#Japanese N4 grammar

[peistudies]

段々(だんだん) - Gradually, Little by little, Step by step

Can be thought of as meaning ‘step by step’, ‘stepwise’, or even ‘steadily’. だんだん is similar to ほとんど, in that it can modify the meaning of entire phrases, rather than just single words.

だんだん + （と） + Phrase

To use だんだん, simply put it before the phrase that you want to express as ‘(A) that is increasing steadily’.

*While だんだん can take the particle と, it is not required. In fact, と is very often omitted from adverbs/onomatopoeic words (words that represent a sound or motion) in Japanese.

*Don't mix it up with どんどん, which is essentially the antonym of だんだん. どんどん is an onomatopoeic word that represents loud banging (like on a drum), and is used to express fast changes/progression. 

だんだん雨が降ってきた。It is starting to rain. (Slow progression, does not imply great speed or severity)

どんどん雨が降ってきた。It is starting to rain. (Rapid progression, may imply great speed and/or severity)

友達が話している：「だんだんとあのやつの事が嫌いになってきていて、今は避けるようにしている。」 Chat between friends: "I gradually came to dislike that guy, and now I do my best to avoid him."

近所の人が話している：「来週からだんだん暖かくなるってニュースで言っていましたよ。」 Neighbors talking: "The news said that it will gradually get warmer from next week."

[nihongo-enthusiast]

The 6 Differences Between は and が

DIFFERENCE 1

The important fact is AFTER は

• この犬は私のぺットです。This dog is my pet.

You want to emphasize that this is not a stray dog. It is not someone else's pet dog. It is MY PET. So anything comes after は is the main part you want the listener to pay attention to.

The important fact is BEFORE が

• この犬が私のベットです。This dog is my pet.

You want to emphasize that THIS IS THE DOG that is my pet. Not other dogs. Imagine you're at a park and there are 3, 4 other dogs playing together with your dog and you want to tell your friend that THIS DOG is the one that is your pet dog, other dogs are not yours. So, what comes before が is the main part you want to tell the listener.

More examples:

• このケーキはおいしいです。This cake is DELICIOUS! (You want to tell your friend that this cake is indeed very good. Your emphasis falls on おいしい, so you use は, because the important fact is AFTER は.

• このケーキがおいしいです。THIS CAKE is delicious. (You want to tell your friend that among all the cakes on the buffet table, this particular cake you are pointing to is the most delicious one. Others are not good.) Your emphasis falls on このケーキ (THIS CAKE), so you use が, because the important fact is BEFORE が.

DIFFERENCE 2

New information and things that you mention for the first time, use が. Old information or topics that have been mentioned earlier but is now repeated again, use は.

• 学校にマイクという男がいます。There is boy named Mike in my school.

You started the conversation with your friend by saying there's a new student named Mike in the school. That is the first time you mentioned Mike. It is new information, therefore use が.

• マイクはアメリカ出身です。Mike is from America.

You mention Mike the 2nd time now and it is no longer a new information. It is considered old information, therefore use は.

DIFFERENCE 3

Stating facts without adding your personal opinion or judgment use が. By adding your own opinion or judgment, use は.

• 外に猫がいます。There is a cat outside.

You are just merely stating a fact that there is a cat outside. This sentence doesn't include your description about the cat. No personal opinion or judgment about the cat.

• あの猫は白いです。The cat is white in colour.

You are putting your description, your judgment into the sentence about the cat. When you are adding your own thoughts, opinion, description about something, use は.

• 日本の料理はおいしいです。Japanese food is tasty.

You are putting your opinion/judgment about Japanese food in your sentence, therefore, use は.

DIFFERENCE 4

When you make comparison, use は. When you eliminate other options, use が.

• お茶は好きですが、コーヒーは好きじゃありません。I like tea but I don't like coffee.

DIFFERENCE 5

If two actions are done by the same person, use は. If two actions are done by two different persons, use が first, then use は for the second action.

