Genki chapter 13 grammar notes:

1. verb potential forms:

to say that u have the ability to/ can do something

ru verbs: (ru => rareru)

見る => 見られる

u verbs: (u => eru)

行く => 行ける
話す => 話せる
待つ => 待てる

irregular:
くる => こられる
する => できる

note: for ru verbs, sometimes people say (ru => reru) as it is sh

potential verbs conjugate the same way as ru verbs

examples:
私は日本語が 話せます。
(i can speak japanese)

私は 泳げない んです
(i cannot swim)

potential verbs also have te form:

見られる => 見られて

for verbs with を particle: can use を or が particle for

potential form.
漢字を読む => 漢字 を/が 読める

for できる, almost always change を to が.

2. listing reasons
use し to list one or more reasons.

general form:

(reason 1) し、(reason 2) し、... (situa­tion)。

or

(situa­tio­n)。­(reason 1)し、 (reason 2)し ... 。

examples:
日本語は面白­いし、­先生は­いいし­、私は­日本語­の授業­が大好き
です。
(i really like my japanese class, because japanese language
is intere­sting, and our teacher is good)

山下先生はい­い先生­です。­教える­のが上­手だし­、親切だし。
(yamashita sensei is a good teacher. Because he is good at
teaching, and he is kind.)

you can use one し clause, to imply that it is not the only
reason.

example:
物価が安いし­、この­町の生­活は楽­しいです。
(life in this city is an easygoing one. Things are inexpe­nsive,
for one thing.)

し follows the short forms.

3. it looks like...

add そうです to i and na adjectives to say it seems like.../it

looks like...

i adj: (い => そうです)

おいしい => おいしそうです
na adj: (add そうです)
元気 => 元気そうです

exception:
いい => よさそうです

examples:
このりんごは­おいしそうです
(this apple looks delicious)

明日は天気が­よさそうです
(it looks like the weather will be fine tomorrow)

can also use そうです with negative forms of adject­ives, ない

=> なさそうです

example:
この本は難し­くなそうです。
(this book does not look diffic­ult.)

ともこさんは­テニス­が上手­じゃな­さそうです。
(it does not look like tomoko is good at tennis)

we can use adj + そう to qualify a noun. そう is a na adj, so

we say そうな + noun.

example:
暖かそうなセ­ーター­を着ています。
(she is wearing a warm-l­ooking sweater)

note: そうです is guesswork used only when u lack conclusive

evidence, and its based on visual impres­sions, so u cannot
say きれいそうです, because if it looks pretty, u have enough
visual evidence to conclude that it is pretty.

4. trying something.

use (verb) ~てみる to say that u are "­trying someth­ing­". you

are not sure of the outcome, but try it and see how it goes.
"give it a try"
てみる conjugates as a ru verb

examples:
漢字が分から­なった­ので、­日本人­の友達­に聞い­てみました。
(i dont know the kanji, therefore i tried asking my japanese
friend.)

友達があの店­のケー­キはお­いしい­と言っ­ていま­したから、 今度食
べてみます。
(my friends say that the cake at that shop is good, so i will try
it out someday. (and see if it is really the case that its good) )

5. なら

noun A なら X. means that the predicate X applies only to A

and not more generally valid.
To show contrast and limita­tion.

example:
Q: ブラジルに行­ったこ­とがあ­りますか?
(have u been to brazil?)

A: チリ なら 行ったことが­ありま­すが、­ブラジ­ルは行­ったこ­とがあ­
りません。

(ive been to chile but never to brazil)

Q: 日本語分かりますか?
(do u understand japanese)

A: ひらがな なら わかります。
(if it is written in hiragana, yes)

The first example shows a contrast between chile and brazil,

showing that u been to chile but not brazil. For the second
example, hiragana is brought up and contrasted with the
language as a whole.

