Minna N5 Grammar

Do not confuse は (topic marker) with が (subject marker). は often introduces new information or contrasts, while が focuses on the subject itself. In basic sentences like 'I am a student,' は is natural for stating a fact about yourself.

In casual speech, you can also say じゃないです or simply じゃない. For written or very polite contexts, use ではありません. Remember that じゃ is a contraction of では. Negative questions (e.g., 'Isn't he a teacher?') use じゃありませんか.

In casual speech, か is often dropped, and only rising intonation indicates a question (e.g., 学生？). Do not use か with question words like なん・だれ in casual speech? Actually, it's fine, but often omitted. Also, for tag questions, use ね (e.g., いいですね).

Pro Tip: Use なん if the next sound starts with D, N, or T (the Da-Na-Ta rule) or when using counters like じ (time) and さい (age). Use なに when it stands alone or before the particles が, を, and も.

For things not visible or abstract, use それ when referring to something just mentioned (like 'that' in English). あれ is for things far from both speaker and listener. For polite pointing, you can also use こちら, そちら, あちら. Remember: これ/それ/あれ are nouns themselves, so they take particles like が, も.

Use この/その/あの when you want to be specific about which item you're talking about (e.g., 'this book' vs just 'this'). To ask 'Which ~?', use どの + noun. In conversation, その is often used to refer back to something the listener just mentioned. For polite versions, use こちら, そちら, あちら before の (e.g., こちらの本).

の can also show other relationships: material (木のテーブル 'wooden table'), location (東京の駅 'Tokyo station'), or content (数学の本 'math book'). To say 'mine/yours', drop the second noun: これはわたしのです (This is mine). For apposition (the city of Tokyo), use の as well: 東京の町.

Answer with [Person] + の (です). For example: わたしのです (It's mine) or たなかさんのです (It's Tanaka's). For unknown ownership, say わかりません (I don't know). To ask 'Whose is this?' without repeating the noun, use だれの？ (casual) or どなたのですか (polite, using どなた for 'who').

For polite speech, use こちら, そちら, あちら, どちら. These are more formal and also used for people (どちら様 'who?' polite). あそこ is often used for 'that place over there' that both speaker and listener can see. For places not visible or abstract, use そこ or あそこ depending on context.

To describe relative location (next to, behind, in front of), use location nouns: となり (next to), うしろ (behind), まえ (in front of), なか (inside), そと (outside). These are used with の: ぎんこうはえきのとなりです (The bank is next to the station). For existence (there is/are), use あります/います instead of です.

When entering a shop or restaurant, you may hear いらっしゃいませ (welcome). As a customer, you don't need to say anything special. For leaving a shop, ありがとうございました is more common than しつれいします. しつれいします is used in work settings. Also, when entering a home, it's polite to say おじゃまします even if invited.

Use ありがとうございました for past favors or completed interactions. Use ありがとうございます for ongoing or future help (e.g., while receiving change at a register). When leaving a teacher's office after a conversation, ありがとうございました is appropriate. In a store, both are used; ございます is common while still shopping, ございました after leaving.

For minutes 1-10, memorize the irregulars: 1分=いっぷん, 2分=にふん, 3分=さんぷん, 4分=よんぷん, 5分=ごふん, 6分=ろっぷん, 7分=ななふん, 8分=はっぷん (or はちふん), 9分=きゅうふん, 10分=じゅっぷん. For 15 minutes, use じゅうごふん; for 45 minutes, よんじゅうごふん. In casual speech, 30 minutes is often just はん (half).

Do not use に after ごぜん/ごご (AM/PM) alone, but you can say ごぜん10時に. Also, に is not used with ～ごろ (approximately). For example, 3時ごろ (around 3 o'clock) does not take に. In casual speech, に is sometimes dropped for clock times, but it's safer to include it in polite speech.

Learn these verbs in their ます-form first. To ask about someone's routine, use いつも (usually) or まいにち. For example: まいにち なんじに おきますか (What time do you wake up every day?). Use ～から～まで to indicate 'from ~ to ~' (e.g., 9時から5時まではたらきます).

In daily conversation, Japanese often uses 24-hour time for schedules (e.g., 19時 for 7 PM), but ごご is more common for spoken time. Be careful: あさ is generally until about 10 AM, then ごぜん until 11:59 AM. ばん is roughly 6 PM to 10 PM, then よる for late night. For 'this morning' say けさ; for 'tonight' say こんばん.

