70 intermediate grammar patterns — passive, causative, conditionals, honorifics, and complex sentence structures.
て-form, ない-form, た-form, passive, causative
〜られる
The passive form expresses actions done to the subject by someone else, or spontaneous/suffering nuance.
〜させる
The causative form expresses making or letting someone do something.
〜させられる
The causative-passive combines causative and passive to express being made to do something against one's will.
〜よう/〜おう
The volitional form expresses the speaker's intention or makes suggestions, equivalent to 'let's' or 'I'll'.
〜られる/〜える
The potential form expresses ability or possibility — 'can do' or 'be able to do'.
〜ろ/〜なさい
The imperative form gives direct commands. ~ろ/~え is blunt; ~なさい is a softer, authoritative command.
〜他動詞/自動詞
Japanese has paired transitive (action on object) and intransitive (action happens by itself) verbs that must be distinguished.
〜ようとする
~ようとする expresses being about to do something or attempting/trying to do something.
〜てもらう
Expresses that the subject receives the benefit of someone else's action. Used when you have someone do something for you.
〜てくれる
Expresses that someone does something for the speaker's benefit. Emphasizes the giver's kindness from the receiver's perspective.
〜させてください
Polite way to ask permission to do something. Combines the causative form with ください to mean 'please let me do.'
〜ないで
Expresses doing something without doing something else, or makes a negative request. Means 'without doing' or 'don't do.'
〜ずに
Formal equivalent of 〜ないで meaning 'without doing.' Used in written language and formal speech.
〜すぎる
Expresses excess, meaning 'too much' or 'overly.' Attached to verb stems and adjective stems.
〜がる
Converts adjectives of feeling into verbs describing a third person's outward display of that feeling. Used because you cannot directly state others' inner feelings in Japanese.
ている, てある, ておく, てしまう
〜てしまう
~てしまう expresses completing an action fully, or doing something unintentionally with a sense of regret.
〜ておく
~ておく expresses doing something in advance as preparation or leaving something in a certain state.
〜てみる
~てみる expresses trying something to see what it's like or what happens.
〜たばかり
~たばかり expresses that an action was just completed very recently.
〜ところだ
~ところだ marks a precise point in time: about to do (dictionary form), in the middle of (ている), or just finished (た).
Fixed patterns and set phrases
〜てあげる/もらう/くれる
These patterns express doing a favor for someone or receiving a favor, using the giving/receiving verbs with te-form.
〜ことにする
~ことにする expresses a decision made by the speaker to do (or not do) something.
〜ことになる
~ことになる expresses a decision or outcome that was determined by external factors, not the speaker's will.
〜そうだ（様態）
~そうだ (appearance) expresses a judgment based on visual observation — 'it looks like' or 'it seems.'
〜そうだ（伝聞）
~そうだ (hearsay) reports information heard from others — 'I heard that' or 'they say that.'
〜ようだ/〜みたいだ
~ようだ and ~みたいだ express conjecture based on evidence — 'it seems/appears that' — or make comparisons.
〜らしい
~らしい expresses conjecture based on external evidence or hearsay — 'apparently' or 'it seems.'
〜はずだ
~はずだ expresses the speaker's confident expectation based on reason or evidence — 'should be' or 'is supposed to.'
〜かもしれない
~かもしれない expresses possibility or uncertainty — 'might,' 'may,' or 'perhaps.'
〜ように
~ように expresses a goal or desired state — 'so that,' often used with potential verbs or non-volitional verbs.
〜ようにする
~ようにする means to make an effort or try to habitually do something — 'make sure to' or 'try to.'
〜ようになる
~ようになる expresses a gradual change in state or ability over time — 'come to' or 'become able to.'
〜ことがある
Verb dictionary form + ことがある means 'there are times when' or 'sometimes' — expressing occasional occurrences.
〜ばかり
~ばかり expresses 'nothing but,' 'only,' or 'always' — often with a negative or excessive nuance.
〜てあげる
~てあげる expresses doing a favor or kind action for someone else.