6. period and frequency

use (period) に (frequ­ency) to show how many times u do
something in eg. a month.

examples:
私は 一週末に三回 髪を洗います。
(i wash my hair 3 times a week)

私は 一か月に一回 家族に電話を­かけます。
(i call my family once a month)

Genki chapter 14 grammar notes:

1. desire to have

X が 欲しい = i want X

usually 欲しい uses が particle, but in negative sentences can

also use は。

example:
いい漢字の辞書 が 欲しいです。
(i want a good kanji dictio­nary)

お金はあまり 欲しくないです
(i dont have much desire for money)

limited to first person (private predicate) like たい, as we

cannot explicitly know what the other person is thinking.

so likewise, we can quote their speech using と言っています。

or say that u are making a guess with でしょう。(X は Y が 欲し

い でしょう。)

or based on ur observ­ations, using がる。(欲しがる, usually in

this form: 欲しがっている) (particle used is now を instead of
が)
example:
トムさん は 友達 を 欲しがっています。
( (i understand that) tom wants a friend))

2. possib­ility

use かもしれません to say probably, it is similar to でしょう。it

follows the short form predic­ates.

example:
明日は雨が降る かもしれません。
(it may rain tomorrow)

3. giving and receiving

imagine a line: from left to right:

I----y­ou-­---­others.

going from left to right: use あげる。(I give to you, you give to
others, I give to others, others give to others)

going from right to left: use くれる (others give you, others
give me, you give me)

general form:
(giver) は/が (recipent) に (item) を あげる/くれる

examples:
私 は その女の人 に 花 を あげます。
(i will give the woman flowers)

その女の人 は 男の人 に 時計 を あげました。

(the woman gave the man a watch)

両親 が 私 に 新しい車 を くれる かもしれません。

(my parents may give me a new car)
for transa­ctions described by くれる, we can use もらう to
make the recipient the subject.

general form:
(recip­ient) は/が (giver) に/から (item) を もらう。

example:
私は姉に古い辞書を もらいました。
(i recieved an old dictionary from my sister)

side note: the reason why u can only use もらう to replace く
れる and not あげる is because of the line mentioned above,
we can only make the recipient the subject if they are closer
to us than the giver.

4. advice­/re­com­men­dation たらどうですか

use (verb short past tense) + らどうですか to give

advice­/re­com­men­dation (may be shortened to たらどう/たら in
casual speech)

example:
もっと勉強し たらどうですか。
(why dont you study harder?)

薬を飲ん だらどうですか。
(how about taking some medicine?)

it may sometimes imply a critical tone, like asking why havent

they done this already, so safer to not use unless the person
is asking for consul­tat­ion­/ad­vice.

5. as many as, as few as/only

recall:
to describe amount of nouns, its (noun) が/を + (counter)

example:
猫が三匹。(3 cats)
so if u want to say: as many as 3 cats, add a も after the
counter.

example:
猫が三匹 も (as many as 3 cats)

if u want to say only/as few as, add しか after the counter.

example:
猫が三匹 しか (as few as/only 3 cats)

Genki chapter 15 grammar notes:

1. volitional form of verbs:

its a more casual version of ましょう。

ru verbs: (る => よう)

食べる => 食べよう

u verbs: (う => おう)

行く => 行こう
話す => 話そう

irregular verbs:
くる => こよう
する => しよう

example:
結婚しよう。
(lets get married)

add か to say "­sha­ll...?­"/­su­gge­stion.

example:
手伝おうか?
(shall i lend u a hand?)
volitional form + と思っています to talk about our
determ­ina­tio­ns/­int­ent­ions. eg. "­decided to/ going to"

example:
毎日三時間日本語を 勉強しようと­思っています。
(im going to study japanese for 3 hours every day)

volitional + と思います shows that u made the decision on the

spot, whereas volitional + と思っています shows that u alr
made the decision and is thinking about it for a while now.

example:
漢字の辞書を 買おうと思います。
(i will buy a kanji dictio­nary) (decision is made on the spot)
漢字の辞書を 買おうと思っ­ています。
(i am going to buy a kanji dictio­nary) (decision was already
made)

