List of Japanese sentence patterns

Basic

• A is B：A は B です。
• A verb B：A は B を verb 。

Verb +

With Dictionary Form (DF)

【Japanese Grammar: Form】Verb Dictionary Form

Verb Dictionary Form is what you can find in a dictionary. It is also called Plain Present Positive Form which is one of the four basic forms in Verb Plain Form. Remember, Verb Dictionary Form finishes with 'u sound'. For example, たべる（ta be ru）which is 'to eat', きく（ki ku）which is 'to listen' and so on.

jpn.matome1.com

2016.10.20

• DF + ことがすきです：like to
• DF + ことがじょうずです：be good at —ing
• DF + ことができます：can (ability)
• DF + べきです：should
• DF + かもしれません：may, can (possibility)
• DF + つもりです：intend to
• DF + とき：when
• DF + ために：in order to
• DF + まえに：before —ing

With Stem Form (SF)

【Japanese Grammar: Form】Verb Stem Form

On this page, you can learn what Verb Stem Form is and how it is used in a sentence.

jpn.matome1.com

2016.10.23

• SF + ます：Verb Polite Form
• SF + ましょう：Let’s
• SF + たいです：want to
• SF + にいきます：go to
• SF + ながら：while
• SF + すぎ：— too much
• SF + はじめます：start —ing
• SF + おえます：finish —ing

With てForm (てF)

【Japanese Grammar: Form】Verb てForm

On this page, you can learn what Verb てForm is and how it is used in sentences.

jpn.matome1.com

2016.10.20

• てF + ください：please
• てF + います：be —ing
• てF + います：have been —ing
• てF (verb 1) 、てF (verb 2)：verb 1 and verb 2
• てF + みます：try to
• てF + から：after —ing
• てF + もいいです：be allowed to
• てF + はいけません：must not

With たForm (たF)

【Japanese Grammar: Form】Verb たForm

たForm is used with various grammar patterns. It is also called Plain Past Positive Form, which you can use to describe what happened in the past. たForm can be made from てForm.

jpn.matome1.com

2016.10.01

• たF + ことがあります：have verb-ed
• たF + ことがありません：have not verb-ed
• たF + あと：after
• たF + ほうがいいです：had better
• たF (verb 1) + り、たF (verb 2) + りします：verb 1 and verb 2

With なForm (なF)

【Japanese Grammar: Form】Verb なForm

Verb なForm is used with sentence patterns such as ければなりません（have to）and くてもいいです（don't have to）. Some examples are たべな (to eat)、きかな (to listen)、よまな (to read)、しな (to do)、こな (to come)、あけな (to open)、しめな (to close)、のまな (to drink)、およがな (to swim)、すわらな (to sit)、はしらな (to run)、たたな (to stand) and so on.

jpn.matome1.com

2016.11.05

• なF + ければなりません：have to
• なF + くてもいいです：don’t have to
• なF + いほうがいいです：had better not
• なF + いでください：please do not —

Noun +

• Noun があります：There is (object)
• Noun がいます：There is (people, animal)
• Noun がほしいです：want
• Noun がいります：need
• Noun がすきです：like
• Noun がすきじゃないです：don’t like
• Noun がきらいです：dislike
• Noun がだいきらいです：hate
• Noun ができます：can do, play
• Noun ができません：cannot do, play
• Noun がじょうずです：be good at
• Noun がへたです：be bad at

With adjective

• いadjective（remove い）+ くて：adjective and
• なadjective（remove な）+ で：adjective and

Conjunction

• because
• if
• when

Miscellaneous

• For example：たとえば
• Also (at the start of a sentence)：また
• On the other hand：いっぽうで