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Are you preparing for a test and learning the JLPT N2 grammar now? This article explains 20 of the must-know grammar points for JLPT N2! From the meaning to sentence structures and sentence examples!
All these Grammar points and much more are covered in our Online JLPT N2 Preparation Course!
Without further ado, let’s dive straight in. Here is the list of the 20 must-know grammar points.
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- っぽい
- がち
- ていられない
- てはならない
- ねばられない
- ずにはいられない
- ないではいられない
- ないこともない
- しょうがない
- てたまらない
- は抜きにして
- でばかりはいられない
- まだしも
- ものの
- ものだから
- ものなら
- 気味
- もの
- でならない
- てはないことはない
Grammar Point 1: っぽい
This grammar point is used to express something that “has a strong tendency of~” or simply put, it means “like” or “ish”. For example, you can add this grammar point at the back of the noun-て form to make them adjective-forms.
こども ＋ っぽい ＝ こどもっぽい (Childish)
Grammar Point 2: がち
がち is usually used for something negative or to express a tendency to do something. For example, 疲れがち which means tend to be tired easily as compared to 疲れ, which just means tired.
Grammar Point 3: ていられない
You may use this grammar point if you have no time to do something or do not find the activity time-worthy. This grammar point means you “can’t afford” or “can’t” do something.
For example, のんびりしてはいられない means I can’t afford to slack off. You add the noun-て form in front of the grammar point.
Grammar Point 4: てはならない
てはならない is more subjective. It means must not, cannot or should not. You can use this grammar point with a verb-て form and add the grammar at the back of the verb.
For example, 忘れ＋てはならない which means never forget.
Grammar Point 5: ねばならない
This grammar point means you have to do something or there is something that you must do. Add this grammar point to a verb-ない form. When you add in the grammar point, be sure to remove the ない at the back of the verb.
Grammar Point 6: ずにはいられない
This grammar point describes naturally irrepressible actions. It means “can’t help but do something” or “have to do something”. This grammar point can only be used in writing.
When spoken, it is changed to 「…ないではいられない」 instead. This grammar point is being added to a verb-ない form. When placing the grammar point, remove the ない at the back of the verb.
Grammar Point 7: ないではいられない
This grammar point means you “can’t help it but feel” or you “can’t help but do”. You need to place this grammar point with a verb-ない form. You do not need to take out the ない when placing the grammar point at the back.
Grammar Point 8: ないこともない
This means you “can do something” or “something is not impossible to do”. Another way to put it is “it isn’t the case that ~ not ~.”
For example, I can eat natto, but I don’t like it very much. You can eat natto, but if given another kind of food, you would not pick natto because you don’t like it very much.
Grammar Point 9: しょうがない
You may have heard this used in a sentence before in dramas or anime. しょうがない means “there is no other way but…” or “very, extremely.”
Note that しょうがない is a contraction of しようがない, which is used in informal spoken conversations.
Grammar Point 10: てたまらない
This grammar point comes from the word たまる, which means to endure something. With the ない at the back, the word comes in a negative form. This means “cannot endure something”.
Verbs and い adjectives would use the てたまらない while な adjectives would use でたまらない。
Grammar Point 11: は抜きにして
This grammar point is used in both positive and negative situations. For positive situations, rather than は抜きにして, we use 抜きに。As for negative situations, we use 抜きで。
Grammar Point 12: てばかりはいられない
Based on the word ばかり, we change it into a て form to express that one cannot do something repeatedly. The grammar point can be written in two ways; てばかりはいられない and てばかりもいられない。
Grammar Point 13:まだしも
This grammar point is used when comparing with different opinions and choosing a better opinion. For example, if we say [A]まだしも, [B], it means [A] is better or more preferred than [B]. Another way we can look at it is [B] is disliked over [A]
Grammar Point 14: ものの
This grammar point is normally used to express a contradiction. For example, [A]ものの + [B] means you want to go to [A] but you have something on [B].
Grammar Point 15: ものだから
ものだから is used when saying the reason is … for something which is unavoidable. For example, “the dog ate my homework, therefore (ものだから), I can’t turn in my homework.”
Grammar Point 16: ものなら
This is used when saying if [A] is possible, then [B]. Simply put, it is either impossible or very unlikely to be done. For example, (if I can go, then..) or (if I can return this, then…).
Grammar Point 17: 気味
気味 means something looks like or seems to be in a certain way.
For example, 疲れ気味 which means seems tired. You can add the grammar point with any noun or verb ます form. When you add 気味 with a verb ます form, be sure to take out ます before adding in.
Grammar Point 18: もの
This is used when you want to explain a reason for something. However, this expression is usually used most by girls and children. You add the reason with もの when you want to justify what you said.
Grammar Point 19: でならない
This is used to describe an emotion that is beyond control or used to describe “extremely”. でならない is mostly used for emotions, wishes, and feelings.
The grammar point is usually used in writing and is an old way used in spoken language.
Grammar Point 20: ないことはない
This grammar point is used when something is not impossible to do. Another meaning would be “it isn’t the case that.. not..”.
For example, in the above example, “it’s not that I can’t drive, I just don’t do it very often”. You can do it, but you just do not do it often.
Like that, with our JLPT N2 Grammar list, you can pass your test with consistent effort and hard work!😁 頑張ってください！
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