KotoQuest

Katakana represents the exact same sounds as Hiragana but uses sharp, straight strokes. It is used for foreign names, places, and loanwords (e.g., カメラ - kamera for camera).

By adding quotation marks (dakuten ゛) or small circles (handakuten ゜) to the upper right of Hiragana, you change the consonant sound:

• K-row (か) + ゛ = G-row (が - ga)
• S-row (さ) + ゛ = Z-row (ざ - za)
• T-row (た) + ゛ = D-row (だ - da)
• H-row (は) + ゛ = B-row (ば - ba)
• H-row (は) + ゜ = P-row (ぱ - pa)

We combine Hiragana from the 'i' column (ki, shi, chi, etc.) with small versions of ゃ (ya), ゅ (yu), ょ (yo) to make sounds like きゃ (kya) or しゅ (shu).

A small っ (tsu) creates a brief double consonant pause in speech (e.g., さっき - sakki: a moment ago).

Drill these sounds in the Kana Charts, then trace them by hand on the Canvas Writer.

Counting up to 99 is mathematical:

• 11 = Ten + One = じゅういち (juu-ichi)
• 20 = Two + Ten = にじゅう (ni-juu)
• 45 = Four + Ten + Five = よんじゅうご (yon-juu-go)
• 100 is ひゃく (hyaku)

Kanji represent whole words or concepts. Learn these pictograms:

Test these numbers and kanji with Flashcards, then put them to work in the Quest Arena.

English: I read books.

Japanese: わたしは ほんを よみます (Watashi wa hon o yomimasu) → I [Topic] Book [Object] Read.

Particles are small words added after nouns to indicate their grammatical role:

Snap these particles into place in the Sentence Builder, or see how they map across languages in the Trilingual Bridge.

All Japanese verbs in their dictionary (base) form end in a 'u' sound. They fall into three groups:

• Ru-verbs (Group 2): End in -iru or -eru. (e.g., たべる - taberu: to eat, みる - miru: to watch).
• U-verbs (Group 1): End in other -u sounds. (e.g., のむ - nomu: to drink, いく - iku: to go, はなす - hanasu: to speak).
• Irregular Verbs (Group 3): Only two! する (suru: to do) and くる (kuru: to come).

To talk politely, change verbs to the ~ます (~masu) suffix. Conjugation formulas:

• Past Affirmative: Replace ~ます with ~ました (~mashita). E.g., たべました (tabemashita — I ate).
• Past Negative: Replace ~ます with ~ませんでした (~masendeshita). E.g., たべませんでした (tabemasendeshita — I did not eat).

Take these conjugations into the Quest Arena, then reinforce the vocabulary with Flashcards.

• I-adjectives: end in the hiragana い (i). For example おいしい (oishii: delicious) or おおきい (ookii: big). They sit straight in front of a noun: おいしいすし (delicious sushi).
• Na-adjectives: need a な (na) before the noun they describe. For example しずか (shizuka: quiet) → しずかな部屋 (shizuka na heya: a quiet room).

Quiz yourself on these phrases with Flashcards, then face them live in the Quest Arena.

Read the dialogue below and click the speaker icons to hear it spoken:

Customer:

すみません、メニューをください。
Sumimasen, menyuu o kudasai.
(Excuse me, please give me a menu.) Play

Waiter:

はい、どうぞ。
Hai, douzo.
(Yes, here you are.) Play

Customer:

これはいくらですか。
Kore wa ikura desu ka.
(How much is this?) Play

Waiter:

それは千円です。
Sore wa sen en desu.
(That is 1000 yen.) Play

Customer:

じゃあ、これをください。
Jaa, kore o kudasai.
(Well then, please give me this.) Play

Assemble a reply of your own in the Sentence Builder, then try the full exchange live in the Quest Arena.

Exception: いく → いって (iku → itte) (not いいて).

• Request: ～てください — みてください (mite kudasai — please look)
• Permission: ～てもいいです — たべてもいいです (tabete mo ii desu — you may eat)
• Progressive / state: ～ています — よんでいます (yonde imasu — am reading)
• Prohibition: ～てはいけません — はいってはいけません (haitte wa ikemasen — you must not enter)
• Linking actions: おきて、たべて、いきます (okite, tabete, ikimasu — I get up, eat, and go)

Face te-form questions head-on in the Quest Arena, then chain your own sentences in the Sentence Builder.

• る-verbs: drop る, add ない — みる (miru — to see) → みない (minai)
• う-verbs: final -u → -a + ない — のむ (nomu — to drink) → のまない (nomanai) (う becomes わ: かう (kau — to buy) → かわない (kawanai))
• Irregular: する (suru — to do) → しない (shinai), くる (kuru — to come) → こない (konai), ある (aru — to exist) → ない (nai)

Tip: casual speech drops です／か — たべる？ (taberu?) (rising tone) means "gonna eat?"

Switch between polite and plain in the Quest Arena, then build casual sentences in the Sentence Builder.

