HIRAGANA Version

ROMAJI Version

* Required software (free): Adobe Acrobat Reader

What is this?

This is a “cheat sheet” for the Japanese language. It is an attempt to condense and organize as many of the basic elements of the language onto one sheet of paper as possible.

How do I use it?

The intended use of this document is for you to download it, print it on two sides of one sheet of paper and keep it wherever you need it (in your Japanese textbook, on your desk, in your pocket, etc).

It’s possible to keep the cheat sheet on your computer, but it won’t be anywhere near as handy or portable as a printed version, and you’ll need to do quite a bit of scrolling and zooming because of the small font size.

What information is inside?

Page 1

• Formal (polite) verb forms
• Informal verb forms
• Neutral verb forms
• Verb conjugation guide for U-Verbs, RU-Verbs and the irregulars (suru, kuru)
• Hiragana chart
• Katakana chart
• Kanji chart listing all JLPT N5 (previously: Level 4) kanji.
• Chart of the forms of de aru (desu)
• Adjective/Adverbs usage chart

Page 2

• Core particles: は, が, を, に, と, で, も, か, へ, の, や (wa, ga, o, ni, to, de, mo, ka, e, no, ya)
  • Usage points
  • Example sentences color coded for easy vocabulary tracking
• Assisting particles: だけ, しか, ほど, より, でも, くらい, ばかり, から, まで (dake, shika, hodo, yori, demo, kurai, bakari, kara, made)
  • Example sentences color coded for easy vocabulary tracking
• Common grammatical words and patterns
  • Example sentences color coded for easy vocabulary tracking
• Verbs for giving and receiving
• A small space to add a couple small written notes of your own

Who is this for?

This document will be most useful for beginner to intermediate Japanese learners. A beginner will find the document to be more of a roadmap to what information they should study next and how it fits into the “bigger picture,” and an intermediate Japanese learner get more use with this document as a reference for review.

Why are there four versions?

There are four versions of the file in order to accommodate for users in different parts of the world (North America uses different paper sizes from the rest of the world), and to provide users with a choice regarding how Japanese text is written: using the Japanese hiragana script, or using romaji (phonetic representation in the western alphabet).

What this document is NOT

This document is in no way intended to be a substitute for serious study and learning. Acquiring a human language with 2000+ years of history is a massive undertaking, and this cheat sheet provides only the bare minimum explanation for topics that have great depth.

Nor is this document a comprehensive overview of Japanese language. I’ve tried my best to include as much of the most useful and basic elements as possible, but to get this onto 1 sheet of paper, many things were omitted.

Changes from the old version

Aside from a complete, from-scratch graphical overhaul in Adobe Ilustrator (the old version was made in Microsoft Word), this new version contains updated and expanded information. Here is a pretty complete list of changes:

• “Polite” verbs forms is now more accurately called “Formal” forms, and the command form ～nasai has been moved into this category accordingly.
• Instead of marking forms that cannot be made into a verb with koto/no, noun-able forms are now marked.
• Added abrupt command forms in the informal category.
• In both the formal and informal categories, the causative form of kuru has been corrected to kosaseru, not koraseru
• Added to the neutral verb forms category: Even (if)…, To do too much…, To do… and so on, To seem to want to…
• The note about using verbs as nouns with koto or no is now in the footer.
• Added a note about potential rudeness with the word darou.
• Added a note about how desu/da changes when noun-ified.
• Changed the na-adjective noun form to the form without sa, since this is the more common method (note added)
• Added the continuous/combining form for na-adjectives.
• Changed the old explanation about easily confused i-adjectives to the true difference (the ~ei thing is just a shortcut, no i-adjectives end in ~ei but there are a few na-adjectives that end in い and are not preceeded by an e-line sound.). Added a couple commonly confused na-adjectives also.
• Added a note about the adjective ii, because it always conjugates as yoi.
• Made numerous changes to explanations and example sentences for the particles.
• Added the particle no.
• To the common grammatical words/structures section, added: ka mo shirenai and no you na/ni
• Removed tame from grammatical words section, to make room and because it was already mentioned in the informal verbs section on page 1.
• Added a note that kudasaru is typically used as kudasai.
• Added a small space for the learner to write a few notes of their own.

With this new cheat sheet, the old version is now a sad sight to behold, but it can be downloaded here (8.5×11) and here (A4).

OMG This is so awesome!!!!!

I think so too!!! That’s why I made it. If this document is helpful to you and you’d like to show your appreciation, please consider making a donation to Nihonshock. I’ll take whatever you feel like you can spare.

Oh, and don’t forget to retweet it, tell all your friends, link to Nihonshock on your blog (if you have one), follow me on Twitter and subscribe to the RSS feed!

Get high quality prints

Since I made the data for this cheat sheet in Adobe Illustrator, it was only natural to go ahead and get some professional-quality prints on good, strong paper stock to pass around. Go get your copy (totally free) at any of the locations I’ve marked on the Google map below (Nagoya only, unfortunately, because that’s where I live).