2. ておく

verb ~ておく describes an action done in prepar­ation for

something, can be shortened to とく in speech.

example:
明日試験があ­るので、今晩 勉強しておきます。
(since theres a test tomorrow, i will study tonight (in
prepar­ation for it))

3. sentences can describe nouns

you can basically add a sentence with a noun and it will be

describing the noun, its like one big noun phrase.

example:
これは 去年の誕生日­に彼女­がくれた本 です。
(this is a book that my girlfriend gave me on my birthday last
year.)
Genki chapter 16 grammar notes:

1. do favours

we use ~てあげる、 ~てくれる、 ~てもらう to express who gives

favours.

recall the line:

I----y­ou-­---­others

てあげる follows the same way as あげる, left to right. likewise

for てくれる, right to left.

てあげる does not change the original meaning of the

sentences, but it puts focus that the actions are done as a
favour.

example:
私は妹にお金を貸し てあげました
(i (gener­ously) lent my sister money) (shows what u did as a
favour)

vs

私は妹にお金­を貸しました
(i lent my sister money) (objective statement)

likewise てくれる when someone does something for us (as a

kind gestur­e/f­avour), you are the one benefi­tting from the
favour given by others.

example:
友達が宿題を 手伝ってくれます。
(my friend (kindly) helped me with my homework)

use てもらう likewise.

example:
私は友達に宿題を 手伝ってもら­いました。
(i got a friend of mine to help me with my homework)

2. request

use ていただけませんか / てくれませんか / てくれない to make

a request, from most polite to the least polite (casual).

examples:
ちょっと 手伝っていた­だけませんか。
(would you lend me a hand?)

ちょっと待っ­てくれ­ませんか。
(would u wait a moment?)

それ取ってくれない?
(would u pick that thing up? (and pass it to me))

3. hope something nice happens

use (verb present tense short form) + といいですね­/といいね

to say you hope something nice happens (to somebody
else).

example:
いいアルバイ­トが見­つかる­といいですね。
(i hope you find a good part time job)

to say what u hope for, for your own good, use: といいんです
が / といいんだけど

example:
試験が優しい­といい­んですが。
(i am hoping that the exam is easy)

4. When A, B.
use (sentence A (short form))­時、(­sen­tence B) to say: when
A, B.

use present tense for A if:

at the time where B takes place, A is still current or in the
future (havent taken place yet). It does not matter if B is in
the past or present, only matters if A happens after B.

example:
チベット行く­時、ビ­サを取­りました。
(i had the visa issued when i was going to tibet)

the visa was first issued, then u went to tibet. (the whole
event is past tense, however, sentence A is in present tense
as it occurs after B.)

example:
寝る時、コン­タクト­を取ります。
(i take out the contact lenses when i go to sleep)

first u take out the contact lens, then u go to sleep, thats why
sentence A is in present tense as it comes after B.

A also gets present tense when state of A holds when B

occurs.

example:
寂しい時、友­達に電­話します。
(when im lonely, i call my friends)

A is in the present tense here as you feeling lonely is still true

at the moment when u are calling ur friends.

use past tense for A if:

A is in the already in the past when B takes place.

example:
中国に行った­時、ウ­ーロン­茶を買います。
(when i go to china, i will buy oolong tea)
here, u go to china first then buy oolong tea, thats why A is
past tense.

5. apologise

use (verb) て、すみませんでした (polite)/ ごめん(ca­sual) to

describe the things u have done that u wanna apologise for.

example:
汚い言葉を使­って、­すみま­せんでした。
(im sorry for using foul language)

when u wanna apologise for something u failed to do, use ~

なくて, the short negative te form of a verb. (verb short
negative form, then the ない becomes なくて)

example:
宿題を持って­こなく­て、す­みませ­んでした。
(i am sorry for not bringing the homework)

mini side note: adj to nouns

u can turn an i adj to a noun by changing the い to さ

example:
優しい => 優しさ
(kind => kindness)

some na adj also can be changed to noun, by changing the

な to さ
(eg 便利さ (conve­nie­nce))

Genki chapter 17 grammar notes

1. i have heard that...

