Topic
grammar
11 articles on grammar for Japanese learners.
Why Vocabulary Should Come Before Grammar in Japanese
Vocabulary or grammar first? The case for learning Japanese words before rules, and how to fold grammar in without stalling out.
Cotobara vs Bunpro: Grammar vs Vocabulary, and Why Both
Bunpro is spaced repetition for Japanese grammar; Cotobara is a finished 8,700-word vocabulary course. Where they differ, and how they fit together.
JLPT N5 Grammar List, Grouped by What Each Point Does
The complete JLPT N5 grammar set: particles, verb forms, adjectives, sentence patterns, grouped by what each one actually does, not alphabetically.
Japanese Politeness Levels: Plain, Polite (です/ます), and Keigo
です/ます, plain form, and keigo: how Japanese politeness levels work, which one to learn first, and when using the wrong register sounds wrong.
い-Adjectives vs な-Adjectives: The Difference
Japanese has two adjective classes that conjugate differently. How to tell them apart, the full conjugation grid, and the exceptions that catch everyone.
Japanese Numbers and Counters: A Practical Guide
How to count from 1 to 10,000 in Japanese, why 4 and 7 have two readings, and how counters like 人, 枚, 本 and 個 work, with the ones you really need.
The Japanese て-form: How to Make It and Use It
The て-form connects actions, makes requests, and builds the progressive tense. The formation rules for every verb group, plus its main uses.
Japanese Particles Explained: は, が, を, に, で, and More
は, が, を, に, で, と, の and more: what each Japanese particle does, with clear examples and the distinctions beginners get wrong most often.
は vs が: The Difference Explained Simply
は marks the topic, が marks the subject, the most-asked question in Japanese grammar, explained with clear examples you can actually rely on.
Japanese Sentence Structure: Why the Verb Comes Last
Japanese word order for English speakers: SOV, particles instead of position, dropped subjects, and modifiers before nouns, with clear examples.
Japanese Verb Conjugation: The Three Verb Groups
Japanese verbs split into three groups, and once you can tell them apart conjugation becomes predictable. How to identify each group and conjugate it.