A. Verb Groups (Conjugation Classes)

Correctly identifying verb groups is key for conjugation.

B. Basic Polite Conjugations (using -masu stem)

C. Introduction to Plain Forms (Essentials)

Used in casual speech and as basis for other grammar.

A. Nouns (名詞 - meishi)

No gender, no singular/plural changes. Honorific prefixes お- (o-) / ご- (go-) show respect (e.g., お茶 o-cha, ご飯 go-han).

B. Pronouns (代名詞 - daimeishi)

Used less than in English. Context is key. For an Adult Male:

• "I": 私 (watashi) - neutral, polite (safest). 僕 (boku) - masculine, polite/informal. Avoid 俺 (ore) in polite settings.
• "You": Best to use [Name]-さん (-san). Avoid direct "you" like あなた (anata) unless name is unknown; can sound impolite.

C. Adjectives (形容詞 - keiyōshi, 形容動詞 - keiyōdōshi)

A. Connecting Clauses: Basic Conjunctions

B. Forming Questions

• Add か (ka) to end of statement: Tanaka-san wa isha desu ka?
• Use Question Words (何 nani, 誰 dare, いつ itsu, どこ doko, etc.): O-namae wa nan desu ka?

C. Common Sentence Patterns (Essentials)

A. Honorifics

• -さん (-san): Most common (Mr./Ms.). Use for others, not self.
• -様 (-sama): More formal (customers, high rank).
• -先生 (-sensei): Teachers, doctors, professionals.
• Avoid -君 (-kun) / -ちゃん (-chan) in formal/initial adult interactions.

B. Communication Style for an Adult

• Use 私 (watashi) for "I".
• Address others by [Name]-san.
• Maintain polite desu/masu forms.
• Observe native speakers before shifting to casual speech.

C. Essential Polite Phrases

Nuances of Key Particles:

• は (wa) vs. が (ga): Beyond topic/subject, は is crucial for contrast ("Xは...が、Yは..."). が often marks the subject in subordinate clauses or objects of certain verbs/adjectives (好き、欲しい、分かる).
• に (ni) vs. で (de) for Location: Recap: に for existence/destination (います、あります、行きます). で for location of an action (食べます、読みます).
• まで (made - "until, up to"): Indicates a limit or endpoint. この電車は新宿まで行きます。(This train goes up to Shinjuku.) レポートは月曜日までです。(The report is due by/until Monday.)

New Intermediate Particles:

A. あります (arimasu) vs. います (imasu) Revisited

Reminder: あります for inanimate, います for animate. Both can also mean "to have" (possession) when used with a subject + は/が and the object + が.

私は車があります。(Watashi wa kuruma ga arimasu. - I have a car.)

田中さんは兄弟がいますか。(Tanaka-san wa kyōdai ga imasu ka. - Does Mr. Tanaka have siblings?)

B. Giving & Receiving Verbs (授受動詞 - Juju Dōshi)

These depend on who gives to whom and the social relationship.

A. Intermediate Conjunctions

B. Quoting and Reporting Speech/Thoughts

Use と (to) after a plain form clause.

田中さんは明日来ると言いました。(Tanaka-san wa ashita kuru to iimashita. - Mr. Tanaka said he will come tomorrow.)

これは難しいと思います。(Kore wa muzukashii to omoimasu. - I think this is difficult.)

C. Relative Clauses (Noun Modification)

A clause ending in a plain form verb or adjective can directly modify a noun that follows it.

[昨日見た] 映画は面白かったです。(Kinō mita eiga wa omoshirokatta desu. - The movie [that I watched yesterday] was interesting.)

[日本語を勉強している] 学生が多いです。(Nihongo o benkyō shite iru gakusei ga ōi desu. - There are many students [who are studying Japanese].)