I’ll try to keep them in good supply at these locations, but be aware that they might run out from time to time. I will tweet new locations and re-stockings, so if you’re following me on Twitter you’ll always be the first to know.

I’ll also try to find places to leave some in Tokyo or Osaka whenever I get an opportunity to visit either location.

Not in Nagoya, Tokyo, or Osaka?

I’ll mail you one!!! Yeah, that’s right! I’ll mail it right to you.

But you know, it costs money and time to mail these, not to mention the money and time I’m already investing in this cheat sheet (getting prints is costing me several hundred dollars a run, and as you can see… Nihonshock has no ads). As such, I’m only going to extend this offer to those who make a donation to Nihonshock using the Paypal link above (or from anywhere else on the site). Just be sure to include your address and a note telling me which version you want (Hiragana or Romaji).

• Outside Japan
  • For a donation of $5 USD or more, I’ll send you 2 copies of the cheat sheet in a regular-size envelope (folded in half once).
  • For a donation of $10 USD or more, I’ll send you a few copies of the cheat sheet in a large envelope and protective clear file (unfolded).
• Inside Japan
  • For a donation of $5 USD or more, I’ll send you a few copies of the cheat sheet in a large envelope and protective clear file (unfolded).

* I only have A4 size to send. It’s a little thinner and taller than 8.5×11.

Also, I will send out cheat sheets every Friday for donations received until Thursday.

Cheat Sheet Locations in Nagoya

You can pick up one of these fine prints from any of the following locations. Please also contact me if you know of any other good spots!

View Japanese Cheat Sheets (Nagoya) in a larger map

Final word

Please comment and let me know what you think of the cheat sheet, if you notice any mistakes or if you have any suggestions for improvement. I’ll release minor updates to the cheat sheet whenever I get a new round of prints, but the next major update probably won’t be until next year.

In any country, the start of a New Year is a time to reflect upon the past and to make goals and plans for the future. In the English-speaking world, we have “New Year’s Resolutions” but in Japan they have 新年の目標 (shinnen no mokuhyou).

How did you do last year? What are your goals for the new year?

A look back…

Nihonshock started in August of last year, so it isn’t quite half a year old yet, but I’m very happy that the site has started to mature and come to life. Everyone who has something to say seems to like the site and its content, and I love the warm and fuzzy feeling i get from looking at my Google analytics and seeing that people are arriving here and finding exactly the information they wanted.

Those of you who have been visiting for a while know that the site recently got a pretty thorough graphical overhaul (see pics below). I felt that the old scheme was uncoordinated, loud, and felt very packed-in because of the high contrast. The new paint job gives things room to breathe, cuts back the red, and improves the overall page flow.

It’s hard to believe that a year ago I was so clueless about web design that I didn’t know the difference between a Class and an ID (it’s true!), and now I’m hand-crafting date sprites and optimizing my template’s php code. It just goes to show just how much a person accomplish in a year.

A look forward…

Notice how in the old version, nihonshock’s tag line was a blog for Japanophiles but in the new version was changed to language & stuff? Well, when I came up with the original tag line, back before I had written a single post, I wasn’t really sure what sort of content there was going to be on nihonshock or what people wanted to see.

30 posts later, nihonshock’s content has a clear direction and personality, hence the new, more descriptive tag. So basically, I’m going to run with this “language & stuff” theme this year and see where it goes!

My first major project this year (other than clearing FFXIII) is to update the cheat sheet. Whereas the old one was composed in Microsoft Word, I’m redoing it from the ground up in Adobe Illustrator. The finished product will be easier to read, contain more complete and better organized information and will also correct a few mistakes that were found on the first version. Also, I’ll be getting professional prints… but more on that later. (Some of you may have already realized that I have a tendency to fall behind schedule, but I’m currently shooting for a mid-January release.)

Hopefully by the time spring rolls around (mmm… spring rolls…), I’ll have implemented my second major idea, which is some kind of weekly content. I haven’t decided what the content will be yet (except that it will almost certainly be language-related), just that I want to include something that will keep the site fresh, since my real posts are kind of sporadic.

Also heading into spring, I’ll be working on guest posts for some other Japan-related blogs around the net. Feel free to contact me if you have a blog somewhere and you’d like me to write something for you!

In the summer you’ll probably start to see more interactivity at nihonshock. This would include polls, contests, games and other things like that.

I am really looking forward to my first full year of improving and expanding nihonshock.

Also on the drawing board…

In order of likelihood (more to less):

• more cheat sheets
• a nihonshock mascot
• video posts
• a travel section
• a Japan bookmarks section
• a Q&A section (for Japanese learners)

On a personal note…

My new year’s resolutions are…

• Speak perfect, natural Japanese!!! (my top goal for 6-7 years running, actually)
• Get a good camera and learn the basics of photography
• Read more books, in both Japanese and English
• Get an S on Evans EXT (Jubeat), become a Y3
• Make more money, spend less
• Start waking up earlier (6:30am would be awesome)
• Stop picking at my fingernails… (….no, bad Lloyd! I said stop!!!)