Use に for destinations, but use へ (e- pronounced 'e') for a softer direction. Both are often interchangeable, but に is more specific. For coming to the speaker's location, always use きます. For example, when you are at home, say 友だちが家に来ます (My friend comes to my house). For going home, use かえります (not うちに行きます, though that's also possible).

Do not use で for the destination (use に). Also, で is not used for the means when using ～に乗る (to ride). Example: バスに乗って学校に行きます (I go to school by bus, using 乗る). For 'by bike', じてんしゃで is fine. In casual speech, で can be omitted if the transportation is clear from context.

Remember: に is used for 'at' a specific time, but not for 'every day/week'. Also, に is used with ～まえ (ago) and ～あと (after) when they are specific points. For 'on the weekend', you can say 週末に (optional). For 'in the morning' (あさ), no に; for 'at night' (よる), に is optional but often omitted.

Remember that ます-form is polite and safe for most conversations. For daily routines, present tense (～ます) indicates habitual actions. To ask about someone's routine, use the question form ～ますか. Also, note that some verbs like おきます (wake up) and ねます (sleep) are intransitive and do not take an object (no を).

In casual conversation, you can drop ごぜん/ごご if the time is obvious from context. For times in the morning, あさ is also common (e.g., あさ ８じ). For evening, ばん (e.g., ばん ７じ). For minutes between 1 and 10, memorize the irregulars: １分=いっぷん, ３分=さんぷん, ４分=よんぷん, ６分=ろっぷん, ８分=はっぷん, １０分=じゅっぷん.

Order of frequency (high to low): まいにち > たいてい > よく > ときどき > あまり～ない (not very often) > ぜんぜん～ない (never). あまり must be used with negative. Also, いつも means 'always', while まいばん is 'every night' (specific time). For 'once/twice a week', use 週に一回/二回.

To ask 'What time do you usually ~?', add たいてい or いつも before the verb. For example: たいてい なんじに おきますか (What time do you usually wake up?). To ask 'How long does it take?', use どのくらい かかりますか. Also, note that なんじに is used for clock times; for 'how long' use なんじかん.

Do not confuse と (with, accompaniment) with で (by means of). For 'with a tool', use で; for 'with a person', use と. Also, you can say ～と一緒に without changing meaning. In casual speech, と can be omitted if the context is clear, but it's safer to include it. For 'let's do together', say 一緒に～ましょう.

A common mistake is using あげます when you are the receiver. Remember: あげる focuses on the giver's action. For giving to a superior, use the humble form さしあげます. Do not use あげる when the receiver is a family member or close friend if you want to sound natural — it's still fine, but くれる is often preferred from the receiver's perspective.

Do not confuse もらいます with くれます (someone gives to me/us). もらう focuses on the act of receiving from the receiver's point of view. For receiving from a superior, use the humble form いただきます. For asking a favor, use ～てもらう (e.g., 見てもらう = have someone look at something).

Remember that かす is a transitive verb. The opposite action is かりる (to borrow). A common mistake is using かります (which means 'borrow') when you mean 'lend'. For polite requests, use かしてくれますか？ (Will you lend me?) or かして下さい (Please lend me).

Do not confuse かります (borrow) with かします (lend). For borrowing from a person, に is common; from a library or company, から is more natural. To politely ask to borrow something, say ～をかりてもいいですか (May I borrow ~?) or おかりしてもよろしいですか (more formal).

This rule applies to other family members too: 兄 (ani, my older brother) vs お兄さん (oniisan, someone's older brother); 姉 (ane, my older sister) vs お姉さん (oneesan). However, when addressing your own parent directly, you can use おとうさん/おかあさん as terms of address. For example, calling your father 'おとうさん' at home is fine, but telling a friend '私のおとうさん' is odd — say '私のちち' instead.

A common mistake is adding な after an い-adjective (❌ おおきいなくるま). Also, never add だ after い-adjectives in plain form (❌ おいしいだ). For 'not good', say よくない, not いくない. When using 〜んです for explanation, the い-adjective stays the same before んです (e.g., おいしいんです).

Watch out for きれい and きらい—they end in い but are な-adjectives, so you say きれいな ひと (❌ きれいひと). Also, never add な before です (❌ しずかなです). To make a な-adjective negative in polite speech, use じゃありません or ではありません (e.g., しずかじゃありません).