Take the plain negative ～ない and change い → かった:

• たべない (tabenai) → たべなかった (tabenakatta) (didn't eat)
• いかない (ikanai) → いかなかった (ikanakatta) (didn't go)
• い-adjectives too: たかい → たかくなかった (takai → takaku nakatta — expensive → wasn't expensive)

Put past-tense forms to the test in the Quest Arena, then build past-tense sentences in the Sentence Builder.

* People are irregular: 1人 ひとり (hitori), 2人 ふたり (futari), then 3人 さんにん (san-nin)… Sounds also shift with 本/匹 (いっぽん ippon, さんぼん sanbon) — learn those by ear.

Quiz yourself on counters with Flashcards, then count your way through the Quest Arena.

• あげる — I/someone gives outward. わたしは ともだちに プレゼントを あげる. (Watashi wa tomodachi ni purezento o ageru. — I give my friend a present.)
• くれる — someone gives to me. ともだちが わたしに プレゼントを くれる. (Tomodachi ga watashi ni purezento o kureru. — My friend gives me a present.)
• もらう — I receive (giver marked に／から). わたしは ともだちに プレゼントを もらう. (Watashi wa tomodachi ni purezento o morau. — I receive a present from my friend.)

Rule of thumb: if the gift comes to you, it is くれる or もらう — never あげる.

Build give-and-receive sentences in the Sentence Builder, then test the right verb choice in the Quest Arena.

• にほんごをはなす (nihongo o hanasu — speak Japanese) → にほんごがはなせる (nihongo ga hanaseru — can speak Japanese)
• かんじがよめる (kanji ga yomeru — can read kanji)
• Casual speech often drops the ら: たべられる (taberareru) → たべれる (tabereru) ("ra-less" form). This ra-nuki is common in everyday speech, but it's still considered nonstandard in writing and on exams.

Test your "can-do" forms in the Quest Arena, then build sentences with them in the Sentence Builder.

• ～たら allows any main clause — requests, invitations, commands: いえにかえったら、でんわしてください (ie ni kaettara, denwa shite kudasai — when you get home, please call)
• ～と describes automatic or general results — the main clause can't be a request, command, or invitation: はるになると、さくらがさきます (haru ni naru to, sakura ga sakimasu — when spring comes, cherry blossoms bloom)
• Both can mean "when" for things certain to happen: みぎにまがると、ぎんこうがあります (migi ni magaru to, ginkou ga arimasu — if/when you turn right, there is a bank)

Try both conditionals in the Quest Arena, then build your own if/when sentences in the Sentence Builder.

This negative ば-form is exactly what ～なければならない ("must") is built on.

• Nouns and な-adjectives attach directly, no だ: げんきなら (genki nara — if [you're] energetic), never げんきだなら.
• なら answers a topic the other person just raised: A: にほんへいきます。 B: にほんへいくなら、パスポートがひつようです。 (nihon e iku nara, pasupooto ga hitsuyou desu — if you're going to Japan, you'll need a passport)
• Unlike ～たら/～と/～ば, the outcome can logically come before the なら-clause in time — it's commenting on the premise, not describing a strict sequence.

Repeat the verb: ～ば form + plain form + ほど.

• たべればたべるほど、ふとります (tabereba taberu hodo, futorimasu — the more you eat, the fatter you get)

Drill ば and なら in the Quest Arena, then check your grammar notes on the Grammar Bridge.

Note: る-verb passive and potential (N4·6) share the same form — context tells them apart.

• The "by ~" agent is marked with に, or によって for creative/impersonal works.
• わたしはせんせいにほめられた (watashi wa sensei ni homerareta — I was praised by the teacher)
• このほんはなつめそうせきによってかかれた (kono hon wa Natsume Souseki ni yotte kakareta — this book was written by Natsume Souseki)

• Uniquely Japanese: even verbs with no direct object can take the passive to show the speaker was inconvenienced by someone else's action.
• あめにふられた (ame ni furareta — I got rained on [and it was a bother])
• ともだちにこられて、べんきょうできなかった (tomodachi ni korarete, benkyou dekinakatta — a friend came over [on me] and I couldn't study)
• The English translation rarely captures the nuance — think "I suffered from X happening," not a literal translation.

Spot the passive agent in the Quest Arena, then build a few suffering-passive sentences yourself in the Sentence Builder.

• はははこどもにやさいをたべさせた (haha wa kodomo ni yasai o tabesaseta — the mother made/had the child eat vegetables) — transitive verb: the person forced takes に.
• せんせいはがくせいをはやくかえらせた (sensei wa gakusei o hayaku kaeraseta — the teacher made the students go home early) — intransitive verb かえる: the person forced takes を.
• Context and tone decide "make" (forceful) vs "let" (permissive): どうぞやすませてください (douzo yasumasete kudasai — please let me rest) is clearly permissive.