• 私はごはんを食べるとき、テレビを見ます。I have my meal and I am watching TV.

• 私がごはんを食べるとき、父はテレビを見ます。When I have my meal, my father watches TV.

DIFFERENCE 6

To modify a phrase into a noun, use が.

• これは彼女が作ってくれたケーキです。

What cake is this? This is the cake that is baked by my girlfriend. The phrase 「彼女が作ってくれた」 is to modify the cake, to describe about the cake.

Quiz Time

• 部屋は広いです。

• 部屋が広いです。

In English, both sentences mean "The room is spacious." But what is the difference?

In 部屋は広いです, it shows a comparison contrast nuance (read DIFFERENCE 4). If you say this, the listener will believe that you are making a comparison of this room with all the other rooms in the house. You want to say this room is spacious, whereas the other rooms are smaller in size.

In 部屋が広いです, you are merely stating a general fact about this room being spacious (read DIFFERENCE 3). You are not making any comparison. Your sentence has no added personal judgement or opinion. You are stating a fact about the room being spacious.

[tokidokitokyo]

JLPT Grammar みたいだ・らしい・っぽい

What is the difference in usage among みたいだ、らしい、and っぽい? These grammar points can be difficult to differentiate, so I have gathered some notes and examples here. These grammar points are JLPT N4 or N3 grammar points.

★みたいだ★

Used for first-hand information or information you are observing for yourself.

Often used for something that has characteristics of something else (metaphorical similarities).

Most common in spoken language.

ここの砂は星みたいな形をしている。 ここ の すな は ほし みたいな かたち を して いる。 The grains of sand here are in the shape of a star.

このアパートは誰も住んでいないみたいだ。 この アパート は だれ も すんで いない みたい だ。 It looks like no one lives in this apartment building.

明日は雨みたいね。 あした は あめ みたい ね。 It looks like rain tomorrow.

リンさんみたいに日本語がうまくなりたい。 I want to be able to speak Japanese as well as Lin.

★らしい★　

Used for things you infer, or information you have from another source.

Often used to something that has especially strong characteristics of its group (stereotypical similarities).

Most common in spoken language.

今日は春らしい暖かい日でした。 きょう は はる らしい あたたかい ひ でした。 Today was a warm spring-like day. *Note: It is spring, and this is a stereotypically spring day.

私は女性らしい洋服はあまり着ない。 わたし は じょせい らしい ようふく は あまり きない。 I don't often wear feminine type clothes.

寝すぎるのは体に悪いらしいです。 ねすぎる の は からだ に わるい らしい です。 Sleeping too much is apparently bad for your body. *Note: Second-hand source of information.

今日は君らしくないな。 きょう は きみ らしくない な。 You don't seem like yourself today.

★っぽい★　

Can be used to say what something is like.

Can be used to say that something appears to be the opposite of what you would expect.

Can be used to describe something that someone is likely to do or often does.

Note:

When following a noun or い-adjective, the meaning is similar to -ish, -like, -ly. The number of adjectives that can be used with this grammar are limited. Usually negative when used after a noun or adjective, but not always.

When following a verb, the meaning is easy to do, often do. This grammar cannot be used with all verbs.

あの小学生は大人っぽい。 あの しょうがくせい ��� おとなっぽい。 That elementary school student acts like an adult.

油っぽい食事は好きじゃない。 あぶらっぽい しょくじ は すき じゃ ない。 I don't like oily foods.

飽きっぽいから何事も成功しないのだ。 あきっぽい から なにごと も せいこう しない の だ。 You don't succeed in anything because you are quick to lose interest.

年を取ると、忘れっぽくなる。 とし を とる と、わすれっぽく なる。 As one gets older, one tends to become more forgetful.

[studyjapanesewithme]

N4 文法: はずがない

はずがない= cannot be (its impossible)

How to use:

verb stays in dictionary form + はずがない

For な-adjective you な before the はずがない, for nouns you add の before.

