JLPT N2 – Grammar list

This page gathers a list of the main grammar structures in order to be able to pass the JLPT N2.

The most difficult with grammar, in comparison with the vocabulary or the kanji for instance, is to not only understand but also to be able to re-use the studied forms.

This is why you can click on any grammar form you would like to study more and a new tab will open automatically. From an other study page, the pronunciation, meaning and explanation of each grammar structure are provided. Example sentences are also available on each study page in order to be able to practice with real examples.

番号
文法形式
Grammar form
読み方
Pronunciation
意味
Meaning
1一気に ikki niin one go; in one gulp; in one breath; without stopping; without pausing; without resting; in one sitting; at a stretch; all at once
2っこない kkonaino chance of; no way that; certainly not; will never happen
3次第で shidai dedepending on
4それなら sore naraif that’s the case …; if so …; that being the case …
5少しも〇〇ない sukoshi mo-naianything of; not one bit (with negative sentence)
6やがて yagatebefore long; soon
7どころではない dokoro dewa nainot the time for; not the place for; far from; anything but; … is out of the question; … isn’t the word for it
8得る「える/うる」 eru/uruto get; to earn; to acquire; to procure; to gain; to secure; to attain; to obtain; to win
9joufrom (if we refer to) (e.g. : from my experience), -ly (e.g. : historical-ly)
10もう少しで mou sukoshi dealmost; nearly; close to
11をもとに o moto nibased on; built on; made from
12ろくに〇〇ない roku ni-nai(not) well; (not) enough; (im)properly; (in)sufficiently; (un)satisfactorily
13少なくとも sukunaku tomoat least
14てはならない tewa naranaiSuch situation must not occur
15から見ると kara miru tofrom (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity); since
16といった to ittasuch … as; or some such
17かと思うと ka to omou to, ka to omottarano sooner than; as soon as; immediately after
18に応える ni kotaeteto respond; to answer; to meet (e.g. demands, expectations)
19以来 irai, te iraisince; henceforth
20当然 touzen, te touzen da, mo touzen danatural; as a matter of course; justified; deserved; reasonable
21ばかりか bakari kanot only
22か〇〇ないかのうちに ka-nai ka no uchi nito start doing something on our own before anyone could realize it already started
23甲斐がある kai ga aruto be effective; to be fruitful; to be worthwhile; to be worth; to be rewarded; to pay off
24に限らず ni kagirazunot limited to; not just …
25おまけに omake nito make matters worse; besides; what’s more; in addition; on top of that
26〇〇てはいられない tewa irarenaiOnes cannot keep on doing something infinitely
27上は ue wanow that; since; as long as; provided that
28ばかり(だ) bakari danothing but
29ばかりに bakari ni(simply) because; on account of
30なくて済む nakute sumuTo end without needing something
31につけ ni tsukevegetables or fish boiled in soy sauce
32恐らく osorakuperhaps; likely; probably; I dare say
33幸いなことに saiwai na koto nifortunately; luckily; thankfully
34どころか dokoro kafar from; anything but; not at all
35くせして kuse shiteand yet; though; when; in spite of
36まい mai“I” will never do something again
37にて niteat; in; close to で in a polite form
38恐れがある osore ga aruto be in danger of; to be liable to
39末に sue nifinally; after; following
40に限る ni kagiruto restrict; to limit; to confine
41にせよ ni seyo, ni seyo / ni shirogranted that; even if; even though
42を問わず o towazuregardless of; irrespective of; without distinction of; no matter (how, what, when, etc.)
43あげく agekuafter (a long process); at the end of
44再び futatabiagain; once more; a second time
45以外 igaiwith the exception of; excepting
46からといって kara to ittejust because; even if; even though
47に過ぎない ni suginaino more than; just; only; mere; goes no further than
48まだしも madashimo, nara madashimorather; better
49にしても ni shitemo, ni shitemo-ni shitemoeven if; even though
50を契機に o keiki niopportunity; chance
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