Sentence Basics & Writing
The foundations: how Japanese sentences are ordered, how the copula です works, what adverbs do, and how the kana and kanji writing systems fit together. Start here if you're brand new.
27 grammar points
Japanese Word Order (SOV) | Verb Always Last
Subject-Object-Verb sentence structure
です Forms | Complete Japanese Copula Guide
To be (is, am, are)
Common Adverbs | よく・とても・たくさん
Frequently used adverbs for frequency, degree, and quantity
Kana vs Kanji | Understanding Japanese Writing Systems
The three Japanese scripts and when to use each
あります・います | Saying Something Exists in Japanese
There is ~ / I have ~ (existence)
んです | Explaining and Asking Why in Japanese
Explanatory です — giving or seeking a reason
よ・ね | Sentence-Ending Particles in Japanese
よ tells, ね seeks agreement
の | Turning Verbs into Nouns in Japanese
Turns a verb or clause into a noun
と言う・と思う | Quoting and Saying What You Think
Marks quoted speech and thought
もう・まだ | Already and Not Yet in Japanese
Already / still / not yet
かもしれない | Might and Maybe in Japanese
Might ~, may ~, perhaps ~
はず | Should Be and Supposed To in Japanese
Should be, supposed to be, expected to
でしょう・だろう | Probably in Japanese
Probably ~, I suppose ~, right?
つもり | Stating Your Intentions in Japanese
Intend to ~, plan to ~
そうです（伝聞）| Reporting What You Heard
I hear that ~, they say that ~
そうです（様態）| Saying Something Looks Like
Looks ~, seems ~, about to ~
ようだ | It Seems That in Japanese
It seems ~, it appears ~, like ~
みたい | Seems Like, in Casual Japanese
Seems like ~, looks like ~ (casual)
らしい | Apparently, and Typical Of
Apparently ~ / typical of ~
連体修飾 | Modifying Nouns with a Clause
The person who ~, the thing that ~
かどうか | Whether or Not in Japanese
Whether ~ or not
予定 | Scheduled Plans in Japanese
Be scheduled to ~, plan to ~
でできる | Made Of and Made From
Made of ~, made from ~
わけだ | That's Why and No Wonder in Japanese
That's why; no wonder; it follows that
わけではない | It Doesn't Mean That in Japanese
It doesn't mean that; not necessarily; it's not that ~
わけがない | There's No Way in Japanese
There's no way; impossible that; couldn't possibly
わけにはいかない | Can't Bring Yourself To in Japanese
Can't (for social or moral reasons); mustn't; can't afford to
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