For い-adjectives, くありません is also correct but sounds stiff; くないです is used far more often in daily conversation. For な-adjectives, じゃないです is very common despite being technically less formal than じゃありません. Remember the irregular いい: negative is よくないです (not いくないです). You can also use negative forms before nouns: たかくない ほん (a book that is not expensive).

Be careful with いい: its past is よかったです, not いかったです. For な-adjectives in casual speech, use だった (e.g., げんきだった). When asking 'was it ~?', simply add か: あつかったですか？ / げんきでしたか？ Never add extra です after でした (❌ げんきでしたです). The past negative くなかったです is often shortened to くなかった in casual speech.

Many learners mistakenly use を with 好き/嫌い (❌ 音楽を好きです). Always use が. Also, 嫌い is stronger than 'dislike' in English—it can mean 'hate' depending on tone. For a softer negative, use あまり好きじゃありません (don't like very much). For talking about something you like doing, use verb + のが好きです (e.g., 食べるのが好きです).

Using 下手 directly to someone's face can be rude. Instead say まだ上手じゃありません (not good yet) or use a softer expression like ちょっと苦手です (not very good at it). For yourself, self-deprecation is fine: 私は絵が下手です (I'm bad at drawing). Note: 上手 is read じょうず, never うわて in this context.

Don't confuse から (reason) with だから (therefore, so). だから starts a result clause, while から ends a reason clause. For polite reasons, からです is used at the end of a sentence (e.g., 時間がないからです). For written or formal Japanese, ので is often used instead of から as it sounds softer and more objective.

Many activity nouns can drop を and become compound verbs with する attached directly (e.g., 勉強する, 買い物する). This is very common in casual Japanese. Some nouns never take を with する (e.g., 散歩する = take a walk). Also, be careful: スポーツをします means 'play sports' in general, but specific sports use the same pattern: サッカーをします.

Do not use あります for people or animals—that sounds like they are objects (and can be very rude). For fish, birds, and pets, always use います. For plants and trees, use あります (they are treated as inanimate). When asking 'Where is X?', use the pattern X は どこに いますか, not X が いますか (which asks if X exists at all).

For existence at a specific time (events), use に with time words: 日曜日にパーティーがあります (There is a party on Sunday). Never use います for objects. Remember: あります also means 'to have' when the possessor is the topic: 私は車があります (I have a car). Don't confuse existence (place + に + が) with possession (possessor + は + が).

Location words are nouns, so they can take particles like に (location), へ (direction), or で (action location). Don't add another の between the location word and the particle. For 'on the table', say つくえのうえに, not つくえのうえのに. For 'beside', となり means 'next to' but is used with の: ほんのとなり (next to the book). For 'between A and B', use AとBのあいだ.

The contrast between が (neutral existence) and は (topic position) is important. Use が when introducing something for the first time (『むかしむかし、おじいさんがいました』- Once upon a time, there was an old man). Use は when referring to something already known (『そのおじいさんは山に住んでいました』- That old man lived in the mountains). For location, you can omit に after どこ in casual speech: ねこはどこ？

The universal counter つ is safe for general items up to 9 (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ, よっつ, いつつ, むっつ, ななつ, やっつ, ここのつ). For 10 and above, use regular numbers + counter. Don't forget the small つ in ひとつ, ふたつ, etc. The most common mistake is using the wrong counter for people (❌ ひとつ人 → ✅ ひとり人 → but actually just ひとり). For 'how many apples?', you can say りんごはいくつですか？

いくつ is also used to ask a child's age (『おいくつですか？』 to a child; to adults use 『おいくつですか？』 still okay but 『何歳ですか』 is clearer). For flat objects like paper (枚 = まい), use 何枚. For long objects (本 = ほん), use 何本. Remember the pronunciation changes: 何 + 人 = なんにん, 何 + 本 = なんぼん (with ん before p/b/m). For 'how much cost', use いくら, not いくつ.

Do not confuse duration (how long an action lasts) with time point (when an action happens). Duration uses no particle before the verb; time point uses に (e.g., ３時に起きました = woke up at 3:00). For days, 三日間 means 'for three days' while 三日 (without 間) means 'on the third day'. For months, 一ヶ月 (いっかげつ) is one month; か is small ヶ. The counter 時間 uses いちじかん, にじかん, さんじかん (note the long vowel in じかん).