A. Levels of Polite Requests (Beyond ～てください)

• ～てください (te kudasai): Standard polite request. (Basic)
• ～ていただけませんか (te itadakemasen ka): Very polite request ("could I humbly receive the favor of you doing...?"). 窓を開けていただけませんか。(Mado o akete itadakemasen ka. - Could you please open the window?)
• ～てもらえませんか (te moraemasen ka): Polite request ("could I receive the favor of you doing...?"). Slightly less formal than `itadakemasen ka`.
• Noun + をお願いします (o onegai shimasu): For services/items. More general than `kudasai`. コーヒーをお願いします。(Kōhī o onegai shimasu. - Coffee, please.)

B. Giving Advice

～ほうがいいです (hō ga ii desu): "It's better to do..." / "You should do..." (Plain past form + hō ga ii desu for affirmative advice; Plain negative + hō ga ii desu for negative advice).

薬を飲んだほうがいいですよ。(Kusuri o nonda hō ga ii desu yo. - You should take medicine.)

あまり心配しないほうがいいです。(Amari shinpai shinai hō ga ii desu. - It's better not to worry too much.)

C. Expressing Obligation & Permission

• ～なければなりません / ～なくてはいけません (nakereba narimasen / nakute wa ikemasen): "Must do," "have to do." 早く起きなければなりません。(Hayaku okinakereba narimasen. - I must wake up early.)
• ～なくてもいいです (nakute mo ii desu): "Don't have to do," "it's okay not to do." 来なくてもいいです。(Konakute mo ii desu. - You don't have to come.)

Common Keigo Verbs (Examples):

• Engage with longer texts: Start reading news articles (e.g., NHK News Web Easy, then more complex sources), short stories, or graded readers at Level 2 or 3.
• Active Listening & Shadowing: Listen to podcasts, dramas, or news. Try to mimic pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm (shadowing).
• Conversation Practice: Find language partners or tutors. Focus on using the new grammar points in actual conversation. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
• Journaling/Writing: Try writing short essays or diary entries using intermediate grammar.
• Targeted Drills: If specific grammar points are challenging (e.g., conditionals, Keigo), use workbooks or apps that provide targeted exercises.
• Focus on Nuance: Pay attention to how native speakers use different forms in different contexts. Ask "why" they chose a particular expression.

A. Recap: Sonkeigo & Kenjōgo Principles

• 尊敬語 (Sonkeigo): Elevates the other person (their actions, status). Used when talking about superiors, clients, etc.
• 謙譲語 (Kenjōgo): Lowers yourself or your in-group, showing deference. Used when talking about your own actions to a superior or client.

B. More Special Keigo Verbs & Patterns

C. Common Keigo Patterns:

• Sonkeigo: お + Verb Stem + になる (e.g., お読みになる - to read (honorific))
• Kenjōgo: お/ご + Verb Stem + する/いたす/申し上げる (e.g., ご案内します - I will guide you (humble))
• Receiving favors (Kenjōgo): ～ていただく / ～てちょうだいする (humbly receive the favor of someone doing something)

  部長に書類を確認していただきました。(Buchō ni shorui o kakunin shite itadakimashita. - I had the department head check the documents (humble).)

D. Situational Keigo Example (Business Email Snippet)

件名：会議日程のご確認のお願い (Regarding confirmation of the meeting schedule)

〇〇様

いつも大変お世話になっております。株式会社△△の山田でございます。
(Itsumo taihen osewa ni natte orimasu. Kabushikigaisha △△ no Yamada de gozaimasu.)
Thank you for your continued support. This is Yamada from △△ Inc.

先日お話しさせていただきました件、〇月〇日の会議日程について、ご確認いただけますでしょうか。
(Senjitsu ohanashi sasete itadakimashita ken, ...kaigi nittei ni tsuite, go-kakunin itadakemasu deshō ka.)
Regarding the matter I (humbly) spoke about the other day, could I (humbly) receive your confirmation of the meeting schedule for XX/XX?