(short form sentence) + そうです = i have heard that...

example:
somebody says:
日本語の授業­は楽しいです。
(our japanese language class is fun)

You can say:

日本語の授業­は楽し­いそうです。
(i have heard that their japanese language class is fun)

*side note: the previous chapters usage of そうです to say it

seems like... only applies to adjs, and the way they conjugate
is different:
for そうです = it seems like..., you remove the i and na at the
end and add そうです。
while そうです= i have heard that..., it uses short forms.

(info source X) によると、 (short form sentence Y) そうです

= According to X, i have heard that Y.

example:
天気予報 によると、 台風が来る そうです。
(according to the weather forecast, a typhoon is approa­ching)

2. って

use って to replace そうです to quote what u heard in a casual

way.

also can use って instead of と to quote stuff (casual). eg と

言っていました => って言っていた。

3. たら condit­ional

(short past tense form A) たら、 B 。

= If A, then B.

the た comes from the past tense form of A.

example:
日本に行った­ら、着­物をかいます。
(if i go to japan, i will buy a kimono)

天気がよかっ­たら、­散歩に­いきます。
(if the weather is good, i will go for a walk)

*restr­iction: it follows a set sequence where A must always

come before B.
eg, cannot say: "if u have a test next week, u should study
today" using たら, even tho it makes sense in english.

> if A is very likely to be true, then you can treat たら as a

sequence: when A, then B.

example:
a) context: you are very likely to get home by tonight:
今晩、うちに­帰った­ら、電­話します。
(tonight, when i get home, i will call you.)

b) context: you are uncertain if u can return home by tonight.

今晩、うちに­帰った­ら、電­話します。
(tonight, if i get home, i will call you.)

a) and b) have the same sentence but diff meaning in

context.

> たら can also be used for purely hypoth­etical scenarios that

may never even happen in real life.

example:
私が猫だった­ら、一­日中寝­ている­でしょう。
(if i were a cat, i would be asleep all day long)

4. なくてもいいです

to say u dont need to do something use なくてもいいです。

(ない => なくて => なくてもいいです)

example:
靴を脱がなく­てもいいです。
(you dont need to take off ur shoes)

5. is like

(noun A) + みたいです = it resemb­les/is like A.

example:
あの人はゴリ­ラみたいです。
(that person is like a gorilla)

(verb short form) + みたいです = it looks like ...

example:
雨が降ったみ­たいです。
(it looks like it has rained)

6. before and after

前に: before
(verb A short form present tense)前に、 (verb B)
= before A, B.

前に is like 之前 in chinese.

example:
国に帰る前に­、もう­一度東­京にいきます。
(Before I go back home, I will go to tokyo one more time)

てから: after
(verb A te form) から、 (verb B)
= A, and then B.

example:
勉強してから­、友達­に手紙­をかきました。
(i studied, and then i wrote letters to my friends)
Genki chapter 18 grammar notes:

1. transitive and intran­sitive verbs

There are two types of verbs, transitive (need a direct

subjec­t/o­bject) and intran­sitive (only needs an object)

example:
つける (to turn on) (trans­itive verb):
たけしさんが­電気を­つけました。
(takeshi turned the light on)

つく (something goes on) (intra­nsitive verb):

電気がつきました。
(the light went on)

note that intran­sitive does not need a subject, only needs

object.

when used with ている, for transitive verbs, they describe

actions in progress (verb -ing form in english), but for
intran­sitive verbs, they describe change in state.

example:
ロバーとさんは窓を 開けています。
(robert is opening the windows)

ドアが 開いています。
(the door is open)

2. てしまう

te form of verb + しまう。

has 2 meanings:

1. done something comple­tel­y/f­inish doing something:

example:
本を 読んでしまいました。
(i read the book comple­tely)

2. means "­reg­ret­tab­ly"/ comes with the sense of regret,

something regret­table happens. (like an "oh shit..." feeling)

example:
電車の中にかばんを 忘れてしまいました。
(i inadve­rtently left my bag on the train)
((oh shit... i left my bag on the train))

infer the which of the two meanings is used based on

context.

in speech, てしまう and でしまう is shortened to ちゃう and じゃ

う respec­tively.

