Conversation grammar
The 17 grammar points you hear in everyday Japanese conversation, each with usage notes, example sentences and translations. Practise them in Japanana.
- じゃなくて,-N1じゃなくて、N2 Indicate a piece of information is wrong and following that to present the correct information
- ...の + ...の?S plain form + の is an informal form of ...のですか, used when conversing with someone you are on familiar terms with.
- んじゃない?(V / いA / なA / N ~~だ~~ -> な) んじゃないですか / んじゃない It is used in informal conversation when saying what the speaker is thinking.
- て...って (quoting)The と used for quoting can become て or って in spoken language
- なくちゃ / なきゃ [いけない]In informal conversation (must do/ have to do)
- なんかN なんか indicates that the speaker disparages X, attaching little importance to it.
- なんてV いA なA N + なんて
- もの / もんだから(V / いA / んA / N) + もの / もんだあから
- みたいです(V / いA / なA ~~-だ~~ / N ~~-だ~~) + みたいです。Indicates a guess from how a situation looks (e.g. something's external appearance)
- さ(あ)さ occurs after phrases, clauses or sentences in very casual conversation. One function is to catch the hearer's attention, but it is also used as a filler with no meaning.
- なんだThe literal meaning of なんだ is "What is X?". However it can also be used as an interjection to express the speaker's slight surprise.
- ほらThe interjection ほら is used to draw the hearer's attention to something. "Look!; See?; Come on!"
- Sentenceっけっけ is a question marker. It is used only in very casual conversation. Note that after the non-past forms of verbs, adjectives and -ない, んだ must be used before っけ.
- Vったって(Vたって/いAくたって/なAだって/Nだって) conversational expression for [-ても/でも]
- てもらえない(かな)Used to make a casual request (of a close friend or family member)
- んだってExpression combining んだ(のだ) and って(そうだ).
- ものか/もんか(V/いA/なAな/Nな) + ものか/もんか Spoken expression used to make strong denial or commitment to absolutely not do something