JLPT N3 Grammar List: All 113 Patterns With Meanings and Examples
By the Kantan JLPT team · · 32 min read
Quick answer: JLPT N3 grammar is where Japanese moves from basic sentences to natural, everyday expression. You learn patterns for giving reasons and excuses (〜おかげで, 〜せいで), making judgments (〜わけだ, 〜に違いない), describing change (〜につれて, 〜ば〜ほど), adding emphasis (〜さえ, 〜こそ) and talking about feelings and plans. Below are all 113 patterns in the Kantan JLPT N3 set, grouped by what they do, each with its meaning and an example sentence. There's no official JLPT grammar list (the test stopped publishing one in 2010), so other sources count and group patterns differently, but if you know these, you have the N3 grammar you need.
If you're new to how the levels fit together, our guide to Japanese grammar for the JLPT gives the big picture from N5 to N1. This page is the N3 checklist: go through it, mark what you already know, and focus on the rest.
How does N3 grammar bridge beginner and intermediate Japanese?
N5 and N4 give you the machinery of Japanese: particles, verb forms, conditionals, the passive and causative. If those still feel shaky, review the N5 grammar list and the N4 grammar list first, because almost every N3 pattern attaches to a form you learned there.
N3 adds very few new forms. Instead, it gives you set expressions that carry a speaker's attitude. 雨のため and 雨のせいで both mean "because of the rain," but the second one complains. 行くべきだ and 行くことだ both mean "you should go," but one states a principle and the other gives personal advice. That shift from "what happened" to "how the speaker sees it" is the heart of N3.
You'll also notice two kinds of language side by side. Some patterns are written and formal (〜に関して, 〜をもとに, 〜おそれがある) and show up in notices, news and reading passages. Others are casual and spoken (〜っけ, 〜たって, 〜もん) and show up in the listening section. N3 is the first level where you need both registers. The JLPT levels guide explains what else changes at N3.
A note on the examples: they're written with normal kanji, as N3 reading passages are. If the kanji slow you down, the N3 kanji list covers the characters at this level.
How do you give reasons and causes at N3?
At N4 you learned から and ので. N3 adds reason patterns that show how you feel about the cause: grateful, annoyed, apologetic or simply formal.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ため（に） (because of) | because of ~ / due to ~ (formal) | 大雪の ため、電車が 止まって います。 Trains are stopped due to heavy snow. |
| 〜おかげで | thanks to ~ | 先輩が 教えて くれた おかげで、試験に 合格できました。 Thanks to my senpai tutoring me, I passed the exam. |
| 〜せいで／〜せいか | because of ~ (blaming) / maybe because ~ | 隣の 工事が うるさい せいで、仕事に 集中できない。 The construction next door is so noisy that I can't focus on my work. |
| 〜ものだから／〜もので | because ~ / it's just that ~ (giving a personal reason or excuse) | すみません。道が 込んで いた ものですから、遅れて しまいました。 I'm sorry. The roads were jammed, so I ended up being late. |
| 〜もの／〜もん (because) | because ~ (casual, giving one's own excuse or reason) | 宿題、まだ やって ないよ。だって 難しいんだもん。 I haven't done my homework yet. It's too hard! |
| 〜ことから | from the fact that ~ / since ~ (basis for a judgment or a name) | この 町は 一年中 風が 強い ことから、「風の 町」と 呼ばれて いる。 This town is called "the Town of Wind" because it's windy all year round. |
What do わけだ, わけがない and other judgment patterns mean?
These patterns let you draw conclusions and say how sure you are. They're some of the most tested points at N3, because each one is easy to confuse with its neighbor.
