JLPT N3 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 21: Extended Forms of Verbs and Nouns

Extended Forms of Verbs and Nouns

JLPT N3
Shinkanzen N3 • 11 key grammar patterns
Point 1L21_G1

1. ~かける / ~かけだ (Halfway / In the middle of...)

Sentence Pattern
I. Expressing the stage/progress of an action
Vます + かける / かけだ / かけの N

Meaning: Not completely finished yet (In the middle of doing something).

Example Sentences (4)
姉あねに食たべかけのみかんを捨すてられてしまった。
The mandarin orange I was halfway through eating was thrown away by my older sister.
彼女かのじょのことが大好だいすきだと言いいかけてやめた。
I was about to say I loved her, but I stopped halfway.
彼女かのじょは何なにか言いいかけて、黙だまってしまった。
She started to say something, but then fell silent.
母ははは読よみかけの本ほんをおいて、買かい物ものに出でかけた。
My mother put down the book she was halfway through reading and went out shopping.
Point 2L21_G2

2. ~きる (Do completely / Finish entirely)

Sentence Pattern
Vます + きる / きれる / きれない

Meaning: Complete entirely / Finish cleanly.
Expresses the complete accomplishment of an action (with nothing left over).

Example Sentences (3)
長ながい小説しょうせつ、2日間ふつかかんで読よみきった。
I completely read through the long novel in 2 days.
これは食たべきりサイズのケーキです。
This is a bite-sized (eat-in-one-go) cake.
歩あるかずに50,000kmを走はしりきるのは大変たいへんなことだ。
Running the entire 50,000 km without walking is a very tough thing.
Point 3L21_G3

3. ~通す (Do to the end / Throughout...)

Sentence Pattern
Vます + 通とおす

Meaning: Do something to the very end / Continuously.
To do something until it is completely finished. It also expresses doing something continuously and thoroughly from start to finish.

Example Sentences (3)
私わたしたちは一晩ひとばんにお酒さけを飲のみ通とおした。
We drank alcohol straight through the night.
やると決きめたことは最後さいごまでやり通とおすべきだ。
Whatever you decide to do, you should carry it through to the very end.
自分じぶんで決きめたことは最後さいごまでやり通とおそう。
Let's stick it through to the end with what we decided ourselves.
Point 4L21_G4

4. ~出す (Suddenly start / Outward)

Sentence Pattern
Vます + 出だす

Meaning: To start... (suddenly/abruptly) or an outward action.

Example Sentences (3)
雨あめが急きゅうに降ふり出だした。
It suddenly started raining.
彼かれは店みせから飛とび出だした。
He rushed out of the store.
校長室こうちょうしつへ呼よび出だされた。
I was called out to the principal's office.
Point 5L21_G5

5. ~やすい / ~にくい / ~づらい (Easy to / Hard to...)

Sentence Pattern
II. Expressing characteristics, states, and conditions
Vます + やすい (Easy to do...)
Vます + にくい (Hard to do... - Objectively)
Vます + づらい (Hard to do... - Due to discomfort, effort, or psychological difficulty)

Expresses the ease or difficulty of performing an action.
やすい (Easy to), にくい (Hard to - objective), づらい (Hard to - psychologically or requiring effort).

Example Sentences (9)
永田ながたさんは話はなしやすい人ひとです。
Mr. Nagata is a very easy person to talk to.
田中先生たなかせんせいの話はなしはわかりやすい。
Teacher Tanaka's stories/explanations are easy to understand.
ガラスのコップは割われやすいです。
Glass cups break easily.
この本ほんは字じが大おおきくて読よみやすいです。
This book has large print and is easy to read.
この箸はしはちょっと使つかいにくいです。
These chopsticks are a bit hard to use (objectively).
足あしが痛いたいから歩あるきにくいです。
Because my leg hurts, it's hard to walk.
この質問しつもんには答こたえづらいです。
This question is hard to answer (it feels awkward to answer).
彼女かのじょはつき合あいづらい人ひとだ。
She is a hard person to get along with.
この漢字かんじは覚おぼえづらいです。
This kanji is hard to memorize (requires a lot of effort).
Point 6L21_G6

6. ~すぎる / ~すぎだ (Too much / Overdo)

Sentence Pattern
Vます + すぎる / すぎだ
Aい / Aな + すぎる / すぎだ

Meaning: Doing something too much or a state exceeding an appropriate level.

Example Sentences (5)
このカレーは辛からすぎます。
This curry is too spicy.
アンちゃんは甘あまい物ものを食たべすぎる。
Little An eats too many sweets.
この問題もんだいは難むずかしすぎる。
This problem is too difficult.
東京とうきょうはにぎやかすぎます。
Tokyo is too lively/noisy.
君きみ、それは言いいすぎだよ。
You're saying too much (going too far with your words).
Point 7L21_G7

7. ~がちだ (Tend to... / Apt to...)

Sentence Pattern
Vます / N + がちだ

Meaning: Tends to easily fall into a certain state... (Often carries a negative nuance).

Example Sentences (2)
雪ゆきが降ふると、電車でんしゃは遅おくれがちだ。
When it snows, trains tend to be delayed.
遠慮えんりょがちにRINさんに年齢ねんれいを聞きいてみた。
I hesitantly asked Rin her age.
Point 8L21_G8

8. ~らしい (Typical of... / Just like...)

Sentence Pattern
N + らしい

Meaning: Having the most representative characteristics of... (True to form, very typical).

Example Sentences (3)
今日きょうは暖あたたかくて春はるらしい一日いちにちだった。
Today was a warm, spring-like day.
あんなに怒おこるなんて彼女かのじょらしくない。
Getting that angry is not like her at all.
彼かれは男おとこらしいね。
He is very manly. (He has all the typical characteristics of a man).
Point 9L21_G9

9. ~っぽい (-ish / -like / Tend to...)

Sentence Pattern
Vます / N + っぽい

Meaning: Having the characteristics or traits of... (Feels like it).

Example Sentences (2)
年としを取とると、忘わすれっぽくなる。
As you get older, you tend to become forgetful.
このコート、デザインはいいけれど、生地きじが安やすっぽいね。
This coat has a nice design, but the fabric looks cheap.
Point 10L21_G10

10. ~のようだ・みたいだ (Like... / Similar to...)

Sentence Pattern
N + のようだ / みたいだ
N + のような / みたいな N

Meaning: Very similar to... (Simile/Metaphor).

Example Sentences (3)
彼かれの話はなしかたは女おんなのようだ。
His way of speaking is like a woman's.
ここの水みずは殺虫剤さっちゅうざいみたいな味あじがする。
The water here tastes like insecticide.
人ひとみたいな形かたちの雲くもが浮うかんでいる。
A cloud shaped like a person is floating in the sky.
Point 11L21_G11

11. ~だらけだ (Covered in... / Full of...)

Sentence Pattern
N + だらけだ

Meaning: Having a lot of ~ / Full of ~.
Describes a state of being "covered in ~ or full of ~". This expression usually refers to negative things or things the speaker does not desire.

Example Sentences (3)
あなたの顔かおは油あぶらだらけです。
Your face is covered in oil.
彼かれの部屋へやは紙かみくずだらけだ。
His room is full of waste paper.
彼女かのじょは欠点けってんだらけだけど、好すきにならずにはいられない。
She's full of flaws, but I can't help falling in love with her.