• Build it from the causative stem + られる: たべさせる → たべさせられる (tabesaseru → tabesaserareru — was made to eat).
• う-verbs often contract ～せられる to ～される: のませられる → のまされる (nomaserareru → nomasareru) — both forms are correct; the contraction is more common in speech.
• わたしはははにやさいをたべさせられた (watashi wa haha ni yasai o tabesaserareta — I was made to eat vegetables by my mother [and I didn't want to])

Untangle causative vs causative-passive sentences in the Quest Arena, then drill the forms with Flashcards.

• potential/dictionary form + ようになる — a gradual, natural change over time.
• かんじがよめるようになった (kanji ga yomeru you ni natta — I've come to be able to read kanji [I couldn't before])
• まいにちにほんごをはなすようになりました (mainichi nihongo o hanasu you ni narimashita — I've come to speak Japanese every day)

• dictionary/ない-form + ことになる — announces a decision made by circumstances, a group, or someone else — not the speaker personally.
• らいげつ、とうきょうにてんきんすることになった (raigetsu, Tokyo ni tenkin suru koto ni natta — it's been decided that I'll transfer to Tokyo next month)

• ～ようにする: dictionary/ない-form + ようにする — an ongoing conscious effort or habit. まいにちうんどうするようにしています (mainichi undou suru you ni shiteimasu — I make it a point to exercise every day)
• ～ことにする: dictionary/ない-form + ことにする — a one-time personal decision, made by the speaker's own will. かいしゃをやめることにした (kaisha o yameru koto ni shita — I've decided to quit the company)

Sort out なる vs する in the Quest Arena, then check your understanding on the Grammar Bridge.

• Hearsay そうだ never drops だ before nouns/な-adjectives: これはぺんだそうです (kore wa pen da sou desu — I heard this is a pen).
• Appearance そうだ drops だ entirely and attaches straight to the stem: おいしい → おいしそう (oishii → oishisou — looks delicious); げんき → げんきそう (genki → genkisou — looks well).
• Two irregular appearance stems: いい → よさそう (ii → yosasou, not iisou); ない → なさそう (nai → nasasou).

• plain form (noun without だ) + らしい — reports something heard, usually with more distance/uncertainty than そうだ, often from general rumor rather than a direct source.
• たなかさんはらいげつけっこんするらしいです (Tanaka-san wa raigetsu kekkon suru rashii desu — I hear Tanaka is getting married next month)
• Also means "typical of / just like": おとこらしい (otoko rashii — manly, like a "real man").

• Both mean "seems/looks like," based on observation or comparison — みたい is casual, ようだ is more formal/written.
• Nouns/な-adjectives: みたい attaches directly (あめみたい); ようだ needs の／な (あめのようだ, げんきなようだ).
• あのひとはがくせいみたいです (ano hito wa gakusei mitai desu — that person seems to be a student)
• かれはびょうきのようだ (kare wa byouki no you da — he seems to be sick)

Tell hearsay apart from appearance in the Quest Arena, then quiz yourself on all four with Flashcards.

• Prepares something ahead of time, or leaves something as-is for a future benefit.
• ビールをかっておく (biiru o katte oku — buy beer in advance [for the party later])
• Casual speech contracts ～ておく to ～とく: かっておく → かっとく (katte oku → kattoku).

• Emphasizes something is finished completely, often with a nuance of regret or unintentional action.
• しゅくだいをやってしまった (shukudai o yatte shimatta — I went and finished the homework)
• Casual contraction: ～てしまう → ～ちゃう (or ～でしまう → ～じゃう): たべてしまう → たべちゃう (tabete shimau → tabechau).

• ～てある (transitive verb + ある): a state left behind on purpose by someone. まどがあけてある (mado ga akete aru — the window has [intentionally] been left open)
• Compare ～ている: まどがあいている (mado ga aiteiru — the window is open) — a simple state, no emphasis on who left it that way or why.
• ～てみる: "try doing" something to see what happens. たべてみる (tabete miru — try eating [it])

Pick the right te-form extension in the Quest Arena, then use them in your own sentences with the Sentence Builder.

Honorific verbs elevate other people's actions (a teacher, a customer, your boss); humble verbs lower your own actions to show the listener respect. Never mix the two for the same person.

• いらっしゃる, おっしゃる, なさる, and くださる all take ～います, not ～ります: いらっしゃる → いらっしゃいます (irassharu → irasshaimasu), おっしゃる → おっしゃいます (ossharu → osshaimasu).
• せんせいはいついらっしゃいますか (sensei wa itsu irasshaimasu ka — when will the teacher arrive?)
• しゃちょうはなんとおっしゃいましたか (shachou wa nan to osshaimashita ka — what did the president say?)

• たなかともうします (Tanaka to moushimasu — I am called Tanaka [humble self-introduction])
• わたしはあしたまいります (watashi wa ashita mairimasu — I will go/come tomorrow [humble])
• どうぞめしあがってください (douzo meshiagatte kudasai — please go ahead and eat [honorific, said to a guest])

Match honorific and humble pairs in the Quest Arena, then review the full keigo table with Flashcards.