Do not confuse ぐらい (approximate amount) with ごろ (approximate point in time). 三時間ぐらい = about 3 hours (duration); 三時ごろ = at around 3:00 (time point). You can also use ぐらい with adjectives to mean 'as ~ as': これぐらい大きくない (not as big as this). For extreme approximation (more than, less than), use 以上 or 以下. For small children or very casual speech, ぐらい can be shortened to くらい (same meaning).

Remember that いい (good) is irregular: いいです (present), よくないです (negative), よかったです (past). For な-adjectives, never add な before です (❌ しずかなです). Some adjectives like おなじ (same) look like な-adjectives but can also be used with の in some contexts.

For comparing three or more items, use どれ (which one) instead of どちら. In casual conversation, どっち is used instead of どちら. Do not forget the second と before どちら. When asking 'which is more ~?', you can also say どちらが もっと [adjective] ですか, but もっと is often optional.

Do not confuse はじめて (first time) with はじめに (first, as a sequence step) or はじまる (to begin). はじめて can also be used as an adverb before an adjective: はじめてのけいけん (first experience). For 'first time doing X', you can also say Xするのははじめてです (It's the first time to do X).

ずっと is stronger than もっと (more). もっと simply means 'more', while ずっと implies a significant gap. ずっと can also mean 'continuously' (e.g., ずっとまっていました = I waited all along). Do not confuse with ちょっと (a little) — they are opposites in emphasis. In very casual speech, ずっと can be shortened to ずっ.

Use ほしい only for physical objects you want to own. For wanting to do an action (e.g., want to eat, want to go), use verb + たいです (たべたい, いきたい). Never use を with ほしい (❌ カメラをほしいです). When saying someone else wants something, use ～がほしがっています (third person desire marker) instead of ほしいです, because ほしい expresses the speaker's own desire directly.

In Japanese, you say 'stomach is empty' for hunger and 'throat is dry' for thirst — don't try to translate 'I am hungry' directly. For cold/heat feelings, say さむいです (it's cold, weather) vs つめたいです (cold to touch). For 'I'm tired', say つかれました (past of つかれる) or つかれています. Do not use わたしは for these expressions unless emphasizing contrast; the body part + が is enough.

Many common words are almost always used without を: べんきょうする (study), りょこうする (travel), さんぽする (take a walk). When in doubt, using を is never wrong, but dropping it sounds more natural for frequent activities. Be careful: some nouns look like activity nouns but are not used with する (e.g., おちゃ is a noun, but おちゃをする is wrong — say おちゃをのみます).

Never use ごろ with duration expressions (❌ さんじかんごろ = about 3 hours — use ぐらい instead: さんじかんぐらい). Also, do not use ごろ with relative time words like きのう (yesterday) or あした (tomorrow) — those are already approximate. ごろ is for specific clock times and calendar dates. In casual conversation, ごろ can be shortened to ごろっ.

The ます-form is safe for most situations, but using it with close friends sounds too formal. For past tense, change ます to ました (たべました = ate). For negative, change ます to ません (たべません = don't eat / won't eat). For past negative: ませんでした (たべませんでした = didn't eat). Remember: the verb stem (without ます) is not a complete sentence — you cannot end a sentence with just the stem.

In casual conversation with friends, drop ですか and just say 〜てもいい？ Do not confuse this with 〜てもかまいません (more formal, 'it doesn't matter if'). For asking if you 'can' do something (ability), use 〜られますか (potential form), not this pattern. A common mistake is forgetting the も — ❌ あけていいですか is incorrect; you need あけてもいいですか.

Do not use 〜て下さい with superiors or customers unless you are in a position of giving instructions. Instead use 〜ていただけますか (more humble and polite). When talking to close friends, drop 下さい and just use the て-form alone: まって (Wait). For 'Please give me', use 〜を下さい (noun), not 〜て下さい. Common mistake: using 〜て下さい for asking favors that require a yes/no answer — that's 〜てもいいですか.

Many learners overuse 〜ています for every verb. For simple statements of fact (e.g., 'I eat sushi'), use plain ます-form (すしをたべます), not 〜ています. For verbs like いく (go), くる (come), かえる (return), 〜ています means the resulting state: いっています = 'has gone and is still there', not 'is going'. To ask 'What are you doing now?', say いまなにをしていますか. For 'I know', use しっています (know), but for 'I don't know', use しりません (not しっていません).

