JLPT N2 Grammar Study Guide

Complete grammar study list for JLPT N2. Master all grammar patterns required for the N2 exam.

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197 patterns

あげく

to end up; in the end; finally; after all ~

あるいは

or; either; maybe; perhaps; possibly ~

ばかり

about; approximately ~

ばかりだ

continue to (go in a negative direction); keep on ~

ばかりか

not only... but also; as well as ~

ばかりに

simply because; on account of ~ (negative result)

ちなみに

by the way; in this connection; incidentally ~

ちっとも～ない

(not) at all; (not) in the least ~

だけあって

being the case; precisely because; as expected from ~

だけましだ

it's better than; one should feel grateful for ~

だけに

being the case; precisely because; as one would expect ~

だけのことはある

no wonder; as expected of; not... for nothing ~

だけは

to do all that one can ~

だって

because; but; after all; even; too ~

でしかない

merely; nothing but; no more than; there is only ~

どころではない

not the time for; far from; anything but ~

どころか

far from; anything but; let alone; not to mention ~

どうやら

possibly; apparently; seems like; somehow; barely ~

どうせ

anyhow; in any case; at any rate; after all; no matter what ~

得ない（えない）

unable to; cannot; it is not possible to ~

得る（える／うる）

can; to be able to; is possible to ~

再び（ふたたび）

again; once more ~

ふうに

this way; that way; in such a way; how ~

がきっかけで／をきっかけに

with... as a start; as a result of; taking advantage of ~

げ

looks like; seems like; appears to ~

逆に（ぎゃくに）

conversely; on the contrary ~

反面（はんめん）

while; although; on the other hand ~

果たして（はたして）

as was expected; sure enough; really; actually ~

一応（いちおう）

more or less; pretty much; roughly; tentatively; just in case ~

以外（いがい）

with the exception of; excepting; other than ~

以上に（いじょうに）

more than; not less than; beyond ~

以上は（いじょうは）

because; since; seeing that; now that ~

いきなり

abruptly; suddenly; all of a sudden; without warning ~

一気に（いっきに）

in one go; without stopping; all at once ~

一方で（いっぽうで）

on one hand; on the other hand; while; although ~

いわゆる

what is called; as it is called; the so-called; so to speak ~

いよいよ

at last; finally; beyond doubt ~

上（じょう）

from the standpoint of; as a matter of; in terms of ~

かのように

as if; just like ~

かと思ったら

just when; no sooner than ~

か～ないかのうちに

just as; right after; as soon as ~

かえって

on the contrary; rather; all the more; surprisingly ~

限り（かぎり）

as long as; while... is the case; as far as ~

甲斐がある（かいがある）

it's worth one's efforts to do something; worthwhile ~

かねない

(someone) might do something; could happen (negative connotation) ~

かねる

unable to do something; can't do something (politely) ~

から言うと（からいうと）

in terms of; from the point of view of ~

からこそ

precisely because ~

から見ると（からみると）

from the point of view of; by the look of; judging from ~

からには

now that; since; so long as; because ~

からして

judging from; based on; since; from; even ~

からすると／からすれば

judging from; considering; by the look of ~

からと言って（からといって）

just because; even if; even though ~

っこない

no chance of; definitely not possible ~

ことだ

should do ~ (used for suggestions or giving advice)

ことだから

because; since (talking about someone's character) ~

ことか

how...!; what...! (expresses strong emotion) ~

ことなく

without doing something ~

ことに

to my ~; emphasizes speaker's feelings ~

ことにはならない

just because... doesn't mean ~

くせして

although; despite the fact that; even though ~ (negative nuance)

まだしも

would be acceptable; it'd be one thing if; rather; better ~

まい

will not; will probably not; intend not to; must not ~

ままに

as; to do as; following; in accordance with ~

全く～ない（まったく～ない）

not at all ~

もかまわず

without caring; without worrying about ~

も当然だ（もとうぜんだ）

it's only natural; no wonder; might as well ~

もの／もん

because; indicates reason/excuse/dissatisfaction ~

ものだ

describe feelings; express memories; state a fact or common sense ~

ものだから

so; therefore; the reason for something (excuse) ~

ものではない

shouldn't do something; it's not something one should do ~

ものがある

there is something (that one feels); feels like; there is a sense of ~

ものか／もんか

as if; there's no way ~ (strong negation)

