Match Japanese grammar patterns to their meanings — 30 essential N5–N4 patterns in 6 rounds
Grammar patterns in Japanese are building blocks — 〜たい expresses desire, 〜ながら shows simultaneous action, 〜はずです marks an expectation. This matching game covers 30 core N5–N4 patterns across 6 rounds of 5. Click a pattern on the left, then its meaning on the right. Every correct match shows a short explanation of how the pattern works in real sentences.
Click a grammar pattern (left), then click its meaning (right).
The 30 patterns here cover the core of the JLPT N5 and N4 grammar syllabi, grouped into six thematic rounds: basic sentence endings → desire and intention → state and ability → time and reason → experience and conjecture → contrast and condition. Each pattern appears exactly once, so completing all six rounds gives you a full sweep of the set. The explanations after each match are written for learners who already know hiragana — they focus on the function of the pattern in context, not the conjugation table.
After finishing, review any patterns you missed in the N5 Grammar Course (lessons 1–25 cover everything in rounds 1–4 here) or the N5 handwritten notes.