Learn N3 Grammar – Week 5 Day 5

Learn N3 Grammar – Week 5 Day 5
A roundup of the most commonly used N3 grammar.
Below is the most commonly used N3 grammar for anyone taking the JLPT

I. Pattern たとえ~ても (tatoe ~ temo)
* Meaning: if; even if; even supposing
* Usage: very simple: put the verb, adjective or noun into the て/で form, then place it after たとえ and before も and you have a complete sentence with this pattern.

Examples:
1. たとえ雨でも決行.
Tatoe ame demo kekkou.
Even if it rains, we will go ahead.

2. たとえ反対されても留学する。
Tatoe hantai sarete mo ryuugaku suru.
Even if my parents object, I will still study abroad.

3. たとえ元気じゃなくても、家族への手紙には元気だと書く。
Tatoe genki janakute mo kazoku e no tegami ni wa genki da to kaku.
Even when I am not well, I still write in my letters home that I am fine.

II. Pattern もしかすると~かもしれない (Moshika suru to ~kamoshirenai)
* Meaning: perhaps… it may be that. It also expresses the speaker’s guess, like でしょう, but with lower likelihood. Where でしょう expresses something 70 – 80% likely, this pattern applies only to things fairly unlikely, around 50%.
* Usage: put the verb, adjective or noun into the plain form and use the structure もしかすると/もしかしたら + V/A/N + かもしれません/かもしれない。. "Na" adjectives and nouns drop "da".

Examples
1. もしかしたら、午後から 雪が 降る かもしれません。
Moshika shitara, gogo kara yuki ga furu kamoshiremasen.
It may snow in the afternoon.

2. もしかすると、約束の時間に 間に合わない かもしれない。
Moshika suru to, yakusoku no jikan ni maniawanai kamoshirenai.
We might not make it in time for the appointment.

3. 山田さんは まだ 来ていませんね。病気かも知れません。
Yamada-san wa mada kite imasen ne. Byouki kamoshiremasen.
Mr Yamada still has not arrived. He may be ill.

III. Pattern 必ずしも~とは限らない (kanarazushimo ~ towa kagiranai)
* Meaning: not necessarily; not always.
* Usage: put the noun, verb or adjective into the plain form and add 必ずしも~とは限らない.

Examples
1. 必ずしも成功するとは限らない.
Kanarazushimo seikou suru towa kagiranai.
It will not necessarily succeed.

2. お金持ちが必ずしも幸福だとは限らない。
Okanemochi ga kanarazushimo koufuku da towa kagiranai.
Being rich does not necessarily mean being happy.

3. 高いものが必ずしもいい物だとは限らない。
Takai mono ga kanarazushimo ii mono da towa kagiranai.
Expensive things are not necessarily good things.

IV. Pattern まるで~よう (marude ~you)
* Meaning: just like~, completely~
* Usage: まるで + N の/ verb short form + よう or まるで + (V/A/N) short form + みたい

Examples
1. 合格した！まるで夢のようだ。
Gougaku shita. Maru de yume no you da.
I passed. It is just like a dream.

2. 彼の日本語はまるで日本人が話しているみたいに聞こえる。
Kare no nihongo wa marude nihonjin ga hanashite iru mitai ni kikoeru.
His Japanese sounds just like a native speaker.

3. あなたの言うことはまるで理解できない。
Anata no iu koto wa marude rikai dekinai.
I have no idea at all what you are saying.