For verbs like いく (go) and くる (come), 〜ています means 'has gone and is still there' (いっています) or 'has come and is still here' (きています), not 'is going'. For 'I know', use しっています (know as a state), but negative 'I don't know' is しりません (not しっていません). For actions like 'I eat sushi every day', you can use either plain ます-form or 〜ています — both work, but 〜ています emphasizes habit.

The most common mistake is using しっています for negative 'don't know'. The correct negative is しりません (plain form, not 〜ています). For 'I am not married', use けっこんしていません. For verbs like はく (to put on shoes), きる (to wear clothes), かぶる (to put on a hat), 〜ています means 'is wearing', not 'is putting on'. Compare: ぼうしをかぶっています (I am wearing a hat) vs ぼうしをかぶります (I will put on a hat).

A common mistake is using に instead of で for action locations. Remember: に is for existence (います/あります) and direction (いきます/きます). で is for action (たべる, よむ, かく, あう). For events like parties or concerts, use で: パーティーでたべます (I eat at the party). For transportation, で is correct, but for walking, you can say あるいて (by walking) instead of あるきで. For 'with a person', use と (ともだちといきます), not で.

Do not use the verb はたらく (to work) alone to state your occupation — that would mean 'I work' without specifying what job. 〜をしています is more natural for saying 'I work as ~'. For asking someone's job, say おしごとはなんですか (What is your job?) or なにをしていますか (What do you do?). For 'retired', say たいしょくしました (retired) or むしょくです (unemployed). For very polite situations, use ごしょくぎょうはなんですか.

Do not use を with のります — that is a common mistake (❌ でんしゃをのります). Use に for boarding, but use を for exiting (おります). For getting into a car, use くるまにのります. For 'transfer' (change trains), use のりかえます with で (e.g., しんじゅくで のりかえます). For 'get on a bike', じてんしゃにのります is correct, but some people also say じてんしゃをこぐ (pedal a bike).

Do not confuse を with に here. Use に for boarding (のります), を for getting off (おります). For 'get out of a car', use くるまをおりる. For 'leave home', say いえをでる. For 'exit a building', use ビルをでる. When talking about graduating from school, use そつぎょうする instead of でる, but がっこうをでる can mean 'leave school (building)' not 'graduate'.

This pattern is essential for natural Japanese. Do not say ❌ わたしはたかいです for 'I am tall' — that sounds like you are talking about a building or price. Always specify what is tall: せが (stature). For 'I have long hair', say かみがながいです (hair is long). For 'eyes are blue', say めがあおいです. For 'I have a headache', say あたまがいたいです (head hurts) — same pattern!

Do not confuse どうやって with どうして (why) or どんなふうに (in what manner, slightly softer). For very simple 'how' questions where the answer is obvious (How are you? How is it?), use どう. For asking directions or instructions, どうやって is best. A common mistake is saying どうやってしますか — just use the verb directly after どうやって. For written instructions, どのように is more formal.

Do not use ですから after verbs or い-adjectives — that is a common mistake (❌ たべますから). For those, drop です and just use から. ですから is also used as a conversation starter meaning 'So...' or 'Therefore...' (e.g., ですから、それはちがいます = So, that's wrong). For a softer reason, use ので (e.g., かぜなのでやすみます). から sounds more direct and subjective; ので sounds more objective and polite.

Do not confuse までに (by/deadline) with まで (until). Compare: ごじまでまちます (I will wait until 5 o'clock — continuously waiting) vs ごじまでにでかけます (I will leave by 5 o'clock — once before 5). For 'from A to B', use から〜まで. For 'during', use に or あいだに. For questions like 'By when do I need to do it?', ask いつまでにすればいいですか.

This pattern only works for small numbers (usually up to 5,6). For '3 or 4', say さん、よん. For 'about 10', use じゅうぐらい, not 9,10. In writing, you will often see 2・3 (with a middle dot) instead of a comma. Do not use this pattern for time points (e.g., に、さんじ = 2 or 3 o'clock is wrong — use ごろ instead: にじごろ). For 'a few' without specifying numbers, use すこし or なんにんか.

Never add な before です (❌ たいせつなです). The な only appears before a noun. Remember that きれい (pretty) and きらい (disliked) look like い-adjectives but are な-adjectives: きれいなひと (pretty person), きらいなたべもの (disliked food). For 'same' (おなじ), some people treat it as な-adjective but it often drops な: おなじもの (the same thing) is more common than おなじなもの. When in doubt, check if the adjective changes in negative/past — い-adjectives change (あつい→あつかった), な-adjectives don't (しずか→しずかだった).

