01
N は N です
です: be / is
Use です to state what something is or who someone is politely.
When: Introductions and simple descriptions.
わたしは学生です。
I am a student.
N5 Japanese grammar
Practise the patterns you need for everyday Japanese, with plain explanations, examples, and translations.
Study reference
20 patterns to learn first
This is a practical study scope, not an official exhaustive JLPT list. Try each pattern in its example.
02
N は N ではありません
ではありません: is not
The polite negative of です.
When: Correcting or denying a simple statement.
これは本ではありません。
This is not a book.
03
…ですか
か: yes/no question
Add か to a polite sentence to make a question.
When: Asking for confirmation or basic information.
田中さんは先生ですか。
Is Tanaka-san a teacher?
04
N も
も: also / too
Replace は or が with も when the same statement includes another person or thing.
When: Adding a matching item to a statement.
わたしも学生です。
I am a student too.
05
N の N
の: belonging / description
Connect nouns to show possession or a relationship.
When: Names, affiliations, and things someone owns.
これはわたしのかばんです。
This is my bag.
06
N を V
を: object marker
Mark the direct object of an action verb with を.
When: Saying what you eat, read, watch, and do.
水を飲みます。
I drink water.
07
Time に V
に: time
Mark a specific time when an action happens.
When: Schedules and daily routines.
七時に起きます。
I get up at seven.
08
Place に あります／います
に: where something is
Use あります for things and います for people or animals at a place.
When: Locating a person, animal, or object.
机の上に本があります。
There is a book on the desk.
09
Place で V
で: place of action
Mark the place where an action takes place.
When: Eating, studying, working, and other activities.
図書館で勉強します。
I study at the library.
10
Place へ 行きます／来ます／帰ります
へ: direction
Show the destination or direction of movement.
When: Going, coming, or returning somewhere.
学校へ行きます。
I go to school.
11
N と N
と: and / with
Join nouns with と, or name the person you do something with.
When: Lists and companions.
友だちと映画を見ます。
I watch a movie with a friend.
12
N から N まで
から／まで: from / to
Mark the starting and ending points of time or place.
When: Schedules, routes, and ranges.
九時から五時まで働きます。
I work from nine to five.
13
V-ます
ます: polite non-past
The polite form for a habitual or future action.
When: Daily routines and plans.
毎日、日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese every day.
14
V-ません
ません: polite negative
Make a polite verb negative with ません.
When: Saying you do not do something.
肉を食べません。
I do not eat meat.
15
V-ました
ました: polite past
The polite form for a completed action.
When: Talking about yesterday or a finished event.
きのう映画を見ました。
I watched a movie yesterday.
16
V-ませんでした
ませんでした: polite past negative
The polite negative for a completed time period.
When: Saying an action did not happen.
朝ごはんを食べませんでした。
I did not eat breakfast.
17
V-てください
てください: please do
Ask someone politely to do something.
When: Requests and classroom instructions.
ここに名前を書いてください。
Please write your name here.
18
V-ないでください
ないでください: please do not
Politely ask someone not to do something.
When: Warnings and polite prohibitions.
ここで写真を撮らないでください。
Please do not take photos here.
19
V-たいです
たい: want to
Say what you want to do by adding たいです to the verb stem.
When: Wishes and simple plans.
日本へ行きたいです。
I want to go to Japan.
20
N が好きです
好き: like
Use が with 好きです to say that you like something.
When: Talking about preferences.
音楽が好きです。
I like music.
Helpful answers for your next step
Understand one idea, try an example, and keep going at your own pace.
Does Japanese use spaces between words?
Standard Japanese writing usually does not put spaces between words. Readers use the mix of kanji, hiragana, katakana, and punctuation to see boundaries, as in 私は学生です。 (わたしは がくせいです). Beginner materials may add spaces or line breaks to make practice easier, but gradually practise reading the normal unspaced form too.
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
What is the basic word order in Japanese?
A useful beginner pattern is topic or subject, then other information, with the verb near the end: 私はりんごを食べます (わたしは りんごを たべます, I eat an apple). Particles such as は and を show each word’s role, and Japanese often leaves out a subject that is already understood. This pattern is a guide, not a rule that prevents every rearrangement for emphasis or style.
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
How do です and ます make a Japanese sentence polite?
です commonly closes a polite noun or adjective statement, as in 学生です (I am a student) or しずかです (it is quiet). ます is the polite ending for many verbs, as in 食べます (eat) and 行きます (go). Their negative forms also show the pattern: 学生じゃないです and 食べません. They mark a polite style; they do not by themselves tell you the whole meaning of a sentence.
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
How do I make a simple Japanese sentence negative?
For a polite verb, change the ending to ません: 食べます becomes 食べません (do not eat). A noun or な-adjective can use じゃないです: 学生です becomes 学生じゃないです (am not a student). An い-adjective changes い to くないです: 高いです becomes 高くないです (is not expensive). Check the adjective type before changing it.
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
What are これ, それ, and あれ in Japanese?
These are demonstratives for things: これ is near the speaker, それ is near the listener or refers to what the listener just mentioned, and あれ is away from both. For example, これは本です means “this is a book,” それは何ですか means “what is that?”, and あれは学校です means “that over there is a school.” どれ asks “which one?”
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
What is the difference between あります and います?
Use あります for the existence or location of inanimate things, and います for people and animals. For example, 机があります means “there is a desk,” while 猫がいます means “there is a cat.” You can show a place with に: 部屋に机があります (there is a desk in the room) and 教室に先生がいます (the teacher is in the classroom).
References: Irodori: What is Irodori? · Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture · NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese
Edited by the NihongoHub Team · 14 September 2026 · Sources & corrections