Examples:

彼はそなことを言うはずがない- he would never say that

そんなはずがない。- That cannot be true

彼女の話は本当のはずがない- her story cannot be true

そな大きな量を全部食べられるはずがない- there's no way you can eat that whole portion

[languagelvlup]

___ is (comparative adjective) than ___.

America is bigger than Japan.

Cake is more delicious than pudding.

Dogs are cuter than cats.

Today is hotter than (it was) yesterday.

[kaityslangblr]

The Complete JLPT N4 Grammar Video(Game) Textbook

[studyaxis]

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚

[09 March '24 Japanese N4 log: T-119]

_____________________________________________

Going through Japanese grammar makes me sleepy. I want to improve my grammar by reading because it's how my English is this intuitive even though it's not my native tongue, but Japanese always comes off a disciplined language. Ah well.

Today's grammar notes below. Correct if required.

Verb-られます: Potential form of the verb. Used to describe the ability or possibility of something happening.

~ところ: describing a place, in the sense of "a place where we can get sushi" or "a place with a beautiful view".

Sentence (in plain/dictionary form)ってききました/っていっていました: used to convey an idea you have heard from someone else, or relay something someone has told you. Can be an opinion, rumor or news.

[Interrogative] Verb-たらいいですか: used to seek advice from someone about how to handle a situation, used with interrogatives.

[lawaudio]

096 JLPT N4 Grammar 文法・例文：～たばかり

096 JLPT N4 Grammar 文法・例文：～たばかり

096 JLPT N4 Grammar 文法・例文：～たばかり 接続：動詞のタ形+ばかり 意味：Just, have just 来(き)たばかりです Just came 買(か)ったばかりです Just Bought 出(だ)したばかりです Just served 食(た)べたばかりです I just ate 例文 先月日本(せんげつにほん)へ来(き)たばかりです。I just came to Japan last month. 買(か)ったばかりの傘(かさ)をなくしてしまった。I lost my umbrella that I just bought. さっきメールを出(だ)したばかりなのに、もう返事(へんじ)が返(かえ)ってきた。I just sent an e-mail but already got a…

[ihayachii]

What should I use after Genki? Books I used for N5 + N4

English sub included ⭐

[nihongoseito]

what’s the difference between になる and となる?

hi all!! i’ve been reading シュナの旅 lately and noticed that miyazaki uses となる way more than になるin that book, so i thought i’d look up the difference and share what i learned. 行くよ！

Xになる = to become X

chances are, if you’ve been studying japanese for any amount of time, you’ve come across this construction. it’s a lot like “become” in english and can be used with nouns and adjectives:

うさぎちゃんはセーラームーンになった。 = usagi turned into sailor moon. 🌙💫

突然空が暗くなった。 = it suddenly got dark out.

子どもたちは静かになった。 = the children grew quiet.

as you can see, Xになる expresses a natural, usual, or otherwise believable sequence of events. for example, while we don’t know exactly why it got dark out in the above 例文, it’s not an unusual thing to happen, and it doesn’t require extra explanation in itself—it just gets dark sometimes!

Xとなる = to finally/in the end become X

while Xとなる means basically the same thing as Xになる, there is a slight difference in nuance, as well as a slight difference in grammatical distribution. first of all, Xとなる usually can’t be used with adjectives:

❌ この辺はにぎやかとなった。（⭕️ この辺はにぎやかになった。 = this area has become lively.）

❌ うさぎちゃんはまた元気となった。（⭕️ うさぎちゃんはまた元気になった。 = usagi got better again.）

specifically, one of my sources (see below) says it is “接続しにくい” or “difficult to attach” adjectives to となる, so it’s possible you’ll come across it, but basically unlikely. (for what it’s worth, it’s not technically available to use an い-adjective with either に or となる, since the particles get dropped, but you probably knew that!)

the bigger, more semantic difference between the two なる constructions is this: Xとなる expresses the final stage of a process, often one which is unexpected, is unusual, or otherwise merits further explanation. for example, compare these two sentences (see below for sources):

すんなりと彼が村長になった。 = without difficulty, he became village chief.

