～方（かた） – Saying “How to Do” in Japanese [JLPT N5]

Quick Summary

Meaning: ～方（かた） after a verb means “how to do (something)” or “the way of doing (something)”.

How to Use: Take the V-stem (verb stem) and add 方 to talk about the method or way to do that action.

Example:

• ロボットの作り方が分かりません。
• Robotto no tsukuri-kata ga wakarimasen.
• I don’t understand how to make a robot.

Overview

The grammar pattern ～方（かた） is a very useful way to say “how to do something” in Japanese.

In English, we often say:

• how to cook rice
• how to use this phone
• how to dance like a penguin

In Japanese, these become:

• ご飯の炊き方 (gohan no taki-kata, how to cook rice)
• このケータイの使い方 (kono keetai no tsukai-kata, how to use this phone)
• ペンギンの踊り方 (pengin no odori-kata, how to dance like a penguin)

You attach 方 to the V-stem (the verb stem) and it turns the action into a noun phrase, meaning “way of doing (the verb)” or “how to (verb)”. Because it becomes a noun phrase, you can use it with の, が, を, and other particles, just like a normal noun.

Some typical uses:

• Asking about a method: “How do I do X?” → “What is the way of doing X?”
• Explaining or teaching: “This is how to do X.”
• Talking about your skills: “I know/don’t know how to do X.”

For example, if you want to say “I know how to talk with aliens”, you can say:

• 宇宙人との話し方が分かります。
• Uchuujin to no hanashi-kata ga wakarimasu.
• I understand how to talk with aliens.

The nuance is quite neutral: it simply focuses on the method or procedure, not on feelings or desire. It often appears together with verbs like 分かります (wakarimasu, to understand), 教えます (oshiemasu, to teach), 忘れます (wasuremasu, to forget), 覚えます (oboemasu, to memorize), or with words like 練習 (renshuu, practice) and 勉強 (benkyou, study).

Structure / Formation

Basic Pattern

The core formula for this grammar is:

• V-stem + 方

This whole chunk becomes a noun, meaning “how to V / the way of V-ing”.

Some common sentence patterns at N5 level:

• N の V-stem + 方 (how to V N / N’s way of V-ing)
• V-stem + 方 が 分かります / 知っています (to understand / know how to V)
• V-stem + 方 を 教えます (to teach how to V)

How to Get the V-stem

The V-stem is the verb in its ます-form without ます.

So: V-ま → V-stem

• 食べます → 食べ (V-stem) → 食べ方 (tabe-kata, how to eat)
• 読みます → 読み (V-stem) → 読み方 (yomi-kata, how to read)
• 飲みます → 飲み (V-stem) → 飲み方 (nomi-kata, how to drink)
• 作ります → 作り (V-stem) → 作り方 (tsukuri-kata, how to make)

Conjugation Pattern Table

Here is a small pattern table with a few common verbs:

Dictionary form (V-る)	ます-form (V-ま)	V-stem	+ 方	Meaning
食べる taberu	食べます tabemasu	食べ tabe	食べ方 tabe-kata	how to eat / way of eating
読む yomu	読みます yomimasu	読み yomi	読み方 yomi-kata	how to read / way of reading
書く kaku	書きます kakimasu	書き kaki	書き方 kaki-kata	how to write / way of writing
話す hanasu	話します hanashimasu	話し hanashi	話し方 hanashi-kata	how to speak / way of speaking
使う tsukau	使います tsukaimasu	使い tsukai	使い方 tsukai-kata	how to use / way of using

Using ～方 in Sentences

Because V-stem + 方 is a noun, it behaves like a noun in the sentence. Here are some basic and slightly quirky examples.

1. Saying you understand / don’t understand how to do something

• このゲームの遊び方が分かりません。
• Kono geemu no asobi-kata ga wakarimasen.
• I don’t understand how to play this game.

• 先生はドラゴンの捕まえ方を分かっています。
• Sensei wa doragon no tsukamae-kata o wakatte imasu.
• My teacher knows how to catch a dragon.

2. Saying you will teach or learn how to do something

• おじいさんがスマホの使い方を教えます。
• Ojiisan ga sumaho no tsukai-kata o oshiemasu.
• Grandpa will teach (me) how to use a smartphone.

