Grammar
JLPT grammar patterns with formation, examples, and confusables.
〜っぽい
Somewhat / -ish 〜っぽい
Says something has the quality of ~ — "-ish", "looks like ~", "tends to ~".
〜がち
Tends to (badly) 〜がち
"Tends to ~", "is apt to ~" — nearly always about something unwanted.
〜気味
A touch of 〜気味
"A touch of ~", "slightly ~" — a mild sign of a condition, usually an unwelcome one.
〜ぶり
After an interval 〜ぶり
"After an interval of ~" — how long it has been since this last happened.
〜だらけ
Covered in 〜だらけ
"Covered in ~", "full of ~" — an unpleasant abundance.
〜かける / 〜かけだ
Half-done 〜かける
An action begun but not finished — "half-~", "start to ~ (and stop)".
〜きる / 〜きれない
Completely / cannot finish 〜きる
Carries an action right through — "do ~ completely". The negative きれない means "cannot finish ~ing".
〜つつある
In the process of 〜つつある
"Is in the process of ~ing" — a gradual change still under way.
〜得る / 〜得ない
Can / cannot 〜得る
"Can possibly ~", "it is conceivable that ~". The negative 得ない means "could not possibly".
〜向き / 〜向け
Suited for 〜向き / 〜向け
向き = "suited to ~ (by nature)". 向け = "made for ~ (on purpose)".
〜としたら / 〜とすれば
Supposing 〜としたら
"Supposing ~", "if we assume ~" — reasoning from a hypothetical.
〜ようとする
Try to 〜ようとする
An attempt or an intention — "try to ~", "be about to ~".
〜ものの
Although (written) 〜ものの
"Although ~", "~, but" — the expected consequence did not follow.
〜とは限らない
Not necessarily 〜とは限らない
"Not necessarily ~", "it is not always the case that ~".
〜ようがない
No way to 〜ようがない
"There is no way to ~", "cannot possibly ~" — no method exists.
〜ものだ
One should / used to 〜ものだ
Three uses: a general truth, nostalgia for what one used to do, and mild moral advice.
〜っこない
Could not possibly 〜っこない
A blunt, casual denial — "there is no chance ~", "could not possibly ~".
〜以上（は）
Now that 〜以上は
"Now that ~", "since ~" — given this fact, a duty or resolve follows.
〜だけあって
As you would expect 〜だけあって
"As you would expect of ~", "no wonder, given that ~". Admiring.
〜ことから
Judging from 〜ことから
"From the fact that ~", "judging from ~" — states the evidence a conclusion rests on.
〜かと思うと
No sooner than 〜かと思うと
"No sooner had ~ than ~", "just when you think ~" — two events tread on each other.
〜きり
Ever since / only 〜きり
Two uses: "and that was the last of it" after a past verb, and "just / only" after a noun.
〜上で
After (formal) 〜上で
"After ~ing (and on that basis)" — a deliberate step taken before deciding.
〜てからでないと
Not until 〜てからでないと
"Not until ~", "unless ~ is done first" — a precondition that must come first.
〜あまり
So much that 〜あまり
"So much ~ that ~", "out of excessive ~" — an excess of feeling causes the result.
〜ばかりに
Merely because 〜ばかりに
"Just because ~", "simply on account of ~" — one small cause led to a bad outcome.
〜なんて
Something like (belittling) 〜なんて
Dismisses or belittles — "something like ~", "the very idea of ~". Can also express surprise.
〜ところに / 〜ところへ
Just as / right when 〜ところに
"Just as ~", "right when ~" — something arrives at exactly that moment.
〜つもりで
On the assumption of 〜つもりで
"As if ~", "with the intention of ~", "on the assumption that ~".
〜っぱなし
Left as it is 〜っぱなし
"Left ~ing", "~ and left that way" — something was done and never undone.