すったもんだの末、結局彼が村長となった。 = after a big to-do, he finally managed to become village chief.

the difference between these two is pretty obvious with all the adverbs: when something happens according to plan or expectation, Xになる is the way to go, but when something reaches a final stage (especially after some difficulty or unforeseen complications), Xとなる expresses that nuance nicely. let’s have a couple more examples:

その島は無人島となった。 = that island became a desert island in the end.

その町は廃墟となった。 = that town fell into ruin.

色々審議をしてから、決まった予算は○○円となった。 = after a lot of deliberation, the final budget was capped at ¥○○.

lastly, here’s one final thing to remember: wherever you can use Xとなる, you can replace it with Xになる, but not vice versa!

anyway, i hope this was helpful or illuminating in some way! sources below the cut :) またね！��� 🙋🏻‍♀️

sources:

https://www.douban.com/group/topic/75245080/

https://learnjapanese-teachjapanese.com/?p=1613#:~:text=%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A8%E3%82%81,-%E3%80%90%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E3%80%91%E3%81%A8&text=%E3%80%90%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E3%80%91%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E7%84%B6,%E5%BD%A2%E5%AE%B9%E8%A9%9E%E3%81%AB%E6%8E%A5%E7%B6%9A%E3%81%97%E3%81%AB%E3%81%8F%E3%81%84%E3%80%82

https://sites.google.com/site/studyjapanesewithmie/bunpou--grammars/httpsitesgooglecomsitestudyjapanesewithmieHome/---to-naru----ni-naru----no-chigai

[nordic-language-love]

hmm might go to my local anime store tomorrow and pick up some manga in japanese bc apparently i feel like Suffering

[peistudies]

[nihongo-enthusiast]

How To Use ところ

1. 駅に着いたところで、電車が出発しました。

"Just as I arrived at the station, the train departed."

2. 宿題をしているところです。

"I'm in the middle of doing my homework."

3. お腹がすいたところに、友達から食べ物の差し入れがありました。

"Just when I was hungry, my friend brought me some food."

4. 映画を見終わったところで、雨が降り始めました。

"Just after finishing the movie, it started to rain."

5. 電話をかけようとしたところで、バッテリーが切れてしまいました。

"Just as I was about to make a phone call, my battery died."

1. Indicating a Point in Time or Action:

"ところ" can indicate a specific point in time or action. It's often used with verbs in the present tense, present progressive form (-ている) to express an ongoing action; or past tense to indicate you have just finished doing something.

1a. Verb stem + ところ indicates you are about to do the action, you are going to start the action.

• 今から勉強するところです。"I'm about to study now "

1b. Verb present progressive form + ところ indicates you are in the midst of doing the action. You are currently doing the action.

• 彼は料理を作っているところです。 "He is in the middle of cooking."

1c. Verb past tense + ところ indicates you have finished the action; the action is completed.

• ちょうど帰って来たところです。"I just got home."

• 彼女はお風呂から出たところです。 "She has just come out of the bath."

2. Indicating Circumstances or Situations:

"ところ" can also describe the circumstances or situation surrounding an action or event.

• 電車に乗るところで、友達に会いました。 "I met my friend while I was about to board the train."

3. Indicating a Close Call or Coincidence: Verb stem + ところ (だった / でした) can express a situation where something narrowly almost happened or coincidentally occurred.

• 遅れるところでしたが、間に合いました。 "I almost arrived late, but I made it in time."

4. Expressing Inevitability:

In some cases, "ところ" can convey a sense of inevitability or expectation regarding an action or event.

• 彼はいつか成功するところだ。 "He is bound to succeed someday."

5. Indicating a Specific Place or Location: While less common, "ところ" can also mean "place" or "location" when used in specific contexts.

• ここは賑やかなところです。 "This place is lively."