• 私は幽霊の見え方を勉強します。
• Watashi wa yuurei no mie-kata o benkyou shimasu.
• I will study how to see ghosts.

Attaching の to Show “how to do X (to/for something)”

Often, you see N の V-stem + 方. The の connects the noun and the “how to” phrase. In English we often translate this as “how to V N”.

For example:

• ピアノの弾き方 (piano no hiki-kata, how to play the piano)
• 日本語の書き方 (Nihongo no kaki-kata, how to write Japanese)

In a sentence:

• ロボットの作り方をユーチューブで見ます。
• Robotto no tsukuri-kata o Yuuchuubu de mimasu.
• I watch how to make robots on YouTube.

Particles with ～方

Some particles can change or affect the meaning of the phrase with 方. At N5, the most important are:

• V-stem + 方 が … Used with 分かります (wakarimasu, understand/know): “I understand how to V.”
• N の V-stem + 方 を … Used with verbs like 教えます (oshiemasu, teach) or 習います (naraimasu, learn): “teach/learn how to V N.”

As you learn more grammar, you will see more patterns, but for now, these are enough to start using ～方 naturally.

Example Sentences

• 宇宙人のこんにちはの言い方を知りたいです。
• Uchuujin no konnichiwa no ii-kata o shiritai desu.
• I want to know how to say “hello” in alien language.

• 忍者の歩き方をユーチューブで習います。
• Ninja no aruki-kata o Yuuchuubu de naraimasu.
• I learn how to walk like a ninja on YouTube.

• ロボットは犬の撫で方が分かりません。
• Robotto wa inu no nade-kata ga wakarimasen.
• The robot doesn’t understand how to pet a dog.

• 先生はテストの忘れ方を教えてくださいと言いました。
• Sensei wa tesuto no wasure-kata o oshiete kudasai to iimashita.
• The teacher said, “Please teach me how to forget the test.”

• おじいさんはゲームの負け方も勝ち方も上手です。
• Ojiisan wa geemu no make-kata mo kachi-kata mo jouzu desu.
• Grandpa is good at both how to lose and how to win in games.

Quick Practice

(Answers and explanations are right under this section.)

Multiple-Choice

1. Choose the best sentence: “I don’t understand how to use this pen.”

• A. このペンの使い方が分かりません。(Kono pen no tsukai-kata ga wakarimasen.)
• B. このペンの使いますが分かりません。(Kono pen no tsukaimasu ga wakarimasen.)
• C. このペンの使いが分かりません。(Kono pen no tsukai ga wakarimasen.)
• D. このペンの使いと分かりません。(Kono pen no tsukai to wakarimasen.)

2. Choose the correct sentence using ～方 (how to…):

• A. 私は日本語の書き方を勉強します。(Watashi wa Nihongo no kaki-kata o benkyou shimasu.)
• B. 私は日本語の書きでもを勉強します。(Watashi wa Nihongo no kaki demo o benkyou shimasu.)
• C. 私は日本語の書きやを勉強します。(Watashi wa Nihongo no kaki ya o benkyou shimasu.)
• D. 私は日本語の書きなどを勉強します。(Watashi wa Nihongo no kaki nado o benkyou shimasu.)

3. Choose the correct sentence: “Grandma teaches me how to dance like a robot.”

• A. おばあさんはロボットの踊り方を教えます。(Obaasan wa robotto no odori-kata o oshiemasu.)
• B. おばあさんはロボットの踊ります方を教えます。(Obaasan wa robotto no odorimasu kata o oshiemasu.)
• C. おばあさんはロボットの踊る方を教えます。(Obaasan wa robotto no odoru kata o oshiemasu.)
• D. おばあさんはロボットの踊りを方教えます。(Obaasan wa robotto no odori o kata oshiemasu.)

