A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar

日本語基本文法辞典

The Japan Times

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar is a comprehensive reference book designed for beginner and lower-intermediate learners of Japanese, as well as teachers of the language. Organized in a convenient dictionary format, it covers around 200 essential grammar points, providing clear explanations, abundant example sentences, and detailed comparisons between similar expressions.

Level: Beginner - IntermediateJLPT Level: N5Language Style: PoliteCompanion App: Yes

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What does A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar cover?

Introduction to Japanese Grammar
- Overview of basic grammar concepts (word order, topics vs. subjects, politeness levels, etc.)
Main Dictionary Entries
- Around 200 essential grammar points
- Clear English explanations and definitions
- Example sentences (with Japanese and English)
- Usage notes and common mistakes
- Comparisons between similar grammar patterns
Appendixes & Reference Materials
- Verb and adjective conjugation tables
- List of transitive and intransitive verb pairs
- Connection forms (how grammar points attach to words)
- Ko-so-a-do words (demonstratives like これ, それ, あれ, どれ)
- Numerals and counters
- Common compound words
Index
- Easy look-up for grammar points by English or Japanese term

Student Review

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar is a must-have reference for anyone learning Japanese. No matter how long you study, there will always be grammar points that slip your mind or concepts you want to quickly review—and that’s exactly where this book shines.

Unlike typical textbooks, it doesn’t have exercises or practice questions. Instead, it offers in-depth explanations that often go further than what you’ll find in popular resources like Genki or Minna no Nihongo.

It’s especially useful for digging into the finer details and subtle differences between similar grammar points. For example, if you’ve ever wondered about the nuanced distinctions between なら and たら, this book breaks them down with clear examples and thorough analysis. It also covers those tricky edge cases and less obvious grammar patterns that can be confusing, giving you a deeper understanding of Japanese than most beginner textbooks provide.

One thing to be aware of is that you’ll need to be familiar with some English grammar terms. You’ll see words like “imperative,” “antonym,” “nominalizer,” and “auxiliary verb” pop up pretty often. Since it’s a grammar dictionary and not a textbook, it relies on these kinds of terms to explain things, so if it’s been a while since you last thought about grammar at school, you might want to brush up a bit. Luckily, there’s a section at the beginning of the book which refreshes readers on some of this. It’s nothing too overwhelming, but having those basics in mind definitely helps make the book easier to use.

In short, it’s an invaluable companion for both quick lookups and serious grammar deep-dives as you progress in your studies.

Even as a Japanese native and Japanese teacher, I personally find A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar easier to understand than books written for natives or teachers.

The particle explanations in particular are deeper than you would typically find in a textbook, clearly describing the difference between が and は particles, something that can cause problems for even intermediate students.

The book also goes beyond textbooks, sometimes including casual speech that they often miss. Things like わ ending or かしら for example. Not that the book itself is casual, for from it, but it can also serve as a good resource for looking up things that a Japanese learner may have heard in an anime or more casual settings.

The ’Characteristics of Japanese Grammar’ section before the main entries is particularly interesting, teaching elements such as ‘sentence final particles’, showing students almost 20 particles to put at the end of their sentences and how they change the tone of speech.

This is the first of three books, and is followed by A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar and A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar .

This ‘yellow book’, A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar , roughly covers the same level as Genki 1 and Genki 2 and is an essential companion to these two. When considering JLPT, it is useful for JLPT5, JLPT4 and the early stages of JLPT3. I mention this as the nuances between grammar points that this book covers on are the ways JLPT typically tests applicants.

Teacher Review

Before using A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar:

Honestly, you don’t need to read or know anything before approaching this book. Just be aware however that it is a reference book. If you’re looking to learn Japanese, you’ll still need to accompany this book with Genki 1.

What to read next?

Once you’ve finished Genki 1 & 2 and maybe passed the JLPT N4, it’s a great idea to move on to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.

This book is especially handy if you already have the Basic volume, since the index actually tells you whether a grammar point was covered in the earlier book or if it’s new to the Intermediate one. That way, you can easily find what you’re looking for and see how the two books build on each other as you progress.