JLPT N4 Grammar: The 15 Most Important Patterns

N4 grammar is where Japanese stops being "subject-object-verb" and starts being layered. These 15 patterns cover the bulk of the N4 test — learn them cold and the rest is vocabulary.

1. 〜ことになっている (it's the rule that…)

Used for social rules and arrangements that exist independently of the speaker: 学校では携帯を使ってはいけないことになっている (At school it's the rule that phones aren't allowed).

2. 〜のに (even though — frustration)

Contrast with annoyance: 約束したのに来なかった (Even though we agreed, he didn't come). Note the volitional feel — you're disappointed because you expected more.

3. 〜ように (so that / in the manner of)

Two meanings that both show up: purpose with volitional verbs (忘れないようにメモした — I took notes so I wouldn't forget) and quoting style (先生が言ったように — as the teacher said).

4. 〜によって (by means of / depending on / by agent)

Three roles: means of transport/method, variation by case (人によって違う — differs by person), and the agent in passive sentences written formally (この本は田中によって書かれた).

5. Causative 〜させる (make/let someone do)

The boss-verb: 先生が学生に宿題をさせる (The teacher makes students do homework). N4 tests this relentlessly — watch who に vs. を marks in the sentence.

6. Passive 〜られる (be done to)

受け身: ドアが開けられた (The door was opened). Watch out when both passive and causative exist in one sentence — that's N4's favorite trap (causative-passive させられる = forced to do).

7. 〜たびに (every time)

日本に来るたびに新しい店を見つける (Every time I come to Japan I find a new shop).

8. 〜てしまう / 〜ちゃう (completely / accidentally)

Two nuances: completion entirely (本を読んでしまった — I finished the book) and regret (傘を忘れてしまった — dang, I forgot my umbrella).

9. 〜ておく / 〜とく (do in advance)

Preparatory: パーティーの前に食べ物を買っておく (I'll buy food before the party — storing it for later).

10. 〜てみる (try and see)

Attempt-action: この漢字を読んでみて (Try reading this kanji).

11. 〜ば / 〜たら / 〜なら / 〜と (the four "if"s)

The great conditional family. Rough split: と = automatic consequence, ば = general condition, たら = single future event, なら = if that's the case (topic-setter).

12. 〜すぎる / 〜すぎ (too much)

食べすぎた (I ate too much). Attaches to verb stems and adjective stems.

13. 〜やすい / 〜にくい (easy/hard to do)

This pen writes easily: このペンは書きやすい. Built from the ます-stem + やすい/にくい.

14. 〜はず (it should be / supposed to)

Logical expectation: 彼はもう着いているはずだ (He should have arrived by now). Not for confident claims — that's に違いない (N3 territory).

15. 〜ため(に) (because of / for the purpose)

Two uses — reason (雨のために試合が中止になった — the match was called off because of rain) and purpose (合格するために勉強する — study in order to pass). Listen to whether the clause before is a noun or a verb — that decides which meaning.

Practice pattern recognition, not memorization

Knowing 〜ことになっている from a list is one thing — recognizing it inside a fast reading passage is another. That's why practice tests exist.