10 Basic N5 Grammar Patterns

10 basic N5 grammar patterns
Here are 10 basic N5 Japanese grammar patterns.
We hope these patterns are useful to you in Japanese conversation and in revising for the JLPT.

1. ~ は ～ ： is, at
~ は~ [ the information being conveyed] ~ N1 はN2 が
Explanation:
It separates subject from predicate in the sentence. The information being conveyed usually comes after は
It marks the subject of the main clause.

Examples:
私（わたし）は日本（にほん）の料理（りょうり）が好（す）きです。
I like Japanese food

山田（やまだ）さんは日本語（にほんご）が上手（じょうず）です。
Mr Yamada is good at Japanese

この家（いえ）はﾄﾞｱが大（おお）きいです
This house has a large door

Note:
When the question uses は, the answer uses は too, with the answer replacing the question word

Examples:
A: これは何ですか？ What is this?
B: これは私の眼鏡(めがね）です。These are my glasses.

2. ～も～ : also, as much as, even
Explanation:
Used to describe a thing / quality / action similar to one mentioned before. (to avoid repeating the particle は or the verb over and over)
It expresses surprise at how much there is.
It expresses a degree out of the ordinary. (higher or lower)

Examples:
山田さんは本を読むことが好
Mr Yamada likes reading. So do I

きです。私も同じですあなたの家には犬が９もいるんですか？
Your house has as many as 9 dogs!

昨日忙しくて寝る時間もありませんですた。
I was so busy yesterday I didn't even have time to sleep.

Note:
“も” works like “は” and “が”, so it does not stand next
to “は” or “が” when used for one subject は/が も ~
わたしはもマイさんはも今年日本に旅行したい。
Both Mai and I want to travel to Japan this year

“も” can also follow other particles, just like “は”
で/ と/ へ/ など も～
休日ですが、どこへもい行けません。
It was a day off and yet I couldn't go anywhere.

3. ~ で~ : at, in, because of, by, with (a span of time)
Explanation:
It describes where an action happens.
It describes where an event happens.
It describes a cause
It describes a method, means or way of doing something.
It describes what material something is made of.
It describes a limited span of time.

Examples:
この仕事は明日で終りますか？
Will this job be finished by tomorrow morning?

はしで食べます。
I eat with chopsticks

日本でレポートを書きます。
I write reports in Japanese

駅で新聞を買います。
I buy the newspaper at the station

4. ~ に/ へ ~ : direction, place, point in time
Explanation:
Used for a point in time
Used for a place
Used for who something is directed to

Examples:
明日、旅行に/ へ行きます。
Tomorrow I'm going travelling

午後６時に帰ります。
I'll be back at 6 in the evening

このプレゼントをゆみさんに/ へ.
Please give this present to Yumi

Note:
When talking about the time an action happens, we add the particle [に] after the time noun. Use 「に」for actions that take place over a short time. [に] is used when the time noun comes with a number, and not when it does not. However, with days of the week it may or may not be used
[に]日曜日「に」日本へ行きます。I'm going to Japan on Sunday
When the verb is one of movement, the particle [へ] is used after the noun of
direction or place.
The particle [ へ] is pronounced [え」

5. ~ に ~ : at, on
Explanation:
When talking about the time an action happens, we add the particle 「に」 after the time noun. Use 「に」 for actions that happen over a short time. 「に」is used when the time noun comes with a number. However, with days of the week 「に」 may or may not be used

Examples:
7時に起きます。
I usually get up at 7

２月１日に日本へ行きました。
I arrived in Japan on 1 February.

週末「に」友達の家へ行きます。
At the weekend I'm going to a friend's house

6. ~ を ~ : marks the object of the action
Explanation:
The particle 「を」is used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb

Examples:
水を飲みます。
I drink water

日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese

音楽を聞きます.
I listen to music

Note:
「を」is pronounced the same as 「お」. The character 「を」 is only ever used as a particle

7. ~ と ~ : with
Explanation:
We use the particle 「と」to mark someone (a person or an animal) doing an action together with us.

Examples:
公園に友達と散歩します。
I go for a walk with a friend

同僚　とｱﾒﾘｶへ出張　します。
I go on business to America with a colleague

Note:
When doing the action alone we use 「ひとりで」.
In that case the particle is not used

「と」ひとりでｽｰﾊﾟｰへ行きます。
I go to the supermarket on my own

8．~ に ~ : to ~, from ~
Explanation:
Verbs such as 「あげます」、「かします」、「おしえます」need a person
as the recipient (to give, to lend, to teach). We put the particle [に] after the noun for that person
With verbs such as 「おくります」、「でんわをかけます」the recipient can be not only a person but also a place (a noun). In that case, besides [に] we can also use the particle [へ].

Verbs such as 「もらいます」、「かります」、「ならいます」 describe the action from the receiver's side. When using these verbs with the receiver as the subject, we add the particle [に] after the noun for the other party. In sentences with these verbs we can use the particle 「から」instead of [に]. In particular, when the other party is not a person but an organisation (for example a company or a school) we do not use [に] but 「から」.

Examples:
山田さんは木村さんに花をあげました。
Mr Yamada gave flowers to Ms Kimura

ﾏｲさんに本を貸しました。
I lent Mai a book

みみちゃんに英語を教えます。
I teach little Mimi English

会社に電話をかけます。
I phoned the company

木村さんは山田さんに花をもらいました。
Ms Kimura received flowers from Mr Yamada.

ﾏｲさんにざっしを借りました。
I borrowed the magazine from Mai.

チンさんに中国語を習います。
I learn Chinese from Mr Chin

9. ~と~ : and
Explanation:
To join 2 nouns we use the particle 「と」

Examples:
野菜と肉を食べます。
I eat vegetables and meat

休みの日土曜日と日曜日です。
The days off are Saturday and Sunday

10. ~ が~ : but
Explanation:
「が」is a connecting particle meaning “but”. When we use 「が」to join two clauses we get one sentence.
When describing a natural phenomenon we use 「が」after the subject.

Examples:
ﾀｲ料理はおいしいですが、辛いです。
Thai food is delicious but spicy.

雨が降っています.
It's raining

休みの日は土曜日と日曜日です。
The days off are Saturday and Sunday

Note:
「が」 used in 「しつれいですが」or 「すみませんが」to open an utterance no longer joins two clauses; it simply carries a connecting sense.

しつれですが、お名前は？
Excuse me, what is your name?

すみませんが、手伝ってもらえませんか？
Excuse me, could you help me?

See also:
Japanese Grammar Involving the て Form
60 N5 Japanese Grammar Structures