Do not confuse できます (ability) with わかります (understanding). ピアノがわかります means 'I understand piano (theory)', not 'I can play'. For 'I can eat spicy food', say からいものがたべられます (potential form of たべる) or たべることができます. The shorter potential form (たべられる) is more common in conversation than 〜ことができます. 〜ことができます is more formal and emphasizes 'it is possible'.

To identify verb groups: Look at dictionary form. If it ends in 〜る and the vowel before る is い or え (e.g., たべる, みる), it's Group II. If it ends in 〜る with あ・う・お before る (e.g., わかる, のる), it's Group I. The most common mistake is treating Group I verbs like かえる (to return) as Group II — it's actually Group I (かえります → かえれます). For いく (to go), potential is いけます (Group I irregular).

For weight of people, use キロ: ろくじゅうキロです (60 kg). For 'how tall/how long', ask どのぐらい or なんメートルですか. Do not use です after the unit when using の: ❌ ごじゅうメートルですのたてもの. For approximate measurements, add ぐらい: ごじゅうメートルぐらいです (about 50 meters). For area, use へいほうメートル (square meters). For volume, use りゅうど (cubic meters) or リットル (liters).

Do not use 〜たことがあります for actions done on a specific day (e.g., 'I ate breakfast this morning' — just say あさごはんをたべました). Only for life experiences. For 'I have been to Japan', say にほんにいったことがあります. To say 'I often go', use よくいきます. A common mistake is using dictionary form instead of た-form (❌ いくことがあります). The negative is いったことがありません (never been), not いきません.

Do not confuse なります with します (to make something change). なります is intransitive (something becomes different by itself). します is transitive (someone makes a change). Example: さむくなります (it becomes cold) vs へやをさむくします (I make the room cold). For 'get better at something', use じょうずになります. For age: はたちになりました (I turned 20). A common mistake is forgetting に with nouns: ❌ せんせいなります.

This pattern is very common for asking about someone's health: おちょうしはいかがですか (How are you feeling? — polite). For 'I'm sick', say かぜをひいています (have a cold) or ぐあいがわるいです (I feel unwell). Do not say ❌ わたしはいいです for 'I'm fine' — that's vague. Say げんきです (I'm healthy) or ちょうしがいいです. For 'good luck' with health, say おだいじに (take care).

Do not confuse だんだん with どんどん (quickly and continuously) or じょじょに (gradually, more formal). だんだん is conversational and common. だんだん can also be used as an adverb in casual speech: だんだんねむくなってきた (I'm getting sleepy gradually). For 'more and more', use ますます. For 'bit by bit', use ちょっとずつ. A common pattern: だんだん〜くなってきました (has been gradually becoming ~).

Do not confuse もうすぐ with まもなく (more formal, used in announcements). もうすぐ is everyday conversation. For 'almost' with numbers (almost 100 people), use ほとんど (almost) or 〜にちかい (close to). For 'just about to do something', use 〜ようとしている. A common mistake is using もうすぐ for future plans that are not imminent (e.g., 'I will go to Japan soon' — if soon means next month, もうすぐ is fine, but まもなく is too immediate). For 'see you soon', say またすぐにあいましょう.

Do not confuse けど (but) with から (because). Also, do not use けど in formal writing or with superiors — use が instead. けど can also mean 'and' without strong contrast, especially in conversation: あのひとにあったけど、しらないふりした (I saw him, and I ignored him). For 'although', use のに (stronger contrast). A very common pattern is using けど to soften requests: ちょっとまってほしいんですけど (I'd like you to wait a bit…).

Be very careful using きみ — it can sound condescending or overly familiar. Safer to use the person's name + さん even in casual situations. Never use おまえ (very rough, can be insulting) unless you are very close and male. Women rarely use ぼく or おれ — it sounds masculine. Children often use their own name instead of 'I': まさくんがたべる (Masakun eats = I eat). The safest casual 'I' for learners is わたし, even for men.

Do not use うん or ううん with teachers or bosses — always use はい/いいえ. Also, うん can sound childish if overused. For 'no' that is a refusal (not just disagreement), say ちょっと… (well…) or だめ (no good). ううん is more for 'that's not correct' than 'I refuse'. For answering the phone, always say はい, not うん. When listening to a friend talk, say うん, うん to show you're following (like 'uh-huh').

