JLPT N4 Nominalizers, quoting, and comparison
こと and さ turn verbs and adjectives into nouns, and という, って, and ということ name or quote things. より and の中で compare, は～が…は contrasts two topics, and のに means either "although" or "in order to" depending on context. The two のに patterns are easy to confuse, so check whether the clause expresses frustration or purpose.
14 N4 grammar points in this group
こと (koto): verb nominalizer
こと literally means “thing” in the abstract sense: a matter, a fact, an idea. When you put a verb phrase in front of it, the whole phrase becomes one noun that describes the action or fact.
私の趣味は写真を撮ることです。 — My hobby is taking photos.
さ (sa): -ness; adjective noun form
Use さ when you want to express the N4 idea of “-ness; adjective nominalizer” in natural Japanese.
この山の高さは三千メートルです。 — The height of this mountain is 3,000 meters.
という (to iu): called; that says
Use という when you want to express called; that says in a Japanese sentence.
田中さんという人を知っていますか。 — Do you know a person called Tanaka?
って (tte): called; as for
Use って when you want to express called; as for in a Japanese sentence.
Haneっていうアプリを知っていますか。 — Do you know an app called Hane?
ということ (to iu koto): the fact that
Use ということ when you want to express the fact that in a Japanese sentence.
彼が来ないということを知りませんでした。 — I did not know the fact that he was not coming.
のは〜だ (nowa da): what is A is B
Use のは〜だ when you want to express the N4 idea of “the thing that is; the reason is” in natural Japanese.
大切なのは毎日練習することです。 — What is important is practicing every day.
と言ってもいい (to ittemo ii): you could call it
Use と言ってもいい when you want to say that a certain description or label is fair and acceptable.
彼は天才と言ってもいいです。 — You could call him a genius.
から作る (kara tsukuru): made from; made with
から marks a starting point. With 作る, the starting point is the raw material the product comes from. The key idea is transformation: the material goes through a process — fermenting, melting, pressing — and ends up as something that no longer looks like it.
酒は米から作られます。 — Sake is made from rice.
より (yori): than; compared with
Use より when you want to express than; compared with in a Japanese sentence.
電車はバスより速いです。 — The train is faster than the bus.
の中で (no naka de): among; within a group
The phrase has three parts, and each does a job: the noun names the set or space, の中 means “the inside of it,” and で marks it as the scope or place of action.
家族の中で母が一番早く起きます。 — My mother gets up the earliest in my family.
は〜が…は (wa ga wa): A is ..., but B is ...
Use は〜が…は when you want to express A is ..., but B is ... in a Japanese sentence.
日本語は好きですが、漢字は難しいです。 — I like Japanese, but kanji is difficult.
のに (noni): although; even though
Use のに when you want to express that one thing is true in spite of another, often with a sense of surprise, frustration, or unexpectedness.
たくさん勉強したのに、試験は難しかったです。 — Even though I studied a lot, the test was difficult.
それでも (sore demo): even so; nevertheless
Use それでも when you want to express that something happens or is true despite a contrary situation.
雨が降っています。それでも行きます。 — It is raining. Even so, I will go.
のに (noni purpose): for doing; in order to
Use のに when you want to express the idea of “to; in order to; for doing” in natural Japanese.
この辞書は漢字を調べるのに便利です。 — This dictionary is convenient for looking up kanji.
More JLPT N4 grammar groups
- Conditionals and decisions (11)
- Giving, receiving, requests, and keigo (15)
- Passive, causative, and permission (12)
- Te-form helpers for real conversation (15)
- Time, timing, and sequence (17)
- Plans, intention, and change (8)
- Soft examples, lists, and limits (13)
- Hearsay, appearance, and feelings (17)
- Guessing, certainty, and wondering (11)