6. Expressing Emotional States:

In colloquial language, "ところ" can sometimes be used to express one's emotional state or feelings.

• びっくりしたところです。 "I was surprised."

[tokidokitokyo]

V ～られる・受身形

受身形 (うけみけい)・Passive Form

Passive verbs are verbs that are done to the (passive) subject.

[Note: Be careful to not confuse this with られる (rareru) potential form, meaning the ability or inability to do something.]

Passive form conjugation samples:

る verbs

食べる -> 食べられる (taberareru)

出る -> 出られる (derareru)

寝る -> 寝られる (nerareru)

起きる -> 起きられる (okirareru)

着る -> 着られる (kirareru)

う verbs

聞く -> 聞かれる (kikareru)

待つ -> 待たれる (matareru)

飲む -> 飲まれる (nomareru)

買う -> 買われる (kawareru)

話す -> 話される (hanasareru)

Example Sentences:

ケーキが誰かに食べられた！ ケーキ が だれか に たべられた！ The cake was eaten by somebody!

みんなに顔が���さいと言われます。 みんなにかおがちいさいといわれます。 Everyone tells me that I have a small face.

この本は多くの人に読まれている。 この ほん は おおく の ひと に よまれている。 This book is being read by many people.

私は先生にほめられました。 わたし は せんせい に ほめられました。 I was praised by the teacher.

こんな遅い時間に来られても困ります。 こんな おそい じかん に こられても こまります。 It's a bit inconvenient for me if you come over this late.

友人に彼氏を取られた。 ゆうじん に かれし を とられた。 My boyfriend was stolen by my best friend.

この本には、くわしい説明は書かれていません。 この ほん には、くわしい せつめい は かかれていません。 There is no detailed explanation written in this book.

入学式は、このホールで行われます。 にゅうがくしき は、この ホール で おこなわれます。 The entrance ceremony will take place in this hall.

これは、世界で一番大きいダイヤモンドだと言われています。 これは、せかい で いちばん おおきい ダイヤモンド だと いわれています。 This is said to be the biggest diamond in the world.

昔は、その考えが正しいと思われていた。 むかし は、その かんがえ が ただしい と おもわれていた。 That idea used to be considered correct.

Source: JLPT Sensei

[the-falconer]

So because language learning is an eternal struggle, here's some of my progress from this month and the things I've learned during the past 8 months

1. 70% listening, 30% vocab/grammar/writing

Studying a language is 70% listening practice and the other 30% is memorization. I picked up my Japanese studies this year after having watched anime for years, and I noticed that it's so much easier to make progress. I've internalized around 500-1 000 words and some basic grammar, so getting through N5/N4 was a breeze - in 2 weeks I achieved the same level that took me 3 months in Chinese. I can watch anime without subtitles and easily understand what they're saying (when did this happen? No idea!) because I understand the expressions and slang, all which would not be possible if I hadn't spent so much time with media.

I often have a hard time focusing on watching shows etc. because of how much of a critic I am, but it's the most important thing. Immerse yourself.

2. Reset your learning schedule if it gets too overwhelming

This is something I only learned this week, as I'd been stubbornly holding onto those 900+ word reviews waiting for me back in Ninchanese.

I've been at a standstill for the past 2-3 months after studying the radicals because of some personal responsibilities, and I never got around to learning any new vocab, I was just too busy trying to keep up with what I had learned previously.

But now I've reset my schedule, and I FINALLY feel like I'm making progress again. Sure, my memory might be hazy for the latter parts of HSK 4, but you know what to do about that? You immerse yourself with listening practice so that they will stick with you when you hear them be used IRL :)

[languagelvlup]

___ is (comparative adjective) than ___.

America is bigger than Japan. [America is (than Japan) bigger.]

Cake is more delicious than pudding. [Cake is (than pudding) more delicious.]

Dogs are cuter than cats. [Dogs are (than cats) cuter.]

Today is hotter than (it was) yesterday. [Today is (than yesterday) hotter.]