〜ことは〜が
Acknowledges something is true but adds a contrasting reservation. Repeats the same word/phrase to concede before introducing a 'but'.
〜という
Used to define, name, or quote something. Means 'called,' 'named,' 'that (says),' or introduces a concept.
〜てほしい
Expresses the speaker's desire for someone else to do something. The person is marked with に.
〜ことができる
Expresses ability or possibility. An alternative to the potential form of verbs, meaning 'can do' or 'is possible.'
〜ようにしている
Expresses a conscious effort to maintain a habit or practice. Means 'I make sure to' or 'I try to make a habit of.'
〜ことにしている
Expresses a personal rule or decision that has become a regular practice. Means 'I have made it a rule to' or 'I have decided to (as a habit).'
〜ことはない
Expresses that there is no need or necessity to do something. Used to reassure or advise someone not to worry.
〜わけがない
Strongly denies a possibility, meaning 'there's no way that' or 'it's impossible that.' Expresses firm disbelief.
〜わけではない
Partially denies a statement, meaning 'it doesn't mean that' or 'it's not that.' Used for nuanced correction.
〜そうにない
Negative form of 〜そう (appearance), meaning something doesn't look like it will happen or doesn't seem likely.
〜てたまらない
Expresses an overwhelming or unbearable degree of a feeling or sensation. Means 'so... that I can't stand it.'
ば, たら, なら, と — conditional forms
〜ば
The ~ば conditional expresses 'if' with a focus on the condition itself, often for general truths and hypothetical situations.
〜たら
~たら is the most versatile conditional, meaning 'if' or 'when,' usable for hypothetical and completed conditions.
〜なら
~なら expresses 'if it's the case that...' and is used to give advice, opinions, or information based on a stated topic.
〜と
The ~と conditional expresses natural, automatic, or habitual results — 'whenever X, Y always happens.'
Connecting clauses and complex sentences
〜ても
~ても expresses 'even if' or 'even though,' indicating that the result holds regardless of the condition.
〜ために
~ために expresses purpose ('in order to') with volitional verbs, or cause/reason ('because of') with non-volitional verbs and nouns.
〜のに
~のに expresses contrast or disappointment — 'despite,' 'although,' or 'even though' — often with an emotional nuance.
〜ので
~ので gives an objective reason or cause — 'because' or 'since' — and is softer and more polite than ~から.
〜し
Used to list multiple reasons or qualities. Implies there are additional reasons beyond what is stated.
〜ながら
Expresses two actions happening simultaneously by the same person. The main action comes at the end of the sentence.
〜たり〜たりする
Lists actions as examples without being exhaustive. Implies doing various things including the ones mentioned.
〜て
Advanced uses of the て-form for connecting sequential actions, expressing cause/reason, and describing manner of action.
〜のに
Expresses 'despite' or 'even though' with a nuance of disappointment, frustration, or surprise at an unexpected result.
〜かどうか
Used to express 'whether or not' something is the case. Embeds a yes/no question inside a larger sentence.
より, ほど, 一番, のほうが
〜より
Used to make comparisons, meaning 'more than' or 'compared to'. Marks the item being compared against.
〜ほど
Indicates degree or extent, meaning 'to the extent that' or 'as much as'. Often used in negative comparisons meaning 'not as... as'.
〜のほうが
Used to indicate preference or that one option is more of something than another. Often paired with より.
一番
Superlative expression meaning 'most' or 'best'. Used to indicate the highest degree among a group.
Keigo: respectful and humble forms
お〜になる
Honorific pattern used to show respect when describing someone else's actions. Elevates the other person's action.
お〜する
Humble pattern used to lower your own actions when speaking to someone of higher status. Shows deference by humbling yourself.
〜ていただく
Humble form of 〜てもらう. Used to humbly express receiving someone's action, showing deep respect to the person doing the action.
特別な敬語動詞
Special verbs that replace common verbs in honorific and humble speech. Essential for polite Japanese in formal settings.
い-adjectives, な-adjectives, conjugation
は, が, を, に, で, へ, と, も, の, か
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