What does the Japanese topic marker は mean, and why is it pronounced "wa"?

は marks the topic of a sentence and is pronounced "wa" when used as a particle, as in こんにちは (konnichiwa).

How do you make the polite negative past form of 高い (takai) in Japanese?

Use 高くなかったです (takakunakatta desu), meaning "was not tall" or "was not expensive."

Which Japanese particle indicates where an action takes place?

Use で (de) for the location of an action, such as 学校で勉強します (gakkou de benkyou shimasu), "I study at school."

Free Course Image Grammar Lessons for Absolute Beginners

Free online course Grammar Lessons for Absolute Beginners

Duration of the online course: 7 hours and 16 minutes

4.7

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Build Japanese grammar confidence fast with a free online course: particles, polite verbs, te-form, adjectives, and simple tests to track progress.

In this free course, learn about

Identify the topic marker particle は (wa) and its role in sentences (e.g., konnichiwa).
Use kore/sore/are + noun and related 'this/that' adjective patterns for beginners.
Form polite questions like 「これはえんぴつですか。」 ('Is this a pencil?').
Negate nouns with じゃない/ではない and polite じゃありません/ではありません.
Conjugate i-adjectives (高い) for negative/past/past-negative, incl. polite forms (高くなかったです).
Use adjectives in sentences (e.g., 「映画はおもしろいです」) with proper politeness.
Understand dictionary-form verbs as non-past (present/future by context).
Conjugate verbs to ます-form (e.g., 食べます) and use it in workplace-polite speech.
Use particles for location/action and accompaniment: で (where action happens), に/へ, と.
Make negative ます verbs (e.g., 教えません) and past negative (食べませんでした).
Use past tense forms: polite (食べました) and informal (食べた) for completed actions.
Create and apply the て-form for requests/commands: 見てください, 聞いてください, 書いて.
Handle key て-form spelling rules (e.g., 待つ→待って with small っ) and 〜んで patterns.
Express 'have done/been' experience with 〜たことがある added to past tense verbs.

About the free online course

Starting Japanese can feel intimidating, especially when you see new particles, verb endings, and polite forms all at once. This course is designed for absolute beginners who want a clear, steady path into Japanese grammar without assuming prior knowledge. You will learn how sentences are put together, how meaning changes with small markers, and how to express everyday ideas in a natural, beginner-friendly way.

Through short lessons paired with practice questions, you will develop the habits that make grammar easier over time: spotting the topic of a sentence, choosing the right this/that expressions, and forming basic statements and questions with a polite tone. You will also get comfortable with describing things using adjectives, including common conjugations such as negative and past forms, so you can say what something is, is not, was, or was not in a way that sounds correct.

A major focus is building a foundation with verbs. You will see how the dictionary form works, how polite masu forms are made, and how to express negation and past tense in everyday conversations. From there, you will progress into the highly useful te-form, which unlocks requests, connected actions, and practical phrases you will hear in real Japanese. The course reinforces each step with simple review tests, helping you check your understanding and fix mistakes early, before they become habits.

By the end, you should feel more confident reading and forming beginner-level Japanese sentences, using key particles for location and context, and switching between polite expressions and informal ones when appropriate. If your goal is to prepare for JLPT N5 fundamentals, support self-study, or finally make sense of verb and adjective changes, this course provides a structured way to practice grammar that actually sticks.

Course content

Video class: #1 ? 14m
Exercise: What is the topic marker in Japanese that is used to indicate the topic of a sentence, such as in 'konnichiwa'?
Video class: 2 This/That Adjectives Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 16m
Video class: #3 Noun Negation - Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 14m
Exercise: How would you ask in Japanese, 'Is this a pencil?' using a formal tone?
Video class: #4 I 10m
Exercise: In Japanese, how do you say the movie is interesting using adjectives?
Video class: JLPT N5 Adjective Conjugation Test (Negative, Past, Past Negative) Beginner Friendly 1h01m
Exercise: What is the correct way to conjugate the Japanese adjective 高い (tall/expensive) to express 'was not tall/expensive' in a formal speech?

Video class: #7 Verbs basics 16m
Exercise: In the Japanese language, what is the correct form of a verb that indicates a future action when no specific conjugation is applied?
Video class: #8 *Verb*ing is *adj.*- Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 18m
Exercise: What is the Japanese word for 'dinner'?
Video class: Verb Masu (Polite) Form Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 12m
Exercise: What is the correct formal (mass form) conjugation for the verb 'to eat' (taberu) in Japanese, when talking about eating sushi with coworkers?
Video class: #10 Particles at / in / with ? / ? / ?- Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 23m
Exercise: Which particle is used to indicate the location where an action takes place in Japanese sentences?
Video class: Negation of Masu Verbs 15m
Exercise: How do you express 'I don't teach English' in Japanese when using the masu form?
Video class: #12 past tense 15m
Exercise: In Japanese, how do you express 'I didn't eat'? Choose the correct past tense negation form.

Video class: #13 Request (TE) form Present Continuous (doING)-Japanese Lesson for Beginners 21m
Exercise: What is the correct formal way to request someone to look at the whiteboard in Japanese?
Video class: #14 TE form ?/?/? ending - Japanese Lesson for Beginners 21m
Exercise: In Japanese, when using the T form of verbs, which small character is inserted when changing the verb 'matsu' (to wait) into its T form to mean 'please wait' informally?
Video class: #15 TE form ? 12m
Exercise: How do you say 'please listen' in Japanese using the te-form?
Video class: #16 TE form ?/?/? ending - Japanese Lesson for Absolute Beginners 13m
Exercise: Which of the following is the correct te-form for the Japanese verb 'to drink'?
Video class: Video Lesson 16 15m
Exercise: Which of the following verbs is correctly transformed into its 'te form' for a command in Japanese?
Video class: Review Test : Masu 22m
Exercise: What is the correct te-form for the verb "to write" in Japanese?

Video class: INFORMAL PAST TENSE - Japanese lesson Beginner 19 18m
Exercise: In Japanese, how do you informally say 'I ate an apple'?
Video class: Have Been / Done - Japanese Lesson Beginner 20 19m
Exercise: In Japanese, how do you express that you have been to a place before? What is the word added to the past tense verb?
Video class: The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Verbs for Beginners (Let's, Want to, Don't...) 35m
Exercise: When conjugating Japanese verbs, how is the dictionary form used in terms of tense?

Video class: Want to? - Japanese Beginner Lesson #21 20m
Exercise: What is the correct way to say 'I want to go to Japan' informally in Japanese based on the lesson?
Video class: DON'T Want to do - Japanese Beginner Lesson #22 16m
Exercise: How do you say 'I don't want to study' in Japanese using the correct verb conjugation?

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Explore free online Japanese grammar courses for beginners and advanced learners. Master sentence structure, particles, verb forms, tenses, and everyday expressions through flexible, self-paced lessons. Improve your Japanese speaking and writing skills, and complete a course to earn a certificate that showcases your grammar knowledge.