JLPT N2 Grammar Study Guide

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

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 ~