The わけ family
わけ means roughly "reason" or "logical conclusion." The pattern changes meaning completely depending on what follows it.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜わけだ | so that means ~ / no wonder ~ | 田中さん、昨日 徹夜したんだって。どうりで 眠そうな わけだ。 I hear Mr. Tanaka stayed up all night. No wonder he looks so sleepy. |
| 〜わけがない | there's no way ~ / ~ can't possibly be true | あんなに 練習した 彼が 負ける わけが ない。 There's no way he'll lose after practicing that hard. |
| 〜わけではない | it's not (necessarily) that ~ / it doesn't mean ~ | 肉が 嫌いな わけでは ないが、今日は 魚が 食べたい。 It's not that I dislike meat, but today I feel like fish. |
| 〜わけにはいかない | can't (very well) ~ (because of duty or circumstances) / with a negative: have to ~ | 明日は 大事な 会議が あるから、休む わけには いかない。 I have an important meeting tomorrow, so I can't take the day off. |
| 〜ということだ | I hear that ~ / in other words, ~ / that means ~ | 天気予報に よると、明日は 雪が 降る ということだ。 According to the weather forecast, it's going to snow tomorrow. |
Certainty and likelihood
These range from "it must be" to "there's a risk that" to "not necessarily." Some, like 〜おそれがある, are formal and common in news and warnings.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜に違いない | must be ~ / there's no doubt that ~ | 電気が 消えて いる。田中さんは もう 帰ったに 違いない。 The lights are off. Ms. Tanaka must have gone home already. |
| 〜に決まっている | it's bound to ~ / obviously ~ / of course ~ | あんな 高い ところから 飛び降りたら、けがするに 決まってるよ。 If you jump from that high up, you're obviously going to get hurt. |
| 〜とは限らない | not necessarily ~ / ~ isn't always the case | 口コミの 評価が 高い 店が、自分の 口に 合うとは 限らない。 A restaurant with great online reviews won't necessarily suit your taste. |
| 〜おそれがある | there is a risk that ~ / ~ may happen (something bad) | 台風の 影響で、川が あふれる おそれが あります。 Because of the typhoon, there is a risk that the river will overflow. |
| 〜そうもない／〜そうにない | doesn't look like ~ will happen / unlikely to ~ | この 仕事は 今日中には 終わりそうも ない。 It doesn't look like this work will be done today. |
| 〜気がする | have a feeling that ~ / it seems to me that ~ | 今日は 何か いい ことが ある 気が する。 I have a feeling something good will happen today. |
| 〜ないことはない／〜ないこともない | it's not that ~ can't / doesn't / ~ is possible (but with some doubt) | 歩いて 行けない ことは ないけど、一時間は かかるよ。 It's not that you can't walk there, but it'll take at least an hour. |
How do you say something seems, looks like or tends to be?
N4 gave you そうだ, ようだ and らしい for guesses. N3 adds patterns for typical qualities, pretending, other people's feelings and bad tendencies. Several of them (〜がち, 〜気味, 〜だらけ) attach directly to nouns or verb stems, so they're short and easy to drop into a sentence once you know them.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜っぽい | -ish / seems like ~ / tends to ~ | 最近 忘れっぽく なって、よく 傘を なくす。 I've gotten forgetful lately and keep losing my umbrella. |
| 〜らしい (typical of) | typical of ~ / just like a real ~ / befitting ~ | 今日は 暖かくて、春らしい 天気ですね。 It's warm today. Real spring weather, isn't it? |
| 〜ように／〜みたいに (like, as) | like ~ / as ~ / in the same way as ~ | 先生が 言った ように、漢字は 毎日 書く ことが 大切です。 As the teacher said, it's important to write kanji every day. |
| 〜ふりをする | to pretend to ~ / to act as if ~ | 母に 呼ばれたが、寝て いる ふりを した。 My mom called me, but I pretended to be asleep. |
| 〜がる／〜がっている | (someone else) shows signs of feeling ~ / acts ~ | 犬が 雷の 音を 怖がって、机の 下に 隠れた。 The dog was scared of the thunder and hid under the desk. |
| 〜がち | tend to ~ / prone to ~ (usually bad) | 冬は 寒くて、家に こもりがちだ。 In winter it's cold, so I tend to stay holed up at home. |
| 〜気味 | a touch of ~ / slightly ~ / ~-ish | 今朝から 少し 風邪気味なので、早めに 寝ます。 I've felt like I'm coming down with a cold since this morning, so I'll go to bed early. |
| 〜だらけ | full of ~ / covered in ~ (unpleasant) | 雨の 中で サッカーを して、泥だらけに なった。 We played soccer in the rain and got covered in mud. |
| 〜向け／〜向き | aimed at ~ / made for ~ / suited to ~ | この 番組は 子ども向けだが、大人が 見ても 面白い。 This show is made for kids, but it's fun for adults too. |
What N3 grammar is used for time and frequency?