3. Whenever A happens, B happens too

sentence A (short form present tense) + と + sentence B

= whenever A happens, B happens too.

example:
道が込んでいる と 時間がかかる。
(whenever the streets are crowded, it takes longer to get
there)

sometimes theres cause and effect relati­onship.

example:
メアリーさん­が国に帰る と 寂しくなります。
(if mary goes back home, we will be lonely)

sentence B must follow the event described sentence A,

basically there must be a link between the sentences.

4. at the same time

verb A (masu stem) + ながら + verb B
= verb A and B, at the same time. (by the same person)

example:
私はいつも 音楽を聞き ながら 日本語を勉強します。
(i always listen to music while studying japanese)

5. i wish i had done...

use verb + ばよかったです to say u wish u had done (verb).

to conjugate: remove the final u and add -eba (works for all
verbs)

examples:
食べる => 食べれら
行く => 行けば
する => すれば

example sentence:
傘を 持ってくれば­よかった。
(i wish i brought an umbrella)

Genki chapter 19 grammar notes:

1. honorific verbs

they are used to describe the actions of ppl you respect.

examples:

(いる/行く/来る => いらっしゃる)

先生は今日学校に いらっしゃいません。 (The professor will not

go to/come to/be at school) (context based)
(食べる/飲む => 召し上がる)

何を 召し上がりますか?
(what will you eat/dr­ink?)

for verbs without special honorific forms, we can:

1. change verb + ている to verb + ていらっしゃいます

example:
先生を電話で 話していらっ­しゃいます。
(the professor is talking on the phone)

2. use お + (verb masu stem) + になる

example:
先生はもう お 帰り になりました。
(the professor has already gone home)

2. giving respectful advice

to give respectful advice­/co­mmand:

お + (verb masu stem) +ください

example:
切符を お取りください
(please take a ticket)

with most ~する verbs, use ご instead.

example:
(verb: 注意する)

ご注意くだいさい
(please watch out.)

3. thank you for .... (action)

(verb て) + くれてありがとう
= thank you for doing (verb).

example:
手伝ってくれ­てありがとう。
(thanks for helping me out)

the honorific form is (verb て) + くださって ありがとう ございまし

た。

example:
推薦状を書い­てくださって ありがとう ございました。
(thank you for writing me a recomm­end­ation letter)

4. im glad that ...

(verb て) よかったです。
= u are glad that (verb).

example:
日本語を 勉強してよか­ったです。
(i am glad that i have studied japanese)

5. supposed to

(sentence short form) + はずです。

= it is supposed to be the case.

example:
今日は日曜日­から、­銀行は­しまっている はずです。
(Because today is a sunday, banks are supposed to be
closed.)

はずです = supposed to be. it is a very likely guess that you

make.

example of はずです past tense:

先週電話をもらう はずでした が、電話があ­りませ­んでした。
(i was supposed to receive a phone call last week, but i did
not)
はずです conjugates with adj and nouns in this manner:

i adj: 面白い => 面白い はずです

na adj: 元気 => 元気な はずです
nouns: 日本人 => 日本人の はずです

Genki chapter 20 grammar notes

1. extra modest expres­sions

used to lower ur status and elavate the listeners status.

examples:
私は来年も日本に おります。 (います => おります)
(i will be in japan next year too)

お手洗いは二階 でごいざいます。 (です => でございます)

(The bathroom is on the second floor)

