to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse (にかこつけて) – Japanese Grammar にかこつけて (ni kako tsukete)

Q: What JLPT level is にかこつけて?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use にかこつけて in a sentence?

Attach にかこつけて to the appropriate verb or noun form. To use as a pretext; to use as an excuse

Q: Is にかこつけて formal or casual Japanese?

にかこつけて is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

にかこつけて

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

ni kako tsukete

to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse

に至っては ni ittate wa いかに ikani まるっきり marukkiri およそ oyoso なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no にかかっている ni kakatteiru なくしては nakushite wa とは打って変わって/ とは打って変わり towa utte kawatte / to wa utte kawari ものを mono o どうにも〜ない dou nimo~nai さ sa や否や ya ina ya を限りに o kagiri ni んばかりに n bakari ni て済むことではない te sumu koto dewa nai に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta ことごとく koto gotoku には及ばない niwa oyobanai わ wa 極まる / 極まりない kiwamaru/ kiwamarinai に至っては ni ittate wa いかに ikani まるっきり marukkiri およそ oyoso なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no にかかっている ni kakatteiru なくしては nakushite wa とは打って変わって/ とは打って変わり towa utte kawatte / to wa utte kawari ものを mono o どうにも〜ない dou nimo~nai さ sa や否や ya ina ya を限りに o kagiri ni んばかりに n bakari ni て済むことではない te sumu koto dewa nai に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta ことごとく koto gotoku には及ばない niwa oyobanai わ wa 極まる / 極まりない kiwamaru/ kiwamarinai

🃏 Flashcard

にかこつけて

ni kako tsukete

Tap to reveal usage

to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse

Tap to test your recall · +10 XP

📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading ni kako tsukete

Post ID 51305

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

にかこつけて

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat にかこつけて three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

🃏

Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using にかこつけて. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

⏰

Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern にかこつけて mean? ▼

To use as a pretext; to use as an excuse

What JLPT level is にかこつけて? ▼

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. To pass JLPT N1 you need to recognise and use this pattern correctly in reading and listening sections.

How do you use にかこつけて in a sentence? ▼

Attach にかこつけて (ni kako tsukete) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is にかこつけて formal or casual Japanese? ▼

にかこつけて is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember にかこつけて long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review at 10 minutes, 1 day and 3 days (spaced repetition). Writing two original sentences at each review session is the fastest way to reach production-level mastery.