These patterns are more precise than とき and あとで. They say exactly how two events line up: at the same moment, in the middle of something, ever since, or not until.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たとたん（に） | the moment ~ / just as ~ (something unexpected happened) | 店に 入った とたん、店員さんに 声を かけられた。 The moment I walked into the shop, a clerk came up and started talking to me. |
| 〜最中に | right in the middle of ~ | 試合の 最中に、急に 雨が 強く なった。 Right in the middle of the game, the rain suddenly got heavy. |
| 〜ところに／〜ところへ | just when ~ (someone came or something happened) | 出かけようと した ところに、友達が 訪ねて きた。 Just as I was about to go out, a friend came to visit. |
| 〜たびに | every time ~ / whenever ~ | 駅前の パン屋の 前を 通る たびに、つい 何か 買って しまう。 Every time I walk past the bakery by the station, I end up buying something. |
| 〜て以来 | ever since ~ | 日本に 来て 以来、毎日 自分で 料理を して いる。 Ever since I came to Japan, I've been cooking for myself every day. |
| 〜てからでないと | not until ~ / unless you ~ first, (you can't ~) | 実際に 見て からで ないと、買うか どうか 決められない。 I can't decide whether to buy it until I actually see it. |
| 〜てはじめて | only after ~ / not until ~ (did I realize ~) | 海外に 住んで みて はじめて、日本の 電車が どれだけ 正確か わかった。 It wasn't until I lived abroad that I realized how punctual Japan's trains are. |
| 〜たきり | ~ and then nothing since / only ~ (and never again) | 兄は 朝 出かけた きり、まだ 帰って こない。 My brother went out this morning and still hasn't come back. |
| 〜ないうちに | before ~ (happens) / while still not ~ | アイスが 溶けない うちに、早く 食べて。 Eat your ice cream before it melts. |
| 〜たうえで | after (properly) doing ~ / once ~ is done | 家族と 相談した うえで、お返事します。 I'll give you my answer after talking it over with my family. |
| 〜おきに | every other ~ / at intervals of ~ | この 植物は 一日おきに 水を やれば 大丈夫です。 This plant will be fine if you water it every other day. |
| 〜ごとに | every ~ / each ~ / with each ~ | ごみの 出し方は 町ごとに 違います。 The rules for putting out trash differ from town to town. |
| 〜ぶり | for the first time in (a period) / (someone's) way of doing ~ | 五年ぶりに 小学校の 友達と 会いました。 I met my elementary school friends for the first time in five years. |
How do you describe change and proportion?
These patterns describe one thing changing along with another, or a change that keeps going in one direction.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜につれて | as ~ (changes), ~ also changes | 日本語が わかる ように なるにつれて、日本での 生活が 楽しく なった。 As I came to understand more Japanese, life in Japan became more fun. |
| 〜にしたがって | as ~ / following ~ / in accordance with ~ | 係の 人の 指示に したがって、外に 出て ください。 Please follow the staff's instructions and go outside. |
| 〜とともに | together with ~ / along with ~ / as ~ | 時代と ともに、人々の 考え方も 変わって きた。 People's way of thinking has changed with the times. |
| 〜ば〜ほど | the more ~, the more ~ | この 本は 読めば 読むほど おもしろく なる。 The more I read this book, the more interesting it gets. |
| 〜一方だ | keeps ~ing / just keeps getting ~ (in one direction) | 最近、野菜の 値段が 上がる 一方だ。 Vegetable prices just keep going up these days. |
Which N3 patterns work like compound particles?