4. Choose the best answer to complete the sentence: “I know how to play this strange game.”

• A. このへんなゲームの遊び方が分かります。(Kono henna geemu no asobi-kata ga wakarimasu.)
• B. このへんなゲームの遊ぶ方が分かります。(Kono henna geemu no asobu kata ga wakarimasu.)
• C. このへんなゲームと遊び方が分かります。(Kono henna geemu to asobi-kata ga wakarimasu.)
• D. このへんなゲームや遊び方が分かります。(Kono henna geemu ya asobi-kata ga wakarimasu.)

5. Choose the correct sentence: “Dad doesn’t know how to use a smartphone.”

• A. お父さんはスマホの使い方が分かりません。(Otoosan wa sumaho no tsukai-kata ga wakarimasen.)
• B. お父さんはスマホを使い方が分かりません。(Otoosan wa sumaho o tsukai-kata ga wakarimasen.)
• C. お父さんはスマホの使います方が分かりません。(Otoosan wa sumaho no tsukaimasu kata ga wakarimasen.)
• D. お父さんはスマホの使い方を分かりません。(Otoosan wa sumaho no tsukai-kata o wakarimasen.)

Spot-the-Error

6. One of these sentences uses ～方 incorrectly. Which one is wrong?

• A. ねこの起こし方を知っています。(Neko no okoshi-kata o shitte imasu.)
• B. ロボットは人間の笑い方をまねします。(Robotto wa ningen no warai-kata o mane shimasu.)
• C. 宇宙人の話します方を勉強します。(Uchuujin no hanashimasu kata o benkyou shimasu.)

7. One of these sentences has a wrong particle with ～方. Which one is wrong?

• A. 妹はギターの弾き方を習います。(Imouto wa gitaa no hiki-kata o naraimasu.)
• B. 私は朝ご飯の作り方が分かります。(Watashi wa asagohan no tsukuri-kata ga wakarimasu.)
• C. 先生はテストの勉強し方に教えます。(Sensei wa tesuto no benkyou shi-kata ni oshiemasu.)

Translation

8. Translate into Japanese using ～方: “I will watch a video about how to make sushi.”

9. Translate into Japanese using ～方: “My cat is good at how to open doors.”

10. Translate into Japanese using ～方: “Please teach me how to say ‘good night’ in Japanese.”

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Answers and Explanations

1. このペンの使い方が分かりません。(Kono pen no tsukai-kata ga wakarimasen.) — Uses V-stem + 方 correctly and the particle が for “understand how to…”.
2. 私は日本語の書き方を勉強します。(Watashi wa Nihongo no kaki-kata o benkyou shimasu.) — V-stem 書き + 方 makes “how to write” and を marks it as the object of 勉強します.
3. おばあさんはロボットの踊り方を教えます。(Obaasan wa robotto no odori-kata o oshiemasu.) — 踊り (V-stem) + 方 is correct, and を marks what is taught.
4. このへんなゲームの遊び方が分かります。(Kono henna geemu no asobi-kata ga wakarimasu.) — N の V-stem + 方 + が分かります is the natural pattern for “know how to…”.
5. お父さんはスマホの使い方が分かりません。(Otoosan wa sumaho no tsukai-kata ga wakarimasen.) — With 分かります/分かりません, the noun phrase (～方) normally takes が, not を.
6. 宇宙人の話します方を勉強します。(Uchuujin no hanashimasu kata o benkyou shimasu.) — Wrong because ～方 must attach to the V-stem 話し, not the ます-form 話します.
7. 先生はテストの勉強し方に教えます。(Sensei wa tesuto no benkyou shi-kata ni oshiemasu.) — Wrong because ～方 should take を with 教えます, not に (and 勉強し方 is also unnatural; 勉強の仕方 or 勉強のやり方 is better).
8. すしの作り方のビデオを見ます。(Sushi no tsukuri-kata no bideo o mimasu.) — N の V-stem + 方 のビデオ means “a video about how to make sushi.”
9. 私のねこはドアの開け方が上手です。(Watashi no neko wa doa no ake-kata ga jouzu desu.) — N の V-stem + 方 + が上手です expresses being good at a certain way of doing something.
10. 日本語で「おやすみ」の言い方を教えてください。(Nihongo de “oyasumi” no ii-kata o oshiete kudasai.) — 言い方 is the set phrase for “how to say,” and を教えてください means “please teach (me).”