ものなら

if I could; if it were possible to ~

ものの

but; although; even though ~

もっとも

but then; although; though ~

もう少しで（もうすこしで）

almost; nearly; close to ~

ないではいられない

can't help but feel; can't help but do ~

ないことには～ない

unless you ~; if you don't ~ then ~

中を／中では（なかを／なかでは）

in; in the midst of; when; while ~

なくはない／なくもない

it's not that I can't; I may; double negative ~

なくて済む（なくてすむ）

get by without doing ~

何も～ない（なにも～ない）

nothing; (not) at all; there's no need to ~

なお

still; yet; furthermore; in addition ~

ねばならない

have to do; must; should ~

にあたって

at the time; on the occasion of ~

にほかならない

nothing but; none other than ~

に限らず（にかぎらず）

not just; not only... but also ~

に限る（にかぎる）

is best; nothing is better than ~

に限って（にかぎって）

only; in particular; when it comes to ~ (unexpected result)

に関わらず（にかかわらず）

in spite of; regardless of ~

に関わる（にかかわる）

to relate to; to have to do with; affecting ~

に決まっている（にきまっている）

certainly; I'm sure that; it must be the case that ~

に越したことはない（にこしたことはない）

it's best that; there's nothing better than ~

に応えて（にこたえて）

in response to ~

に加えて（にくわえて）

in addition to ~

に基づいて（にもとづいて）

based on; on the basis of ~

に向かって（にむかって）

to face; to go towards; to head to ~

に応じて（におうじて）

depending on; in accordance with ~

100

に際して（にさいして）

on the occasion of; at the time of ~

101

に先立ち（にさきだち）

before; prior to ~

102

にせよ／にしろ

even if; regardless; whether... or ~

103

にしろ～にしろ

whether... or ~

104

にしたら／にすれば

from one's perspective; from the point of view of ~

105

にしても～にしても

regardless of whether ~

106

に沿って（にそって）

along with; in accordance with ~

107

に相違ない（にそういない）

without a doubt; certain; sure ~

108

に過ぎない（にすぎない）

no more than; just; merely; only ~

109

に伴って（にともなって）

as; due to; along with; accompanying ~

110

につけ

every time; whenever; whether... or ~

111

につき

due to; because of; per; each ~

112

にわたって

throughout; over a period of ~

113

にもかかわらず

despite; in spite of; nevertheless; although ~

114

にて

in; at; with; by (formal particle) ~

115

のももっともだ

no wonder; it's only natural ~

116

の下で（のもとで）

under; with (guidance, supervision) ~

117

の上では（のうえでは）

according to; from the viewpoint of; on ~

118

のみ

only; nothing but (formal version of だけ) ~

119

のみならず

not only; besides; as well as ~

120

ぬ

negative verb conjugation; traditional/literary version of ない ~

121

抜きにして／抜きで（ぬきにして／ぬきで）

without; leaving out; cutting out ~

122

抜く（ぬく）

to do something through to the end; completely ~

123

を契機に（をけいきに）

as a good opportunity/chance to; as a result of ~

124

をめぐって

concerning; in regard to; over ~

125

をもとに

based on; derived from; building on ~

126

を除いて（をのぞいて）

except; with the exception of; excluding ~

127

を問わず（をとわず）

regardless of; irrespective of; no matter ~

128

お～願う（お～ねがう）

please do; could you please; I ask of you to ~

129

おまけに

to make matters worse; besides; what's more; in addition ~

130

恐らく（おそらく）

perhaps; likely; probably; I dare say ~

131

恐れがある（おそれがある）

it is feared that; to be in danger of; to be liable to ~

132

及び（および）

and; as well as (formal) ~

133

ろくに～ない

not well; not enough; insufficiently ~

134

幸いなことに（さいわいなことに）

fortunately; luckily; thankfully ~

135

せいか

perhaps because ~

136

せっかく

with great effort; going to the trouble of; specially ~

137

せめて

at least; at most ~

138

次第（しだい）

as soon as ~

139

次第で（しだいで）

depending on ~

140

次第に（しだいに）

gradually; little by little ~

141

しかも

moreover; furthermore; and yet; what's more ~

142

その上（そのうえ）

besides; in addition; furthermore ~

143

それなのに

and yet; despite this; but even so ~