Many N3 patterns are built from a particle plus a verb, such as に＋対する or を＋通す. They act like longer particles that show viewpoint, topic, basis or role. They're common in writing, so they matter a lot for the reading section. If basic particles still trip you up, our guide to Japanese particles covers the foundations.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜にとって | for ~ / to ~ (from the viewpoint of ~) | 私に とって、家族は 何より 大切な 存在です。 For me, my family matters more than anything. |
| 〜に対して | toward ~ / to ~ / in contrast to ~ | あの 店員は どんな 客に 対しても 丁寧だ。 That clerk is polite to every customer. |
| 〜に関して | about ~ / regarding ~ / concerning ~ | 今回の 事故に 関して、詳しい 説明を お願いします。 Please give us a detailed explanation of this accident. |
| 〜として | as ~ (in the role or position of ~) | 彼女は 通訳と して 会議に 参加した。 She took part in the meeting as an interpreter. |
| 〜によって／〜による | depending on ~ / by ~ / because of ~ / by means of ~ | 同じ 言葉でも、地域に よって 意味が 違う。 Even the same word can mean different things depending on the region. |
| 〜をもとに | based on ~ / using ~ as a basis | この 映画は 本当に あった 話を もとに 作られた。 This movie was based on a true story. |
| 〜を中心に | centering on ~ / mainly ~ / with a focus on ~ | この 歌手は 若者を 中心に 人気が ある。 This singer is popular mainly among young people. |
| 〜を通して | through ~ / via ~ / throughout ~ | 友人を 通して、今の 妻と 知り合った。 I met my wife through a friend. |
| 〜をはじめ | starting with ~ / ~ and many others | 京都には 金閣寺を はじめ、有名な お寺が たくさん ある。 Kyoto has many famous temples, starting with Kinkakuji. |
| 〜に代わって | in place of ~ / on behalf of ~ / replacing ~ | 入院中の 社長に 代わって、私が ご挨拶いたします。 I will say a few words on behalf of our president, who is in the hospital. |
| 〜をこめて | with (a feeling) put into it / filled with ~ | 母の 誕生日に、感謝を こめて 手紙を 書きました。 For my mother's birthday, I wrote her a letter full of thanks. |
| 〜とおり（に）／〜どおり（に） | just as ~ / the way ~ / according to ~ | 地図に 書いて ある とおりに 行ったら、すぐ 見つかりました。 When I went the way the map showed, I found it right away. |
How do you compare and contrast at N3?
These patterns compare against an expectation ("for the price," "for a first try") or show degree ("so much that"), not just "A is bigger than B."
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜に比べて | compared to ~ / compared with ~ | 今年の 夏は 去年に 比べて ずいぶん 涼しい。 This summer is much cooler compared to last year. |
| 〜ほど〜ない | not as ~ as ~ | 駅から 歩いて みたら、地図で 見た ほど 遠く なかった。 When I walked there from the station, it wasn't as far as it looked on the map. |
| 〜ほど (so much that) | so ~ that ~ / to the point that ~ | 昨日は 歩けない ほど 足が 痛かった。 Yesterday my feet hurt so much I could hardly walk. |
| 〜くらい／〜ぐらい (to the point that) | to the point that ~ / so ~ that ~ / at least ~ | 友達の 話が おかしくて、涙が 出る くらい 笑った。 My friend's story was so funny that I laughed until I cried. |
| 〜わりに | considering ~ / for ~ (than you'd expect) | この 店は 値段の わりに 量が 多くて おいしい。 This place serves big, tasty portions for the price. |
| 〜にしては | for ~ / considering (that) ~ | 初めて 作ったにしては、この ケーキは よく できて いる。 For a first attempt, this cake turned out really well. |
| 〜かわりに | instead of ~ / on behalf of ~ / in exchange for ~ | 今日は 部長のかわりに、私が 会議に 出ます。 Today I'll attend the meeting in place of the department manager. |
| 〜一方で | while ~ / on the other hand ~ | この 町は 観光客が 増える 一方で、住む 人は 減って いる。 While more and more tourists visit this town, the number of residents is falling. |
How do you say "if," "even if" and "even though"?
