bad meaning to it. The meaning of this phrase is “full of”. Before this phrase a noun is used. Following are some examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (This report is full of alphabet mistakes and hence is difficult to read.)

 - (As we had gone for a trip all over the world, the travel bag has fully become dirty.)

By this we come to an end of this lesson. The sentence patterns of this lesson are a bit of higher level hence it is advised that you study them very keenly. Also try and make your own examples by using all the elements of grammar which in return will help you learn them faster.

JLPT Japanese Grammer for N3 Level lesson 7

This is the last lesson of JLPT N3 Japanese grammar. We will learn approximately 8 new sentence patterns in this lesson. These sentence patterns are very different from each other. Almost all the patterns have only one use hence making it easier for studying and memorizing. Let’s now start with the sentence patterns.

1. When we criticize something or while talking about the quality of something at that time “~ppoi” sentence pattern is used. There is a negative shade to this sentence pattern. Either i-adjective or noun is used before this phrase. In case you use i-adjectives then just remove “i” and add “ppoi” to it. In

case of nouns directly add the phrase to it. Some examples have been provided to you below.

 - (itazurai: mischievous; She looked at me with a mischievous sight.)

 - (This child is a student but looks like an adult.

There is another use and meaning of this sentence pattern which is “often/ easily”. When this sentence pattern is used for this purpose at that time the masu base form of the verb comes before the phrase. Another important thing to remember about this sentence pattern is that “ppoi” follows like i-adjectives and follows all its rules. This is applicable for both these uses of “ppoi”. Few examples related to this use are as follows.

 - (This person gets angry very easily but in fact is a gentle person.)

 - (Her forgetting nature is often due to her old age.)

2. The sentence pattern “~gatai” means “not easily, hard to, difficult to”. It is used to express the quality of the task you are performing. The “masu base” or stem form of the verb is used before this phrase. Let’s read some of the examples which have been provided below.

 - (shinji: to believe; It is hard to believe that she will do such a thing.)

 - (hanzai: crime; It is difficult to forgive those who do crime towards small children.)

3. When something happens very frequently and easily at that time to express that thing “~gachita/ ~gachi no” sentence pattern is used. This pattern conveys a bad meaning. In other words its tendency is unhappy or bad. Before this phrase either “masu base” form is used or a noun is used. Following are few examples related to this sentence pattern.

 - (When there is snowfall there is a tendency of trains getting late due to the block.)

 - (My mother is not well and hence cannot work at all.)

4. When you want to express a slight feeling about something at that time in Japanese grammar the sentence pattern “~gimi” is used. The kanji of

“~gimi” is   .Here the degree of sensation or feeling is very low. Similar to the above pattern here also either a noun or “stem” form of verb comes before “gimi”. Following are some examples which show the use of “~gimi”.

 - (The job is very hectic, so there is a feeling of tiredness now a days.)

 - (Now a days I feel I have become fat so I have started jogging.)

5. A Japanese phrase which was used in old Japanese was the use of “~ge”. This sentence pattern is used when we express the condition or appearance of a person when we see him/ her. In this sentence pattern only the adjectives are used. Before this phrase either an i-adjective or a na-adjective comes where “i” and “na” are removed respectively and then “ge” is directly added to it. Some examples related to this sentence pattern are as follows.

 - (She seems to be alone as she is sitting alone on the bench in the park.)

 - (He came forward as if he wanted to say something.)

6. When you have started doing something but it is not yet complete and you want to say that you are in the middle of it at that time “~kakeda/ ~kakeno/ ~kakeru” sentence pattern is used in Japanese grammar. In other words you can also say that this sentence pattern means “in the middle of”.

Some examples related to the use of this sentence pattern are given below.

 - (There is a coffee kept on the table which is half drunk.)

 - 　　　(Once a thing is said it is not good to leave it incomplete.)

7. To say that you have done some job completely in Japanese you have to use the sentence pattern “~kiru/ ~kireru/ ~kirenai”. In other words this sentence pattern means “totally, completely, to do till the end”. Always the masu base or stem form of the verb is used before this phrase. Read the following examples related to this sentence pattern to understand its use and meaning clearly.

 - (He returned with a face that showed he was completely exhausted.)

 - (There are so many stars that we cannot totally count their number.)

8. The last sentence of this lesson and also the Japanese grammar of N3 level is “~nuku”. This sentence pattern basically helps us to talk about the process by which we reach the aim. Always the masu base form of the verb is used before “nuku”. Let’s read the following examples of this sentence pattern.

 

- (I made mistakes in the middle but somehow I could complete the work.)

 - (After thinking a lot, we came to this conclusion.)

By this we have finished the study of the grammar which is necessary to study for the JLPT N3 exam. I would again like to repeatedly advice you to read all these sentence patterns at least once every day. Also practice them by making your own sentences. Understand and then memorize all the sentence patterns. I am sure once you are thorough with the use and meaning of each you will not face any difficulty when you attempt the questions related to Japanese grammar in the JLPT N3 exams.