144

それなら

if that's the case; if so ~

145

それにしても

nevertheless; at any rate; even so; be that as it may ~

146

そう言えば（そういえば）

come to think of it; now that you mention it ~

147

そうすると

having done that; if that is done; then ~

148

末に（すえに）

finally; after; at the end/conclusion of ~

149

少しも～ない（すこしも～ない）

not one bit; not even a little ~

150

少なくとも（すくなくとも）

at least ~

151

直ちに（ただちに）

at once; immediately; directly ~

152

たまえ

do ~; (used to order someone to do something, male speech)

153

てばかりはいられない

can't keep doing ~; can't just keep ~

154

てでも

even if I have to; by all means ~

155

て以来（ていらい）

since; henceforth; ever since ~

156

ていては

if one keeps doing ~ (negative consequence)

157

てこそ

only by doing; precisely because ~

158

てまで

even; will go so far as to ~

159

てならない

can't help but; extremely; very ~

160

てたまらない

can't help but; unbearably; extremely ~

161

て当然だ（てとうぜんだ）

natural; as a matter of course; no wonder ~

162

ては／では

whenever; if; when ~; (repetitive action) ~

163

てはいられない

can't afford to; unable to ~

164

てはならない

must not; cannot; should not ~

165

ては～ては

repetitive situations/actions ~

166

と同時に（とどうじに）

at the same time as; while; simultaneously ~

167

といった

like; such as ~

168

というふうに

in such a way that; like ~

169

ということは

that is to say; so that means; in other words ~

170

というものだ

that is what it means to; that's how ~ is (emphasis) ~

171

というものではない

there is no guarantee that; not necessarily ~

172

と考えられる（とかんがえられる）

one can think that; it is conceivable that; considered ~

173

とか（で）

I heard that ~

174

とっくに

long ago; already; a long time ago ~

175

ところだった

was just about to; almost happened ~

176

ところに

at the time; just when; at that moment ~

177

ところを見ると（ところをみると）

judging from; seeing that ~

178

とも

even if; no matter; though; both/all ~

179

として～ない

not at all; there is not even one ~

180

としても

assuming; even if ~

181

つつ

while; even though; despite ~

182

つつある

to be doing; to be in the process of ~

183

上は（うえは）

now that; since; as long as ~

184

はもとより

not only; let alone; of course ~

185

はともかく

anyhow; anyway; regardless; setting aside ~

186

わずかに

slightly; only; barely; narrowly ~

187

やがて

before long; soon; almost; eventually ~

188

やら～やら

such things as A and B; A and B and so on ~

189

よほど／よっぽど

very; greatly; much; to a large extent ~

190

より

from ~ (a time, place, or person) (formal) ~

191

よりほかない

to have no choice but ~

192

ようでは

if ~ (implies a bad result will follow) ~

193

ようではないか

let's do (something); why don't we ~

194

ようか～まいか

whether or not to; considering options ~

195

要するに（ようするに）

in short; in a word; to sum up; to put it simply ~

196

ざるを得ない（ざるをえない）

cannot help (doing); have no choice but to ~

197

ずに済む（ずにすむ）

get by without doing ~

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many grammar points are on JLPT N2?

JLPT N2 covers approximately 250-300 grammar points. Our study list covers all patterns tested on the exam.

How long does it take to learn JLPT N2 grammar?

Most students need 9-12 months of focused study to master N2 grammar, depending on study hours per day and prior knowledge.

What is the best way to study JLPT N2 grammar?

Start by understanding each grammar pattern in context with example sentences. Practice creating your own sentences, and review regularly using spaced repetition. Taking practice tests helps identify weak areas.

Is JLPT N2 grammar difficult?

N2 grammar is challenging with nuanced patterns used in formal and written Japanese.