文法JLPT N2 grammar
141 grammar patterns with meanings, usage and examples
- ～ことになっているkoto-ni-natte-iru Be arranged; be established as a ruleDescribes an established rule or arrangement rather than necessarily a personal choice; ことにしている instead describes a deliberate practice.
- ～いったいittai What on earth; in the worldUsed with a question word to express puzzlement or surprise; it can sound forceful in polite situations.
- ～どうやらdouyara Apparently; it seemsIntroduces an inference from available signs rather than confirmed knowledge.
- ～さらにsarani Furthermore; even moreAdds information or indicates a further increase in degree.
- ～さえsae EvenHighlights an extreme example; さえ～ば instead presents a sufficient condition.
- ～せいぜいseizei At most; at best; to the extent possibleUsually mark an upper limit in the speaker's estimate, suggesting no more than that. It can also refer to doing as much as possible. Advice with seize...
- ～に限るni kagiru Nothing is better than; be limited toPresent what the speaker considers the best choice in a situation. With a noun, it can also state a restriction in rules or notices. Distinguish the s...
- ～にすぎないni-suginai no more than; just; merely; only~ Emphasizes the low level of something in terms of quality or quantityLimits the significance or extent of something, often in an objective assessment.
- ～げge Looking; appearing to feelDescribe an appearance that suggests an emotion, as in kanashige or fuange. The resulting word behaves like a na-adjective. It is not freely attached...
- ～得る - 得ないeru-enai Can or cannot possibly happenExpresses theoretical possibility rather than personal ability; 得る is read eru or uru, but 得ない is enai.
- ～ばかりにbakari ni Simply because; because of just one unfortunate causeEmphasize a cause that led to an undesirable outcome, often with regret or blame. It is not a general substitute for kara; the point is that this sing...
- ～だけにdake ni All the more because; as one would expect given thatGive a known circumstance that makes the following result or feeling more understandable or stronger. The outcome may meet expectations or be especial...
- ～だけあってdake atte As expected of; just as one would expectEvaluate a result as fitting someone's reputation, experience, or stated quality. It commonly expresses praise or recognition. Compared with dake ni,...
- ～つつtsutsu While doing; althoughUsually links actions by the same subject and is more written than ながら; つつも commonly marks a concession.
- ～つつあるtsutsu-aru Be gradually becoming; be in the process ofHighlights an ongoing change, rather than serving as a general replacement for every progressive form.
- ～つつもtsutsu mo Although; despite being aware ofPresent something known, thought, or intended, followed by behavior or a result that conflicts with it. It is mainly written in style, and the clauses...
- ～て以来te irai Ever since an eventUse an event as the starting point of a state or habit that continues until now or a stated reference time. The second clause should express continuat...
- ～てからでないと／からでなければte kara denai to Not until after; unless one first doesState that the first action must be completed before the next one is possible or permitted. The following clause is often negative, restrictive, or ab...
- ～てたまらないte tamaranai Unbearably; extremely; cannot wait toIntensify a feeling, sensation, or desire to a level that is hard to bear. It works for pleasant and unpleasant emotions. It is especially natural wit...
- ～てならないte naranai Cannot help feeling; extremelyDescribe a feeling, thought, or sensation that arises naturally and cannot be suppressed. Expressions such as ki ni naru, omoeru, and zannen da are co...
- ～というものだto iu mono da That is what one calls; it is fair to sayMake a firm judgment about the true nature or character of an action or situation. It is often evaluative, expressing praise or criticism. It is diffe...
- ～というものでもないto iu mono demo nai Not necessarily; it is not simply the case thatReject an oversimplified conclusion or the assumption that one condition is sufficient. It does not necessarily deny the preceding idea completely. It...
- ～ないことにはnai koto ni wa Unless; without first doingState a necessary condition: without the first action or state, the following result cannot be achieved. The second clause is often negative, such as...
- ～に応じてni-oujite According to; in response toDescribes adapting an action or degree to changing conditions; 応じた modifies a noun.
- ～にかかわらずni kakawarazu Regardless of; whether or notState that the result or policy does not depend on the preceding condition. Age, nationality, weather, or paired alternatives are common. Distinguish...
- ～にしろ～にしろ／～にせよ～にせよni-shiro-ni-seyo Whether A or BLists alternatives before stating a conclusion that applies to all; distinguish the single concessive use.
- ～にともなってni tomonatte Along with; as a consequence of; accompanyingA change, event, or measure accompanies another change or event. It is common in announcements and reports. It may describe consequences or planned ad...
- ～にわたる／にわたってni wataru ni watatte Over; throughout; spanning a period or areaEmphasize an event spanning a substantial period, area, or number of occasions. Ni wataru modifies a noun, while ni watatte connects to the predicate....
- ～はともかくwa-tomokaku Leaving aside; regardless ofSets an issue aside to focus on another without necessarily rejecting the first issue.
- ～はもとよりwa-motoyori Not only; naturally includingTreats the first item as obvious before adding another, often with も or まで.