日本語中級J301 - 文法

Question 1

Express temporal before/after relationship between 2 events.

Event 1, then Event 2
(Event 1) ___ (Event 2)

Answer 1

(Event 1) あと、(Event 2)

・あと、___ -> Unspecified amount of time after.
・あとで、___ -> Later.
・あとに、___ -> Right after (clear relations between events).

When the main clause (Event 1) indicates a long time, just あと is most natural. あとに cannot be used in this instance.

Question 2

Express that you’re ‘just about to ..’ do an activity or ‘just going to ..’ a place
Indicates activity just before it starts.
Expresses volition in the agent that has not yet been realised.

Answer 2

V (Volitional form) + とする

Question 3

Express speakers volition or plan.

Answer 3

V (Volitional form) + と思っている

Question 4

Express one thing among many.
Focus on one or more things in a group.

Answer 4

When amount or group of items is specified: N + のうち
When amount is unspecified: N + のなか

Question 5

Express encountering something unnoticed or unexpected in the situation of the main clause.
When main clause happened, this also happened.

Answer 5

V (Past short form) + ところ

Question 6

Expressing contrasts using は
Contrastive は

Nouns, adjectives, quantifiers, and adverbs.

Answer 6

・N + は
・い-adj -> く + は
・な-adj -> に/で + は
・Quantifier (よく、とても、たいてい) + は
・Adverb (時々) + は

Content to be compared with doesn’t have to be stated clearly, but can be implied.

Question 7

Expressing ‘like ..’ or ‘as if ..’
Used to give an example to illustrate likeness between two things

1. In the manner of ..
2. Appearing like ..

Answer 7

1. ように / ような
   ・V (Short form present) + よう + に/な
   ・い-adj (Short form) + よう + に/な
   ・な-adj + なよう + に/な
   ・N + のよう + に/な
   に is used when modifying verbs, adverbs and adjectives.
   な is used when modifying nouns.
2. みたいに / みたいな
   ・V + みたい + に/な
   ・い-adj + みたい + に/な
   ・な-adj + みたい + に/な
   ・N + みたい + に/な
   に is used when modifying verbs, adverbs and adjectives.
   な is used when modifying nouns.
   Not used with adjectives that describes appearance. Used often in conversation when giving similar examples.

Question 8

Used to define something or name something.
Used to indicate that the speaker doesn’t have any prior knowledge about N1.

N2 is called/defined as N1
N1 ___ N2

Answer 8

(N1) という (N2)

Question 9

Give prominence to the thing you want to say the most in a sentence.

Answer 9

(Thing1) のは (Thing2) だ (Prominence given to Thing2)

・V (Short form) + のは
・い-adj + のは
・な-adj + なのは
・N + なのは

1. Separate thing you want to say most from the sentence.
2. Change agent particle は -> が and put のは at end of sentence to make it the topic.
3. Continue from のは with the separated part first and finish sentence with だ.

Ex. 私が日本医行くのは来月です。(Prominence given to ‘next month’).

Talking about the past:
Prominence is given to a time word.
V (Short past tense) + のは + (Time word) ことだ。

Ex. ロボットという言葉が生まれたのは、1920年のことだ。(Prominence given to ‘1920’).

Question 10

Express ‘as ..’, ‘in the capacity of ..’, ‘ in the position of ..’, ‘in the name of ..’ or ‘being seen as ..’

Answer 10

N + として + Activity

Ex.
・来年、留学生として日本に勉強しに行こうと思っています。(I’m planning to go to Japan next year and study * as an exchange student. *)
・私は趣味として野菜を作っています。(I grow vegetables * as a hobby *)

Question 11

Express ‘with ..’ and ‘by means of ..’
Express the means, method, cause of which you’re doing something.

Answer 11

Means/method/cause + によって + Activity

・V + こと + によって
・い-adj + こと + によって
・な-adj + こと + によって
・N + によって

Although で can be used instad, によって is used when the means/method has to be explained clearly in the sentence.

Ex.
・新しい技術によって、SFの世界が現実化している。(* With new technologies , the world of SF is coming true)
・コロナによって、人々の働き方は大きく変わりました。( Because of Corona *, peoples way of working changed in a big way)

In passive sentences, によって is used to indicate the agent.

Ex. この絵はピカソによって描かれた。(This painting was painted * by Picasso *)

Question 12

Express a judgement or assessment by adding the meaning of ‘seen from the position of ..’
Express ‘for ..’

N ___

Answer 12

N + にとって

Ex.
・あなたにとって、人生で一番大切なことは何ですか。(* For you , what is the most important thing in life?)
・音楽を聞くことは、私にとって、大切なことです。( For me *, listening to music is an important thing)

にとって is always followed by an expression indication judgement or assessment. It cannot be followed with an expression indicating an action or phenomenon.

Question 13

Express ‘in other words ..’ or ‘.. , which means’
Used to express something in a different way or draw a conclusion.
(Conjunction)

Answer 13

つまり、___ (‘In conclusion, ..’)
つまり ___ ということだ (Used in sets to express ‘it means ..’)

Ex.
・あの人は母の姉です。つまり、おばです。(That person is my mothers sister. * In other words *, my aunt.)
・私は今週、土曜日、も日曜日、もがある。つまり、今週全然休みがない、ということです。(I have work on both saturday and sunday. * That means * i won’t have any holiday/leave.)