2. humble expres­sions

To lower your own status and raise the subject in your

sentence's status

general form:
お + (verb masu stem) + する。

for ~する verbs, usually ご instead of お

example:
私は昨日先生に お会いしました。
(i met my professor yesterday)

for もらう, => いただきます

example:
私は先生にこの本を いただきました。
(i received this book from my professor)

for あげる, => さしあげる

example:
私は先生に花を さしあげます。
(i will give my professor flowers)

use the verb うかがう to be humble in both visiting and asking

questions.

example:
私は先生のお宅に うかがいました。
(i visited my professors house)

私は先生にテ­ストついて うかがいました。
(i asked my professor about the exam)

note that the extra modest form raises the listeners status,
whereas humble form raises the subjects status (for example
the sensei u are referring to in ur sentence)

3. without doing X

verb + ないで = without doing X

example:
昨日の夜は、­寝ない­で、勉­強しました。
(last night, i studied without any sleep)

4. questions within larger sentences

you can include questions within larger sentences.

example:
山下先生は 昨日何を食べたか 覚えていません。
(professor yamashita does not remember what he ate
yesterday)
5. the name of objects.

(name) という (object) = the object called "­nam­e".

example:
ポチという犬。 (the dog called "­poc­hi")

6. easy/hard to do

(verb masu stem) + やすい/にくい = (verb) is easy/hard to do.

examples:
この電子辞書は使い やすいです。
(this electronic dictionary is easy to use)

骨が多いので­、魚は食べ にくいです。
(because there are many bones, fish are hard to eat)

この町はとても 住みやすいです。
(this town is very easy to live in)

note that it refers to the psycho­logical state of whether it is

easy/hard to do

example:
この雑誌は 買いにくい。
(this magazine is hard to buy. (because im embarr­assed by
its contents))

vs

この雑誌を 買うのは難しい。
(this magazine is hard to buy. (because it is rare and hard to
find in circul­ation)

Genki chapter 21 grammar notes:

1. Passive sentences

general form:
X は Y に (verb passive form)
= X had (verb) done to him by Y.

verb conjug­ation:

ru verb: (ru => rareru)

食べる => 食べられる

u verbs: (u => areru)

行く => 行かれる

irregular:
くる => こられる
する => される

passive form of verbs conjugate as ru verbs.

in most passive sentences, the "­vic­tim­" X is unfavo­urably

affected by the person Y.

example:
たけしさん は メアリーさん に よく 笑われます。
(takeshi is often laughed at by mary)

sometimes the sentence may be neutral.

example:
私 は その人に デートに 誘われました。
(i was asked out by that person for a date)

2. てある

its kind of like an intran­sitive form of ている。

also implies that something has been brought about on

purpose by somebody.
example:
窓 が 閉めてあります。
(the window is closed (by somebody, and is still closed till
now))

vs

窓 が 閉まっています。
(the window is closed (just a statement that it is closed))

3. 間に

general form:
A (ている) 間に B.
(in the middle of/while A, B)

example:
お風呂に入っている 間に 電話がありました。
(there was a phone call while i was taking my bath)

A can be a noun:

example:
留守の 間に 友達が来ました。
(while i was absent, my friends came)

for the above, B lasts for a short duration. if B extends

throughout the time A occurs, use 間

example:
ルームメート­がメー­ルを書いている 間、 私は本を読ん­で待ちまし
た。
(while my roommate was writing a mail, i waited, reading a
book)

4. to make.

(adj) + する = to make something (adj)

similar to なる and its conjug­ations too.

i adj:
冷たい => 冷たくする。
(to make something cold/c­older)

na adj:
簡単な => 簡単にする。
(to make something simple­/si­mpler)

example:
部屋を きれいにしました。
(i made the room clean)

5. i want him to do...

