Category: N2 Grammar

February 5, 2023

むしろ、かえって, and ぎゃくに

むしろ、かえって, and ぎゃくにむしろ、かえって, and ぎゃくに all express “On the Contrary”, but with some differences. むしろ Rather than/If I had to pick(Compares 2 things, chooses 1)Clause + むしろ + Clause むしろ compares 2 things...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Misc

February 5, 2023

ようではないか

ようではないか Shall wePlain Volitional + ではないか Volitional + じゃないか/ではないか is just another way of asking someone if they want to do something.Its equivalent to ようか/ませんか It’s stronger than just ようか, and tends to be...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Misc

February 5, 2023

ではないか and のではないか

ではないか and のではないかではないか and のではないか are extremely similar, but have different meanings. ではないか – Isn’t it,,,? (I disagree, I think its something else)のではないか – I think its…Isn’t it? (A way to soften your...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Misc

February 5, 2023

ほか Expressions

ほか Expressions よりほかない No other choice but to…Plain form verb + よりほかないよりほかない means “there’s no choice but to…”It is made up of より (Rather, other than) + ほか (Other option) + ない (doesn’t...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Misc

February 5, 2023

どころではない

どころではない Can’t (because of priorities)Dictionary Form/ている Verb + どころではないする Noun + どころではない (Drop する) どころではない expresses that something isn’t possible due to priorities. It means “Can’t” either as “You can’t do that now” or “Its...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Verbs

February 4, 2023

ようがない

ようがない There’s no way to…ます stem + ようがないようがない is an interesting application of よう, which here functions as a noun meaning “way”.This makes it nearly identical to かた. ようがない expresses “There is no way...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Verbs

February 4, 2023

ようでは

ようでは No good based onDictionary Form Verb + ようではない Form Verb + ようではている Form Verb + ようではようでは expresses that some bad result is expected based on some fact.This pattern is really an application...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Verbs

February 4, 2023

かねる

かねる Unable to doます stem + かねる (兼ねる) かねる has many meanings, but the one we’re going to discuss here is its usage as a suffix.As a suffix, it means “Unable”.This suffix is mostly...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Verbs

February 4, 2023

得る

得る Possibleます stem + える/うる得る (える or うる) is an old Japanese verb form/word meaning “possible”.It may be pronounced either える or うる in the affirmative.In the negative, it will always be えないThis...

Grammar / N2 Grammar / N2 Verbs

February 4, 2023

もあれば～もある

もあれば～もある A and BAもWordば + BもWord(Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives and Negatives OK) AもあればBもある literally means “If there’s A, there’s also B”*However, the answer to the “If” part is always yes. This effectively makes it mean...