A. Advanced Nominalization & Explanation

• ～ということ / ～というの (to iu koto / to iu no): Nominalizes an entire clause, "the fact that...", "the thing that...". 彼が正直だということは誰もが知っている。(Kare ga shōjiki da to iu koto wa daremo ga shitte iru. - Everyone knows the fact that he is honest.)
• ～というものだ (to iu mono da): Used to define something or state a general truth/natural outcome, "is what is called...", "it is natural that...". 努力すれば報われる、それが人生というものだ。(Doryoku sureba mukuwareru, sore ga jinsei to iu mono da. - If you work hard, you'll be rewarded; that's what life is.)
• ～わけだ (wake da): "It means that...", "no wonder...", "that's why..." (expresses a logical conclusion or reason). 彼は毎日10時間勉強している。だから成績がいいわけだ。(Kare wa mainichi 10-jikan benkyō shite iru. Dakara seiseki ga ii wake da. - He studies 10 hours every day. No wonder his grades are good.)

B. Emphasis & Focus Structures

A. Nuanced Particles for Listing/Uncertainty

• ～だの～だの (dano...dano): Listing things, often with a slightly complaining or exasperated nuance. 頭が痛いだの、お腹が空いただのと文句ばかり言う。(Atama ga itai dano, onaka ga suita dano to monku bakari iu. - He just complains, saying things like his head hurts, he's hungry, etc.)
• ～やら～やら (yara...yara): Listing examples, implying there are others, often with a sense of uncertainty or being overwhelmed. 宿題やら試験勉強やらで忙しい。(Shukudai yara shiken benkyō yara de isogashii. - I'm busy with homework, exam studies, and whatnot.)

B. Formal/Logical Conjunctive Expressions

A. Causative-Passive: ～(さ)せられる ((sa)serareru)

"To be made to do" (often implies unwillingness or being forced).

Group 1: -u → -a + せられる (e.g., 書く kaku → 書かせられる kakaserareru - be made to write)

Group 2: -ru → -させられる (e.g., 食べる taberu → 食べさせられる tabesaserareru - be made to eat)

Irregular: する → させられる (saserareru), 来る → 来させられる (kosaserareru)

毎日残業させられています。(Mainichi zangyō saserarete imasu. - I am made to work overtime every day.)

B. Compound Verbs (複合動詞 - Fukugōdōshi)

Verb stem + another verb, creating a new meaning or nuance.

C. Resulting States: ～てある (te aru) vs. ～ている (te iru)

～てある: Describes a state that exists as the result of an intentional action, usually with transitive verbs. The focus is on the resulting state.

窓が開けてあります。(Mado ga akete arimasu. - The window is open (someone intentionally opened it and it remains so).)

～ている: Describes an ongoing action OR a current state (can be result of change, not necessarily intentional action by someone else for the current state).

窓が開いています。(Mado ga aite imasu. - The window is open (general state, or it opened on its own, or someone is opening it now).)

相槌 (Aizuchi) - Interjections / Back-channeling

Essential for showing active listening. Beyond basic 「はい」 (hai), 「ええ」 (ee):

• 「うん」 (un) - Casual "yeah," "uh-huh."
• 「そうですか」 (sō desu ka) - "Is that so?" / "I see."
• 「なるほど」 (naruhodo) - "Indeed," "I see (understanding)."
• 「へえ」 (hee) / 「ほお」 (hoo) - Expressing surprise or interest.

Advanced learners should become aware of differences between conversational Japanese and more formal written styles.

• Sentence Endings: Written style often uses plain forms or である (de aru) / であった (de atta) instead of です/ます. これは問題である。(Kore wa mondai de aru. - This is a problem. [Formal written])
• Vocabulary Choice: More Sino-Japanese words (漢語 - kango) in writing vs. native Japanese words (和語 - wago) in speech.
• Contractions & Ellipsis: Less common in formal writing. Speech uses more contractions (e.g., ～ている → ～てる) and omits particles more often.
• Sentence Length & Complexity: Written Japanese can feature longer, more complex sentences with multiple subordinate clauses.

• Deep Immersion: Engage with native-level materials regularly (novels, films without subtitles, academic papers, news).
• Cultural Nuance: Continuously observe and learn how language reflects cultural values and social contexts.
• Specialized Japanese: Explore language used in your specific fields of interest or profession.
• Seek Feedback: From native speakers on subtle errors in grammar, pronunciation, and pragmatics.
• Stay Curious: Language is always evolving. Maintain an inquisitive mindset.