Japanese Grammar Hub

Understand Japanese Grammar Faster

Browse the grammar system by level and category, then open clear explanations with practical examples.

187 Total Rules
47 Chapters
6 CEFR level
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Active filters: CEFR level: A2
A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Counting Flat Objects (~枚 mai)

Use `~枚` (mai) for anything thin and flat, from business cards to folded T-shirts.

  • • Used for counting flat, thin objects like paper, s...
  • • The counter remains 'mai' regardless of the number...
10 examples 1 exercises 1 FAQ
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A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Counting Animals (hiki vs. tou)

Count small/medium pets and insects with ～匹 (hiki), and large beasts or working animals with ～頭 (tou).

  • • Use ～匹 (hiki) for small to medium animals like c...
  • • Use ～頭 (tou) for large animals like cows, elepha...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Counting Books in Japanese (～冊 satsu)

Count anything with a spine or binding using ～冊, remembering the 'small tsu' pronunciation for 1, 8, and 10.

  • • Use ～冊 (satsu) for counting bound items like boo...
  • • Number changes occur for 1 (issatsu), 8 (hassatsu)...
11 examples 1 exercises 1 FAQ
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A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Counting Cups & Drinks: ～杯 (hai)

Use ～杯 ({杯|はい}) to count anything contained in a cup, bowl, or glass, remembering the sound changes for 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10.

  • • Counts liquids in cups, bowls, glasses.
  • • 1, 6, 8, 10 change to 'ppai'.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Counting Frequency and Occurrences (～回)

Add ～回 to a number to count occurrences, remembering irregular sounds for 1, 6, 8, and 10.

  • • Use ～回 (kai) to count occurrences or repetitions...
  • • Irregular readings occur for 1, 6, 8, and 10 (use...
11 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Expressions & Patterns Verified

Before Doing X (Mae ni)

Always use the Dictionary Form of the verb before `mae ni`, even if the story is in the past.

  • • Means 'Before doing X' or 'Before Noun'
  • • Verbs MUST be Dictionary Form
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Expressions & Patterns Verified

Using Toki (When/Time) to Connect Sentences

Use Dictionary Form + Toki for 'before/during' action, and Ta-Form + Toki for 'after' action.

  • • Means 'when' or 'at the time of'
  • • Functions like a noun; use 'no' for nouns
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Counters & Numbers Verified

Days of the Week: The 7 Elements (Yōbi)

Memorize the elemental Kanji (Fire, Water, Wood, etc.) and add 'yōbi' to name any day of the week.

  • • Structure is Element + yōbi suffix
  • • Sunday is Sun, Monday is Moon
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Giving & Receiving Verified

Japanese Giving Verb: I give to you (あげる)

Use あげる when giving physical items or helpful favors outward to someone of equal or lower social status.

  • • Used when YOU give to OTHERS.
  • • Arrow points outward from the speaker.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Giving & Receiving Verified

Kureru: When Someone Gives to YOU

Use Kureru when someone gives something TO YOU; the giver is the subject of the sentence.

  • • Subject is ALWAYS the Giver
  • • Receiver is ALWAYS Me (or us)
11 examples 1 exercises 1 FAQ
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A2 Giving & Receiving Verified

Receiving Things with Gratitude (もらう)

Use `もらう` when you are the subject receiving a gift or favor from another person.

  • • Used when the subject receives an item from someon...
  • • The receiver is the subject marked with は or が.
10 examples 1 exercises 1 FAQ
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A2 Giving & Receiving Verified

Doing Favors for Others (～てあげる)

Use ～てあげる for third parties, pets, and close family, but avoid it directly with superiors to prevent sounding arrogant.

  • • Used to describe doing a favor for someone else.
  • • Formed by attaching あげる to the verb's te-form.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A2 Giving & Receiving Verified

Receiving from People vs. Places (Ni vs. Kara)

Use `に` for personal connections and `から` for organizations or emphasizing the source of an item.

  • • Use `に` for personal givers like friends and fami...
  • • Use `から` for institutional givers like schools o...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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How Our Japanese Grammar Course Works

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Choose Your Level

Start with your CEFR level — from A0 Zero Point to C2 Mastery. Not sure? Begin at A0 and progress at your own pace.

2

Study Structured Chapters

Each chapter covers a grammar topic with clear explanations, pattern tables, and real-world example sentences.

3

Practice with Exercises

Test your understanding with interactive exercises — fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, sentence building, and translation practice.

4

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Frequently Asked Questions About Japanese Grammar

SubLearn covers 187 Japanese grammar rules organized across 6 CEFR proficiency levels (from A1 to C2), spanning 47 structured chapters. Each rule includes clear explanations, real-world examples, and interactive practice exercises.

Our Japanese grammar curriculum covers CEFR levels from A1 to C2. Each level is designed to match your current proficiency — beginners start with basic sentence patterns at A1, while advanced learners tackle nuanced structures at C1-C2.

Yes! All Japanese grammar rules, explanations, and examples are completely free to access. You can browse the full curriculum, read detailed explanations, and practice with exercises at no cost.

Grammar is organized into 47 thematic chapters following the CEFR framework. Each chapter groups related rules together — for example, verb tenses, sentence structure, or particles — so you can learn related concepts in a logical sequence.

Yes! Create a free account to track which grammar rules you've studied, see your progress across all CEFR levels, and pick up exactly where you left off. Your learning progress syncs across devices.

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