JLPT N4 Grammar List: All 60 Patterns with Examples (2026)
How N4 grammar differs from N5
N5 grammar gets you to a place where you can say simple things: "I eat sushi," "I went to Tokyo," "This is expensive." N4 grammar is where Japanese starts feeling alive. You can say what you have to do, what you're allowed to do, what you've experienced, what you heard someone say, and what would happen if something were true. The jump from N5 to N4 is a jump from describing the present moment to navigating the full range of real conversation.
The ~60 patterns below are organized by function. Learn each cluster together — the patterns within a category have overlapping meaning but different nuance, and studying them side-by-side makes the distinctions stick.
1. Permission and Prohibition
| Pattern | Meaning | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜てもいい | May / is okay to | Te-form + もいい | ここに座ってもいいですか。 (Koko ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.) — May I sit here? |
| 〜てはいけない | Must not / not allowed | Te-form + はいけない | ここで写真を撮ってはいけません。 (Koko de shashin wo totte wa ikemasen.) — You must not take photos here. |
| 〜なくてもいい | Don't have to | Nai-form (drop ない) + なくてもいい | 今日は来なくてもいいですよ。 (Kyou wa konakute mo ii desu yo.) — You don't have to come today. |
| 〜てもかまわない | Don't mind if / it's fine to | Te-form + もかまわない | 遅れてもかまいません。 (Okurete mo kamaimasen.) — It's fine if you're late. |
2. Obligation
| Pattern | Meaning | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜なければならない | Must / have to | Formal/written | 宿題をしなければなりません。 (Shukudai wo shinakereba narimasen.) — I have to do my homework. |
| 〜なければいけない | Must / have to | Neutral | 早く起きなければいけない。 (Hayaku okina kereba ikenai.) — I have to wake up early. |
| 〜ないといけない | Have to | Casual spoken | もう行かないといけない。 (Mou ikanai to ikenai.) — I have to go now. |
| 〜なきゃ / 〜なくちゃ | Gotta / have to | Very casual | 勉強しなきゃ。 (Benkyou shinakya.) — Gotta study. |
3. Desire and Want
| Pattern | Meaning | Subject | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜たい | Want to do | Speaker only | 日本に行きたいです。 (Nihon ni ikitai desu.) — I want to go to Japan. |
| 〜てほしい | Want someone else to do | Third party does action | もっと話してほしい。 (Motto hanashite hoshii.) — I want you to talk more. |
| 〜たがる | Seems to want to | Third person | 彼は海外に行きたがっている。 (Kare wa kaigai ni ikitagatte iru.) — He seems to want to go abroad. |
4. Ability and Potential
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ことができる | Can / be able to | 日本語を話すことができます。 (Nihongo wo hanasu koto ga dekimasu.) — I can speak Japanese. |
| Potential verb form (〜える/〜られる) | Can (more natural spoken) | 日本語が話せます。 (Nihongo ga hanasemasu.) — I can speak Japanese. |
| 〜やすい | Easy to do | このペンは書きやすい。 (Kono pen wa kakiyasui.) — This pen is easy to write with. |
| 〜にくい | Hard/difficult to do | この漢字は読みにくい。 (Kono kanji wa yominikui.) — This kanji is hard to read. |
5. Experience (〜たことがある)
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たことがある | Have done before (experience) | 富士山に登ったことがあります。 (Fujisan ni nobotta koto ga arimasu.) — I have climbed Mt. Fuji before. |
| 〜たことがない | Have never done | お酒を飲んだことがありません。 (Osake wo nonda koto ga arimasen.) — I have never drunk alcohol. |
6. Preparation (〜ておく)
〜ておく means to do something in advance or prepare. Te-form + おく.
| Example | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 旅行の前にホテルを予約しておきます。 | Ryokou no mae ni hoteru wo yoyaku shite okimasu. | I'll book the hotel in advance of the trip. |
| メモしておいてください。 | Memo shite oite kudasai. | Please write it down (for future reference). |
7. Completion and Regret (〜てしまう)
〜てしまう expresses that an action was completed, often with a nuance of regret or that it happened unintentionally. In casual speech, it contracts to 〜ちゃう (for te-form ending in て) or 〜じゃう (ending in で).
| Pattern | Example | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てしまう | 財布を忘れてしまいました。 (Saifu wo wasurete shimaimashita.) — I (regrettably) forgot my wallet. | Regret / completion |
| 〜ちゃう (casual) | 食べちゃった！ (Tabechatta!) — I ate it all up! | Casual speech |
8. Progressive and Resultant State (〜ている、〜てある)
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ている (action verb) | Currently doing | 今、勉強しています。 — I am studying now. |
| 〜ている (stative verb) | Is in a state | 結婚しています。 — I am married. |
| 〜てある | Has been done (by someone, on purpose) | 窓が開けてあります。 (Mado ga akete arimasu.) — The window has been opened (and left open). |
9. Conditionals
| Pattern | Best used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たら | Sequential "when/if" — widest use | 家に帰ったら、電話します。 — When I get home, I'll call you. |
| 〜ば | Hypothetical / formal / proverbs | お金があれば、旅行したい。 — If I had money, I'd want to travel. |
| 〜と | Natural / automatic consequence | 春になると、桜が咲く。 — When spring comes, the cherry blossoms bloom. |
| 〜なら | Topic-based condition ("if that's the case") | 日本に行くなら、京都もおすすめです。 — If you're going to Japan, Kyoto is also recommended. |
10. Giving and Receiving
| Pattern | Direction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てあげる | I/in-group does favor for out-group | 荷物を持ってあげます。 — I'll carry your bags (for you). |
| 〜てもらう | I receive a favor from someone | 先生に教えてもらいました。 — I had the teacher teach me. |
| 〜てくれる | Someone does a favor for me/in-group | 友達が手伝ってくれた。 — My friend helped me (out of kindness). |
11. Attempt (〜てみる)
〜てみる means "to try doing something." Te-form + みる (to see what it's like).
