Japanese Grammar

A reference symbol that draws attention to a note or supplementary information.

Marks X as the topic of the sentence; Y describes or identifies it.

Replaces は when X shares the same property as something already mentioned.

Links two nouns, usually showing X owns, describes, or is associated with Y.

Marks X as the thing the verb directly acts on.

Marks a specific time something happens, or the place something/someone exists.

Marks the place an action takes place, or the tool/method used to do it.

Marks the direction or destination of a movement verb, similar to に.

Connects a complete, closed list of nouns ("and"), or marks who you do something with ("with").

Connects a partial, open-ended list of nouns - implies there's more not mentioned.

Added to the end of a sentence to turn it into a yes/no or open question.

Every Japanese verb is Godan (Group 1), Ichidan (Group 2) or irregular (Group 3), and its group decides how it conjugates.

The standard polite ending for a verb describing a habitual action or something that will happen.

The negative counterpart to ます: "does not / will not."

The past-tense forms of ます (did) and ません (did not).

A polite request asking someone to do something.

Describes an action in progress, a repeated habit, or the lasting result of a past action.

Expresses the speaker's own desire to do something.

States that an action is possible or that the speaker has the ability to do it.

A friendly suggestion to do something together.

A polite invitation, literally asking "won't you do X?" but functioning as "would you like to?"

Describes X using an い-adjective, in the polite present tense.

Describes X using a な-adjective, in the polite present tense.

Links two descriptive clauses together - the adjective/noun equivalent of the verb て-form.

States the purpose of a trip: going, coming, or returning in order to do something.

Marks the reason for what follows; "because X, Y."

Lists a couple of representative actions out of a larger, unstated set.

Says the same person does two things at the same time, with one being the main action.

Says something appears to be the case, based on what the speaker can see.

Softens a statement into a probable guess rather than a certain fact.

Introduces the speaker's own opinion or belief.

Marks an action that happens before another one.

Marks an action that happens after another one has finished.

States that the speaker has experienced doing something at least once.

Expresses an obligation: this needs to be done.

Says an action is not required - the opposite of an obligation.

Grants or asks for permission to do something.

Prohibits an action - the stronger opposite of てもいいです.

The most flexible everyday conditional: if/when the first part happens, the second follows.

A more formal conditional, often used for general truths and advice.

Gives a reason, more polite and objective-sounding than から.

Introduces a result that contradicts what would normally be expected.

States a plan or intention, usually one already firmly decided.

Describes how easy or difficult an action is to perform, as a quality of the verb itself.