N4 covered the four main conditionals. N3 adds hypothetical "supposing" patterns, "even if" patterns, and two ways to say "even though" with a critical tone.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜としたら／〜とすれば | if ~ (supposing ~) / assuming ~ | もし 明日から 一か月 休めるとしたら、何を したいですか。 If you could take a month off starting tomorrow, what would you want to do? |
| 〜場合（は） | in the case of ~ / if ~ (happens) (for possible situations, often in rules and instructions) | 電車が 止まった 場合は、バスで 来て ください。 If the trains stop, please come by bus. |
| 〜としても | even if ~ (supposing it happens) | たとえ 親に 反対されたとしても、私は 留学します。 Even if my parents are against it, I'm going to study abroad. |
| 〜たって／〜だって | even if ~ / no matter how ~ (casual) | いくら 頼んだって、父は 許して くれないよ。 No matter how much you beg, Dad won't say yes. |
| 〜にしても | even if ~ / granted ~, still / whether ~ or ~ | 忙しかったにしても、電話 一本ぐらい できたはずだ。 Even if you were busy, you could have at least made one phone call. |
| 〜くせに | even though ~ (with blame or contempt) | 兄は 自分では 何も しないくせに、文句ばかり 言う。 My older brother never does anything himself, but he complains all the time. |
| 〜からといって | just because ~ (doesn't mean ~) | 日本人だからといって、敬語が 完璧に 使える わけでは ない。 Just because someone is Japanese doesn't mean they can use keigo perfectly. |
How do you add points: "not only … but also"?
These patterns stack one fact on top of another. They're useful for building longer sentences in writing and speech.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜うえに | on top of ~ / not only ~ but also | この 部屋は 広いうえに、駅にも 近い。 This apartment is spacious, and on top of that it's close to the station. |
| 〜に加えて | in addition to ~ | 外は 大雨に 加えて、雷も 鳴って いる。 On top of the heavy rain outside, there's thunder too. |
| 〜ばかりか／〜ばかりでなく | not only ~ but (even) ~ | 彼は 謝らないばかりか、私の せいに した。 Not only did he not apologize, he even blamed me. |
| 〜はもちろん | ~ of course, and also ~ / not to mention ~ | この 店は 週末はもちろん、平日も 混んで いる。 This place is crowded on weekends, of course, but on weekdays too. |
| 〜だけでなく | not only ~ (but also ~) | 山田さんは 歌だけでなく、ダンスも 上手だ。 Ms. Yamada is good not only at singing but also at dancing. |
Which N3 particles add emphasis?
These small words change the weight of a sentence: "even," "this time for sure," "of all things."
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜さえ | even ~ | 忙しくて、昼ご飯を 食べる 時間さえ なかった。 I was so busy I didn't even have time to eat lunch. |
| 〜さえ〜ば | if only ~ / as long as ~ | 天気さえ よければ、明日は 富士山が 見えるでしょう。 As long as the weather is good, you should be able to see Mt. Fuji tomorrow. |
| 〜こそ | precisely ~ / ~ for sure (emphasis) | 去年は 失敗したけど、今年こそ 合格して みせる。 I failed last year, but this year I'm going to pass for sure. |
| 〜まで (even) | even ~ (going as far as ~) | 最近は 小学生まで スマホを 持って いる。 These days even elementary school kids have smartphones. |
| 〜なんて／〜なんか | things like ~ / ~ of all things (dismissive or surprised) | 試験の 前の 日に 風邪を ひくなんて、ついて いないなあ。 Catching a cold the day before the exam? Just my luck. |
How do you give advice and talk about rules?
