Grammar

How do you say something needs to happen by Friday, by 6 p.m., or by tomorrow in Japanese? When you want to express a deadline—the latest point by which something should happen—you can use までに. までに By (a certain time) JLPT Level: N5 Want to actually remember this? Practice it with spaced repetition and example […]

In Japanese, the volitional form is used when you want to suggest something like “Let’s go!” or express your own intention, such as “I’ll study.” It’s one of the most useful verb forms for both casual plans and strong personal decisions. Whether you’re making a group invitation or sharing your determination, this grammar is essential.

In English, we often say things like “maybe it will rain” or “that might be true.” In Japanese, the word かもしれない is a powerful way to express uncertainty, possibility, or polite distance from a statement. It’s one of the most flexible and frequently used “hedging” expressions in the language. かもしれない Maybe / Might JLPT Level:

The Japanese verb もらう means “to receive.” While it can describe receiving a physical object, it can also be used to describe receiving the benefit of someone else’s action. By attaching もらう to the て-form of another verb, ～てもらう expresses that you have someone do something for you or receive someone’s help or favor. ～てもらう

One of the most useful grammar patterns in any language is how to ask for permission. In Japanese, the phrase ～てもいい lets you do just that. It’s a polite and flexible way to ask, “Is it okay if I ___?” or to grant permission to someone else. ～てもいい May I? / It’s okay if… JLPT

In English, we use “this” and “that” all the time but Japanese takes it a step further. Instead of just two levels of distance, Japanese offers three: things close to you, close to the person you’re talking to, and far from both. On top of that, Japanese adds a fourth layer with a question word.

Some changes in life happen so slowly or so quietly you don’t even notice until they’ve already occurred. That’s exactly what the Japanese phrase いつの間にか is used to express. It describes moments where something has changed, time has passed, or progress has been made, and you didn’t even realize it was happening until after the

Sometimes you want to express that something happened even though the conditions weren’t ideal. In English, we say “despite the rain” or “in spite of the difficulties.” In Japanese, the grammar point that captures this meaning is にもかかわらず. It’s used to describe outcomes that happen unexpectedly or in contrast to a known situation. にもかかわらず Despite

If you have ever wanted to try something in Japanese, like tasting a new food or testing out an activity, this is the grammar pattern you need. The expression てみる is used when you give something a try for the first time or simply to see how it goes. It works well for new experiences

Sometimes someone does more than was necessary: they travel somewhere just to see you, make an extra stop to help you, or take additional time to do something on your behalf. In Japanese, わざわざ is used to emphasize that kind of special or extra effort. わざわざ Going out of one’s way / taking the trouble