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N4 grammar

N4-level grammar points, each linking to an existing explanation on Tae Kim's guide, Imabi, or Tofugu. The explanations live on those sites; this page only indexes what each point is and where to read about it. See docs/sources for why these sources and not others.

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Passive and causative

Marks that the subject has something done to it by someone or something else.

A passive form used to express being negatively affected by an event, even an intransitive one.

Marks that the subject makes or lets someone else do the action.

Combines causative and passive to express being made to do something against one’s will.

Conditionals

How the four main conditional forms differ and when each is used.

A general-purpose conditional form, often used for general truths and advice.

A conditional form also used for sequential time (“when/after”), the most flexible of the four.

Marks a condition that leads to an inevitable or automatic result.

A conditional based on a premise or topic already introduced, distinct from the other three.

Requests, desire, and obligation

Verbs for giving and receiving, whose choice depends on who is giving to whom.

Attach to a verb’s て-form to express trying an action out.

Expresses wanting to do something, or wanting an object.

Double-negative constructions expressing obligation, "must do" something.

Describing and reasoning

Used to define, rephrase, or quote something, one of the most common intermediate patterns.

Attach to a verb stem to say an action is easy or hard to perform.

A set of expressions for stating how certain something is, from possible to expected.

Approximate amount and degree expressions.

Expressions for logical conclusions and expectations based on reasoning.

Common casual speech patterns and contractions (じゃん, ってば, なんか) heard in everyday Japanese.