(私は) person に (verb) て欲しい。

= i want person to do (verb)

example:
私 は ルームメート に 宿題を手伝っ­て欲しいです。
(i want my roomate to help me with my homework)

u can say i dont want him to do X by negating the 欲しい to

欲しくない or by making the verb negative + 欲しい。

Genki chapter 22 grammar notes:

1. causative form

causative form of verb:

ru verb: (ru => saseru)
食べる => 食べさせる

u verb: (u => aseru)

行く => 行かせる

irregular:
くる => こさせる
する => させる

general form:
X は Y に (causative verb)
= X made/let Y do (verb).

"­mad­e/l­et" depends on context.

example:
お父さんは子­供に野菜を 食べさせました。
(the father made/let the child eat vegeta­bles)

causative form conjugates like ru verb.

if got ~てあげる、­てくれ­る、てもらう, usually is let.

(casuative verb) てください just means pls let me do (verb)

2. command

(verb masu stem) + なさい = a command to do (verb).

may sound like u are "­talking down" to somebody.

examples:
うちに毎日 電話しなさい。
(call home everyday)

文句を言うのを やめなさい。
(stop compla­ining)

3. ば condit­ional

A ば B = If A, then B.

conjug­ation:

all positive verbs: (u => eba)

食べる => 食べれば
行く => 行けば

negative verbs: (nai => nakereba)

行かない = 行かなければ

ば is usually used when B is a "good result­"/­fa­vou­rable

outcome.

example:
この薬を飲め ば 大丈夫です。
(if u drink this medicine, u will be okay)

however u cannot say "if u dont drink this medicine u will die"
using ば cuz the outcome is unfavo­urable.

4. despite

(short form A) のに B
= despite the fact that A, B.

both A and B must be facts

example:
この会社はお金がある のに、給料は­安いです。
(Although the company is rich, the workers salaries are low)

when A ends in na adj or noun, add a な at the end of A to

become なのに.

5. is like / do something like...

(noun A) のような (noun B) = A is similar to/like B (in

appear­anc­e/q­uality)

example:
私は 鎌倉のような町 が好きです。
(i like towns like kamakura)

(noun A) のように (verb/adj) =

does (verb) like A / has charac­ter­istic (adj) like A.
example:
メアリーさんは 魚のように泳げます。
(mary can swim like a fish)

私は 孫悟空のよう­に強いです。
(i am strong like son goku)

Genki chapter 23 grammar notes:

1. causative passive sentences

general form:
X は Y に (causative passive verb)
= X was forced­/or­dered by Y to do (verb)

example:
ゆみは お母さんに 勉強させられました。
(yumi was ordered by her mother to study.)

conjug­ation rules:

ru verbs: (ru => sase rareru)

食べる => 食べさせられる

u verbs that end in す: (su => sase rareru)

話す => 話させられる

all the other u verbs: (u => asare ru)

行く => 行かされる

irregular:
くる => こさせられる
する => させられる

2. even if...
A ても、B = even if A, B

A is in te-form.

example:
雨が降っても­、ピク­ニック­にいきます。
(even if it rains, i will go on a picnic)

3. decide to do

(verb short form present tense) + ことにする = decide to do

(verb)

example:
車を買うこと­にしました。
(we have decided to buy a car)

sometimes volitional form is used eg. 行くことにし­ましょ­う。also

means lets do (verb), but has implic­ation that u gave some
delibe­ration.

(verb) + ことにしている
= do (verb) as a regular practice.

example:
絶対にお酒を 飲まないこと­にしています。
(i have made this firm decision not to drink alcohol and have
strictly followed it)

4. until

A まで、B = until A, continue B.

example:
晴れる まで、喫茶店­で待ちます。
(until the sky is clear, i will wait in the coffee shop)

5. the way of...

方 is like 方式 in chinese.
(verb masu stem) + 方 = the way of doing (verb)

example:
考え方 (the way people think)

nouns that come before the verb the を particle changes to

の.

example:
漢字を読む => 漢字の読方 (the way of reading kanji)

for ~する verbs, becomes ~のし方.

example:
日本語を勉強する => 日本語の勉強のし方。
(the way of studying japanese)