Do not use these in formal situations or with superiors — use こちら/そちら/あちら/どちら. こっち etc. are for close friends, family, or children. For 'this side/person' in a team sense, こちら is better. A common mistake is using どっち for three or more choices — for 3+, use どれ (which one). For 'this way (method)', say こう, not こっち. For 'that way (method)', say そう. For 'which way (method)', say どう.

Do not use です before と (❌ あめですとおもいます). Always use plain form. For い-adjectives, just use the plain form (あついとおもいます = I think it's hot). For な-adjectives, add だ: しずかだとおもいます (I think it's quiet). For nouns, also add だ: せんせいだとおもいます (I think he's a teacher). To say 'I think so too', say そうおもいます. For 'I don't think so', say そうはおもいません. For 'I think I'll do ~', use 〜ようとおもいます (I think I'll do ~).

Do not confuse とおもいます (I think) with といいます (someone says). For reporting your own speech, use といいました (I said). For hearsay ('I heard that'), use 〜そうです (e.g., あめがふるそうです = I hear it will rain). When quoting a question, keep the question word and use か: どこへいくのかとききました (asked where I'm going). For indirect quotes in casual speech, って is often used instead of と: あしたくるっていった (He said he'll come tomorrow).

For casual conversation, 〜のこと (about ~) is often used instead: せいじのはなし (talk about politics). について is slightly more formal and clear. Do not confuse with によって (depending on/by means of). For 'with respect to' (focusing on one aspect), use 〜において. For 'according to', use 〜によると. A common mistake is using を before について (❌ せいじをについて). Always use に before ついて. For very formal writing, use 〜に関して (にかんして).

Do not confuse しかたがありません with しなければなりません (have to do ~). しかたがない accepts an external situation; しなければならない is about obligation. しょうがない is extremely common in conversation. You can also say しかたない (same meaning, shorter). For 'it's my fault, can't be helped', say じぶんがわるいからしょうがない. For a more positive 'let's accept it', say あきらめるしかない (nothing to do but give up). This phrase reflects a cultural acceptance of circumstances beyond control.

Do not use きます for shoes or pants (❌ くつをきます). Do not use はきます for shirts. For accessories like watches, belts, or necklaces, use します (to do) or つけます (to attach). Example: とけいをします / とけいをつけます (wear a watch). For earrings, use つけます. For ties, use しめます. For rings, use はめます. For 'take off', use ぬぎます for all clothing items, regardless of the put-on verb.

Do not confuse よく (often/well) with いい (good, adjective). よく is the adverb form. For 'good at ~', use じょうず, not よく. Example: ピアノがじょうずです (good at piano), not ピアノをよくひきます (often play piano — different meaning). To say 'I often eat sushi', say よくすしをたべます. To say 'I eat sushi well' (skillfully? odd), you'd say すしをじょうずにたべます. For 'sometimes', use ときどき. For 'always', use いつも.

Do not use から or を with うまれます — use に for both time and place. The polite past tense うまれました is most common because birth is usually a past event. To ask 'Where were you born?', say どこにうまれましたか. For 'birthday' (anniversary of birth), say たんじょうび, not うまれび. For 'date of birth', say せいねんがっぴ. For 'I was raised in ~', use そだちました, not うまれました. うまれる can also be used figuratively: アイデアがうまれる (an idea is born).

Do not confuse を (object marker) with で (location/means) or に (destination). When you say シャツをきます, the shirt is the object being acted upon. When you say しろいシャツをきています, you are wearing a white shirt — still を. For 'dressed in red', use あかいふくをきている. For 'wear something as a habit', you can still use を. A common mistake is using が instead of を (❌ シャツがきます). The verb is transitive, so it needs を.

Do not confuse ききます (to ask) + に with ききます (to listen) + を. For 'ask someone about something', say ひとにことをききます. For 'touch' in a negative sense (don't touch), say さわらないで下さい. For 'ask a favor', use たのみます (to request) + に. For 'touch' with a tool (touch with a finger), use で: ゆびでさわります. Be careful with さわります — it can also mean 'to handle' or 'to meddle with' depending on context.

Do not confuse this を (through) with に (destination) or で (location of action). こうえんをさんぽします (walk through the park) vs こうえんにいきます (go to the park) vs こうえんでさんぽします (take a walk in the park — location). For 'cross the street', say みちをわたります. For 'go around the city', say まちをまわります. A common mistake is using で instead of を for paths (❌ みちであるきます). Remember: を is for the space you move through.

