JLPT N4 Japanese - Grammar Patterns, Particles & Intermediate Kanji Flashcards

Question 1

Verb Form: Potential Form (可能形 - Kanō-kei)

Accepted Answer

Expresses the ability to do something ("can do").

- **Group 1 (u-verbs):** Change last *-u* sound to *-eru* (e.g., 書く → 書ける).
- **Group 2 (ru-verbs):** Drop *-ru*, add *-rareru* (e.g., 食べる → 食べられる / 食べれる in casual).
- **Group 3 (Irregular):** する → できる, 来る → 来られる (こられる).
- **Particle Shift:** Direct object particle **を** typically changes to **が** (e.g., 日本語**が**話せる).

Question 2

Verb Form: Passive Form (受身形 - Ukemi-kei)

Accepted Answer

Used when an action is performed on the subject, often conveying suffering or inconvenience (suffering passive).

- **Group 1:** Change *-u* sound to *-arel* (e.g., 飲む → 飲まれる).
- **Group 2:** Drop *-ru*, add *-rareru* (e.g., 褒める → 褒められる).
- **Group 3:** する → される, 来る → 来られる (こられる).
- **Example:** 雨に降られた (I got caught in the rain).

Question 3

Verb Form: Causative Form (使役形 - Shieki-kei)

Accepted Answer

Expresses making or letting someone do an action ("make/let do").

- **Group 1:** Change *-u* sound to *-aseru* (e.g., 行く → 行かせる).
- **Group 2:** Drop *-ru*, add *-saseru* (e.g., 食べる → 食べさせる).
- **Group 3:** する → させる, 来る → 来させる (こさせる).
- **Example:** 先生は学生に宿題をさせました (The teacher made the students do homework).

Question 4

Verb Form: Causative-Passive Form (使役受身形)

Accepted Answer

Expresses being forced to do an action against one's will ("was made to do").

- **Group 1:** Short form suffix *-asaru* or full *-aseraru* (e.g., 行かされる / 行かせられる).
- **Group 2:** Drop *-ru*, add *-saseraru* (e.g., 食べさせられる).
- **Group 3:** する → させられる, 来る → 来させられる (こさせられる).
- **Example:** 母に野菜を食べさせられた (I was forced by my mother to eat vegetables).

Question 5

Grammar: ~てしまう (~te shimau)

Accepted Answer

Expresses either **completion of an action** or **regret/accidental occurrence**.

- **Structure:** Verb (て-form) + しまう / しまいました
- **Casual Form:** ~ちゃう (~chau) or ~じゃう (~jau)
- **Completion Example:** 本を全部読んでしまった (I finished reading the entire book).
- **Regret Example:** 宿題を忘れてしまった (I accidentally forgot my homework).

Question 6

Grammar: ~てある (~te aru)

Accepted Answer

Indicates that a state remains as a result of an intentional action done by someone for a specific purpose.

- **Structure:** Transitive Verb (て-form) + ある / あります
- **Difference from ~ている:** ~ている describes an ongoing state; ~てある emphasizes prior deliberate preparation.
- **Example:** 窓が開けてある (The window has been opened / left open on purpose).

Question 7

Grammar: ~たら (~tara)

Accepted Answer

Conditional marker meaning "if" or "when/after" an action takes place.

- **Structure:** Verb/Adjective (た-form / plain past) + ら
  - Verbs: 食べた → 食べたら
  - い-Adj: 暑かった → 暑かったら
  - な-Adj / Nouns: 暇だった → 暇だったら
- **Example:** 雨が降ったら、家にいます (If it rains, I will stay home).

Question 8

Grammar: ~すぎる (~sugiru)

Accepted Answer

Expresses an excessive amount or degree ("too much" / "overly").

- **Structure:**
  - Verb stem + すぎる (e.g., 食べ + すぎる → 食べすぎる)
  - い-Adj (drop い) + すぎる (e.g., 高 + すぎる → 高すぎる)
  - な-Adj stem + すぎる (e.g., 静か + すぎる → 静かすがる)
- **Example:** 昨夜、お酒を飲みすぎました (I drank too much alcohol last night).

Question 9

Grammar: ~やすい / ~にくい (~yasui / ~nikui)

Accepted Answer

Expresses that an action is easy (~やすい) or difficult (~にくい) to perform.

- **Structure:** Verb stem + やすい / にくい
- **Grammar Note:** Conjugates like a standard い-adjective.
- **Example 1:** このペンは書きやすい (This pen is easy to write with).
- **Example 2:** この漢字は覚えにくい (This kanji is hard to memorize).

Question 10

Grammar: ~そうです (~sō desu) — Appearance vs. Hearsay

Accepted Answer

Differentiates two N4 usages of そうです:

1. **Conjecture / Appearance ("Looks like"):** Verb stem / Adj (minus い/な) + そうです.
   - *Example:* 雨が降りそうです (It looks like it's going to rain).
2. **Hearsay ("I heard that"):** Plain form sentence + そうです.
   - *Example:* 雨が降るそうです (I heard that it will rain).