例: この料理を食べてみてください。(Kono ryouri wo tabete mite kudasai.) — Please try eating this dish.
12. Conjunctions
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜し | And (listing reasons) | 安いし、おいしいし、また来たい。 — It's cheap and delicious, so I want to come again. |
| 〜から | Because (subjective reason) | 疲れたから、寝ます。 — I'm tired, so I'll sleep. |
| 〜ので | Because (objective/polite reason) | 雨なので、家にいます。 — Because it's raining, I'll stay home. |
| 〜が / 〜けど | But / however (softer contrast) | 行きたいけど、時間がない。 — I want to go, but I don't have time. |
13. Comparisons
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| AよりB | B more than A | 電車よりバスのほうが安い。 — The bus is cheaper than the train. |
| 〜ほど〜ない | Not as ... as | 東京ほど大きくない。 — Not as big as Tokyo. |
| 〜のほうが | ...is the better/more option | 歩くのほうが健康にいい。 — Walking is better for your health. |
14. Reported Speech
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜と言う | Said that / says that | 彼は来ると言いました。 (Kare wa kuru to iimashita.) — He said he would come. |
| 〜と思う | I think that | 明日は晴れると思います。 (Ashita wa hareru to omoimasu.) — I think it will be sunny tomorrow. |
| 〜そうだ (hearsay) | I heard that | 明日は雨だそうです。 (Ashita wa ame da sou desu.) — I heard it will rain tomorrow. |
| 〜らしい | Apparently / seems like | 彼女は医者らしい。 (Kanojo wa isha rashii.) — She apparently is a doctor. |
15. Change (〜くなる / 〜になる)
| Pattern | Used with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| い-adj stem + くなる | i-adjectives | 日本語が上手くなりました。 — My Japanese got better. |
| な-adj / noun + になる | na-adjectives, nouns | 医者になりたいです。 — I want to become a doctor. |
Additional N4 Patterns to Know
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜まま | Leaving in the same state | 靴を履いたまま入った。— I entered with my shoes still on. |
| 〜だけ | Only / just | これだけでいいです。— This alone is fine. |
| 〜ために | In order to / for the purpose of | 日本語を勉強するために、毎日練習します。— I practice every day in order to study Japanese. |
| 〜ながら | While doing (simultaneous) | 音楽を聴きながら勉強します。— I study while listening to music. |
| 〜後で | After doing | 食べた後で、散歩します。— I'll take a walk after eating. |
| 〜前に | Before doing | 寝る前に歯を磨きます。— I brush my teeth before sleeping. |
| 〜すぎる | Too much / excessively | 食べすぎた。— I ate too much. |
| 〜方 (かた) | Way of doing | この漢字の書き方を教えてください。— Please teach me how to write this kanji. |
| 〜んです / 〜のです | Explanation / seeking explanation | どうして遅れたんですか。— Why were you late (explain please)? |
| 〜ようになる | To reach the point where | 漢字が読めるようになりました。— I got to the point where I can read kanji. |
Study tips for JLPT N4 grammar
- Learn conditionals as a group. Put たら, ば, と, なら side-by-side and practice switching one for another. Note which ones allow commands in the result clause (たら: yes; と: no).
- Master the giving/receiving triad first. あげる / もらう / くれる confuse most learners at N4 level. Draw direction arrows until it clicks.
- Shadowing > flashcards for grammar. Listen to native sentences using each pattern and repeat out loud. Your mouth needs to know these, not just your eyes.
- Write 3 original sentences per pattern. Copying examples does not build production ability. Force yourself to generate sentences from your own life.
Practice these patterns in context with ZISTICA MOJIIQ's free grammar checker — paste your sentences and get instant N4-level feedback.
Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are on the JLPT N4?
The JLPT N4 tests approximately 60 grammar patterns, including conditionals (〜たら、〜ば、〜と、〜なら), permission/prohibition (〜てもいい、〜てはいけない), obligation (〜なければならない), and giving/receiving verbs (〜てあげる、〜てもらう、〜てくれる).
What is the difference between 〜たら and 〜ば?
〜たら is used for sequential "when/if" conditions and works with any result, including commands and requests. 〜ば expresses a hypothetical condition where the result depends directly on the condition and is more formal. たら is the safer choice for everyday conversation.
What is the difference between 〜なければならない and 〜なくてもいい?
They are opposites. 〜なければならない means "must do" (obligation). 〜なくてもいい means "don't have to do" (permission to skip). 勉強しなければならない = I have to study. 勉強しなくてもいい = You don't have to study.
How is N4 grammar different from N5?
N5 covers basic particles, plain verb conjugation, and simple connectors. N4 adds conditional sentences, giving/receiving verb nuance, reported speech, past experience (〜たことがある), obligation/permission structures, and expressions like 〜ようになる and 〜すぎる.
What is the best way to study JLPT N4 grammar?
Study in thematic clusters — conditionals together, obligation/permission together, giving/receiving together. Memorize one formation rule and one original example sentence per pattern. Check your writing output with a grammar checker to catch errors before they become habits.