Do not confuse おつりがでます (get change) with つりがでます (a fish comes out — same word but different kanji). In shops, you might hear おつりをどうぞ (Here's your change). To ask 'How much change do I get?', say おつりはいくらですか. For 'no change needed' (exact amount), say おつりはいりません. でます is also used for other things 'coming out': でんきがでます (electricity comes out/power). For 'refund', use へんきん.

Do not confuse きをつける (be careful) with ちゅういする (to warn / to pay attention). きをつける is more about personal caution; ちゅういする can mean 'to give a warning to someone'. For 'watch out for cars', say くるまにきをつけて. For 'be careful with your health', say からだにきをつけて. For 'be careful of pickpockets', say すりにきをつけて. When leaving someone's home, say きをつけて (Take care) as a farewell. For 'be careful not to forget', say わすれないようにきをつける.

Do not confuse くれます with あげます. あげます is for giving from inside to outside (I give to someone). くれます is for giving from outside to inside (someone gives to me). Use くれます only when the receiver is me or my group. For 'He gave his sister a present', use あげました (he is giving from his group), not くれました. For 'my teacher gave me advice', say せんせいがアドバイスをくれました. To say 'please give me ~', use 〜を下さい, not 〜をくれますか (though くれますか is possible for 'will you give me?').

Do not confuse つれていきます (take someone away from here) with つれてきます (bring someone to here). For taking a pet, also use つれていきます: いぬをさんぽにつれていきます (take the dog for a walk). For taking an object (like a bag), use もっていきます (carry/take), not つれていきます (only for people/animals). For 'send someone' without going yourself, use おくります. For 'go with someone', say いっしょにいきます.

Compare つれていきます (take away) vs つれてきます (bring here). Use つれてきます when the destination is where you are now or will be. For 'bring an object', use もってきます (carry/bring), not つれてきます. For 'bring a friend to my house', say ともだちをうちにつれてきます. For 'bring food', say たべものをもってきます. For 'bring a child to the teacher' (teacher is there), use つれていきます or つれてきます depending on perspective. When in doubt, think about where the speaker is.

For sending a person (seeing them off), the destination is often a station or airport: えきにおくる. For 'send a child to school' (accompanying), use つれていく, not おくる (おくる implies you leave them there). For 'send a package', use おくる. For 'send an email', use メールをおくる. For 'send someone home', say うちまでおくる. For 'be sent', use passive: おくられる. A common mistake is using おくる for 'go to see someone' — that's あいにいく. For 'send money', say おかねをおくる.

Do not confuse たら (if/when) with なら (if, in the case that). たら is for specific events; なら is for hypothetical topics or advice. Example: いくなら、はやくいって (If you're going, go early). もし is optional and adds 'in case'. For past counterfactual (if I had known), use たら too: しっていたら、いかなかった (If I had known, I wouldn't have gone). For 'when' that is certain (every time), use と: はるになると、はなはさく (When spring comes, flowers bloom).

Do not confuse ても (even if) with て (and) or から (because). For 'even if' with a strong emphasis, use 〜てもかまわない (it doesn't matter even if). For 'no matter what', use なにをしても. For 'no matter where', use どこにいっても. For 'even if I try', use がんばっても. A common mistake is using ても for 'but' — that's けど. Also, いくら + ても is a fixed pattern meaning 'no matter how much'.

Do not confuse かんがえます (think over/consider) with おもいます (think/believe). おもいます is for opinions: にほんはきれいだとおもいます (I think Japan is beautiful). かんがえます is for pondering: しごとについてかんがえています (I'm thinking about work). For 'I'm thinking of doing ~' (intention), use 〜ようとおもっています. For 'think up an idea', use アイデアをかんがえます. For 'think carefully', use よくかんがえます.

Do not confuse つきます (arrive) with とどきます (to be delivered) or いきます (to go). For 'arrive' with vehicles, つく is fine. For 'get to the station', say えきにつく. For 'the package arrived', say にもつがとどきました. For 'reach by phone', use でんわがつながる (to connect). For 'arrive late', say おくれる (be late). A common mistake is using を instead of に: ❌ えきをつきます. Always use に for arrival destination. For 'arrive at someone's house', say ひとりのうちにつく.