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56 grammar patterns

Elementary Patterns

Essential patterns for everyday conversations.

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〜間に

Time
>> while ~

〜ばかり

Limitation
>> nothing but ~

〜でしょう

Supposition
>> probably ~

〜がする

Tendency
>> sense ~ (sound, smell, etc.)

〜がる

Tendency
>> seem to feel ~

〜始める / 〜終わる

Time
>> ① finish ~ing ② start to ~

〜はずだ

Supposition
>> should be ~

〜必要がある

Intention
>> need to ~

〜ほど〜ない

Comparison
>> not as ~ as ~

〜ほうがいい

Comparison
>> had better ~

〜かどうか

Supposition
>> whether or not ~

〜かもしれない

Supposition
>> maybe ~

〜ことがある

Time
>> sometimes ~

〜ことになる

Result
>> it's been decided ~

〜ことにする

Intention
>> I've decided to ~

〜までに

Time
>> by ~

〜まま

Tendency
>> as it is

〜みたい

ComparisonSupposition
>> seems like ~

〜なら

ConditionalTopicLimitation
>> ① if ~ (advice/proposal) ② as for ~ ③ if it's ~ (but not others)

〜なさい

Intention
>> do ~ (command)

〜にする

Intention
>> ① decide on ~ ② make ~ (adjective)

〜の

Topic
>> nominalizer (~ing)

〜ので

Reason
>> because ~

〜のに

ConcessionPurpose
>> ① despite ~ing ② used for ~ing

〜らしい

SuppositionComparison
>> ① seems like ~ ② typical of ~

〜し〜し

EnumerationReason
>> ~ and besides ~

〜しかない

Limitation
>> only ~

〜そう

Supposition
>> ① looks like ~ ② i heard that ~ ③ about to ~

〜すぎる

Degree
>> too much ~

〜たばかり

Time
>> just did ~

〜たことがある

Time
>> have done ~ before

〜ために

Purpose
>> in order to ~

〜てあげる

Benefactive
>> do ~ for someone

〜てある

Time
>> has been done ~

〜ていく

Time
>> ① continue to ~ ② move away from ~

〜ている

Time
>> ① be ~ing ② be in a state of ~

〜てくれる

Benefactive
>> ~ for me

〜てくる

Time
>> ① have become / have been ② come towards ③ go and come back

〜てみる

Evaluation
>> try doing

〜てもらう

Benefactive
>> receive a favor from someone

〜ておく

Time
>> ① do in advance ② leave as is

〜てしまう

TimeEmotion
>> ① completely finished / have done ② unfortunately / unintentionally

〜てから

Time
>> after ~

〜ても

Concession
>> even if / even though

〜という

Topic
>> called ~

〜と

Conditional
>> whenever ~

〜ところだ

Time
>> ① about to ~ ② in the middle of ~ ③ just finished ~

〜つもりだ

Intention
>> intend to ~

〜やすい / 〜にくい

Tendency
>> ① easy to ~ ② hard to ~

〜予定だ

Intention
>> scheduled to ~

〜よう

ComparisonSuppositionPurpose
>> ① like ~ ② for example ~ ③ it seems ~ ④ as ~ ⑤ so that ~

〜ようになる

Tendency
>> become able to ~

〜ようにしている

Intention
>> making an effort to ~

〜ようにする

Intention
>> try to ~

〜ようと思っている

Intention
>> planning to ~

〜ようと思う

Intention
>> thinking of ~