Japanese can be very precise when describing causes and effects. When you want to say something is the result of something else (often a noun), use による. In this post, we’ll learn how to use による to link a cause to a resulting noun. による Resulting From / Caused By Usage Pattern [Cause] による + [Noun] Details JLPT […]

In English, we say things like “This book was written by the author.” In Japanese, the equivalent is によって—used in passive sentences to show who or what performed the action. Let’s look at how to use によって with passive verbs. によって “By” (in passive voice) Usage Pattern [Thing] は + [Agent] によって + [Passive Verb] Details JLPT Level:

Life doesn’t always follow one rule—sometimes things change based on the situation. In Japanese, when something changes depending on a condition, the grammar you’ll want to use is によって. In this post, we’ll learn how to use によって to express that something differs depending on something else. によって Depending On Usage Pattern [Noun] +によって + Result (often

Giving is one thing—but what about getting? When you want to say you received something in Japanese, the verb you need is もらう.In this post, we’ll learn how to use もらう to talk about receiving gifts, help, and more. もらう To Receive Usage Pattern [Receiver] は / が + [Giver] に / から + [Object]

When someone gives you something, or gives something to someone close to you, Japanese uses a different verb: くれる. This verb shows that something is being given toward the speaker or their inner circle. Let’s learn how to use くれる to say someone gave something to you. くれる To Give (Toward Me or My Inner Circle)

Giving is one of the most common human interactions—and in Japanese, it comes with nuance! One way to say “to give” is with the verb あげる. This verb shows that something is given away from the speaker or someone close to them, toward someone else. In this post, we’ll look at how to use あげる to

Sometimes, “only” doesn’t mean too little—it means so much of one thing that it’s overwhelming or surprising. That’s where ばかり comes in. This word is used when something happens all the time, when something is everywhere, or when it’s “nothing but” one thing. Let’s learn how to use ばかり in Japanese. ばかり Nothing But / All

Sometimes saying “only” feels a little disappointing—like when you only got one souvenir, or all you got from your dad was a handshake. In Japanese, you use しか when there’s a sense of insufficiency or letdown.Let’s look at how to use しか to express “only” in a negative or limiting way. しか Only / Just

When you want to say something like “only one,” “just this,” or “that’s all,” the word you’ll likely use is だけ. This word is simple, neutral, and flexible—perfect for describing a situation where there’s “nothing more, nothing less.”Let’s learn how to use だけ to express “only” or “just” in Japanese. だけ Only / Just (Neutral

Sometimes things go wrong—and it’s clearly someone or something’s fault. In Japanese, the expression せいで is used to assign blame when something bad (or at least inconvenient) happens. Whether you’re talking about missing the bus or breaking a window, せいで is the grammar point to reach for. Let’s take a look at how to say “Because