Question 11

Grammar: ~ために vs. ~ように (~tame ni vs. ~yō ni)

Accepted Answer

Both translate to "in order to", but use different verb types:

- **~ために (Purpose):** Used with **volitional verbs** under direct control. Subject remains the same.
  - *Example:* 車を買うために、貯金している (Saving money *in order to buy* a car).
- **~ように (Goal/Result):** Used with **potential or non-volitional verbs**, or negative forms.
  - *Example:* 日本語が話せるように、毎日練習する (Practice daily *so that I can* speak Japanese).

Question 12

Grammar: ~ことにする vs. ~ことになる (~koto ni suru vs. ~koto ni naru)

Accepted Answer

Distinguishes personal decisions from external decisions:

- **Verb (plain) + ことにする:** Personal decision ("I decided to...").
  - *Example:* 毎日習い事に行くことにした (I decided to attend lessons every day).
- **Verb (plain) + ことになる:** External decision or rule ("It has been decided that...").
  - *Example:* 来月、転勤することになりました (It's been decided that I will transfer next month).

Question 13

Honorific Speech: Sonkeigo vs. Kenjōgo vs. Teineigo

Accepted Answer

The three key registers of Japanese Honorific Speech (Keigo):

- **Sonkeigo (尊敬語 - Respectful):** Exalts the listener or a respected third party's actions.
- **Kenjōgo (謙譲語 - Humble):** Lowers the speaker's own actions to show respect to the recipient.
- **Teineigo (丁寧語 - Polite):** Standard polite register using です / ます.

Question 14

Honorific Speech: Essential Irregular Keigo Verbs

Accepted Answer

High-frequency irregular verbs in Honorific and Humble forms:

- **行く / 来る / いる:**
  - Respectful (Sonkeigo): いらっしゃる / おいでになる
  - Humble (Kenjōgo): 参る (まいる) / おる
- **言う (to say):**
  - Respectful: おっしゃる | Humble: 申す (もうす) / 申し上げる
- **食べる / 飲む:**
  - Respectful: 召し上がる (めしあがる) | Humble: いただく

Question 15

Particles: Advanced Uses of で (De)

Accepted Answer

Key intermediate usages of particle で tested on N4:

1. **Means / Instrument:** バスで行く (Go by bus).
2. **Material / Ingredient:** 木で作る (Make out of wood).
3. **Time / Quantity Limit:** 1時間で終わる (Finish within one hour).
4. **Cause / Reason:** 病気で休む (Absent due to illness).

Question 16

Kanji Pair: 計画 (けいかく) & 予約 (よやく)

Accepted Answer

Essential N4 vocabulary for scheduling and arrangements:

- **計画 (けいかく - keikaku):** Plan, Project, Scheme.
  - Radicals: 計 (measure) + 画 (picture/draw).
- **予約 (よやく - yoyaku):** Reservation, Appointment.
  - Radicals: 予 (beforehand) + 約 (promise).
- *Example:* 旅行の**計画**を立てて、ホテルを**予約**した (I made a travel plan and booked a hotel).

Question 17

Kanji Pair: 経験 (けいけん) & 経済 (けいざい)

Accepted Answer

N4 abstract concepts using 経 (passage/manage):

- **経験 (けいけん - keiken):** Experience.
  - Radicals: 経 (pass through) + 験 (test/examine).
- **経済 (けいざい - keizai):** Economy, Economics.
  - Radicals: 経 (manage) + 済 (settle/relieve).
- *Example:* 海外での**経験**は**経済**の勉強に役立った (Experience overseas was helpful for studying economics).

Question 18

Grammar: ~はずです (~hazu desu)

Accepted Answer

Expresses an expectation based on objective reasons or prior logic ("should be" / "is supposed to").

- **Structure:** Plain form verb/adjective/noun + はずです
  - Nouns require **の** (e.g., 休みのはず).
  - な-Adjectives require **な** (e.g., 元気なはず).
- **Example:** 田中さんは今日来るはずです (Tanaka-san is supposed to come today).

Question 19

Grammar: ~ようとする (~yō to suru)

Accepted Answer

Expresses an attempt to do something, or an action on the verge of happening ("try to" / "about to").

- **Structure:** Volitional Form (意向形) + とする / としている
- **Example 1:** 電車に乗ろうとした時、ドアが閉まった (Just as I tried to get on the train, the doors closed).
- **Example 2:** 犬が噛もうとしている (The dog is about to bite).

Question 20

Grammar Nuance: Passive vs. Potential for Ru-Verbs (Group 2)

Accepted Answer

Group 2 (ru-verbs) share the exact same conjugated form for both Potential and Passive: **~られる (-rareru)**.

- **Distinguishing by Context & Particles:**
  - **Potential:** 寿司**が**食べられる (Can eat sushi).
  - **Passive:** 弟にケーキを全部食べられた (My cake was eaten by my younger brother).
- **Casual Spoken Japanese:** Spoken potential often drops *ra* (ら抜き言葉): 食べれる instead of 食べられる.

JLPT N4 Japanese - Grammar Patterns, Particles & Intermediate Kanji

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