These patterns say what someone should do, doesn't need to do, or has no choice but to do.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜べきだ／〜べきではない | should ~ / ought to ~ / should not ~ | 一度 約束した ことは、きちんと 守るべきだ。 Once you make a promise, you should keep it. |
| 〜ことだ (advice) | you should ~ / the best thing is to ~ | 日本語が 上手に なりたいなら、毎日 話すことだ。 If you want to get good at Japanese, the key is to speak it every day. |
| 〜ことはない | there's no need to ~ | 小さな ミスだから、そんなに 気に することはないよ。 It's just a small mistake. There's no need to worry about it so much. |
| 〜しかない | have no choice but to ~ / can only ~ | 終電が 出て しまったから、タクシーで 帰るしかない。 The last train has already left, so I have no choice but to take a taxi home. |
| 〜こと (written rule) | (you) must ~ / do ~ (rules and instructions) | 答えは 黒の ペンで 書く こと。 Write your answers in black pen. |
How do you talk about habits, plans and attempts?
These patterns build on N4's 〜ことにする and 〜つもりだ. They cover personal rules, outside rules, attempts and near misses.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ことにしている | make a point of ~ / make it a rule to ~ | 健康の ために、毎朝 三十分 歩くことにしている。 For my health, I make a point of walking thirty minutes every morning. |
| 〜ことになっている | it's the rule that ~ / ~ is supposed to / scheduled to | この 寮では、夜 十一時までに 帰ることになっている。 In this dorm, you're supposed to be back by 11 p.m. |
| 〜ようとする | try to ~ / be about to ~ | 重い 箱を 一人で 持ち上げようとしたが、無理だった。 I tried to lift the heavy box by myself, but I couldn't. |
| 〜ように (so that) | so that ~ / in order for ~ to ~ | 後ろの 人にも 聞こえるように、大きな 声で 話して ください。 Please speak up so the people in the back can hear you too. |
| 〜つもりだった／〜たつもり | meant to ~ (but didn't) / thought I had ~ (but hadn't) | 今日は 部屋を 掃除するつもりだったが、一日中 寝て しまった。 I meant to clean my room today, but I ended up sleeping all day. |
| 〜ところだった | almost ~ / nearly ~ (but didn't) | 駅の 階段で 足が 滑って、危なく 落ちる ところだった。 My foot slipped on the station stairs, and I nearly fell down them. |
How do you express strong feelings, wishes and regrets?
Use these to say you can't stand something, look back fondly, wish things were different, or regret what you did.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てたまらない | unbearably ~ / so ~ I can't stand it | 一人暮らしを 始めた ばかりで、毎日 寂しくてたまらない。 I've just started living alone, and I feel terribly lonely every day. |
| 〜てしょうがない／〜てしかたがない | terribly ~ / can't help feeling ~ | 昨日 遅くまで 起きて いたので、眠くてしょうがない。 I stayed up late last night, so I'm terribly sleepy. |
| 〜ものだ (used to, naturally) | used to ~ (fond memory) / ~ is just how things are / one should ~ | 子どもの 頃は、この 川で よく 泳いだものだ。 When I was a kid, I used to swim in this river all the time. |
| 〜たらいいのに | I wish ~ / it would be nice if ~ | 家から 駅まで もう 少し 近かったら いいのに。 I wish my place were a little closer to the station. |
| 〜ないかな (I wish) | I wish ~ would ~ / I hope ~ (soon) | 雨が 続いて いるけど、明日は 晴れないかな。 It's been raining for days. I hope it clears up tomorrow. |
| 〜ますように (wish) | I hope ~ / may ~ (a wish or prayer) | 明日の 試験に 合格できますように。 Please let me pass tomorrow's exam. |
| 〜ばよかった | I should have ~ / I wish I had ~ (regret) | こんなに 混むなら、もっと 早く 家を 出ればよかった。 If it was going to be this crowded, I should have left home earlier. |
What verb endings should you know for N3?
These attach to the verb stem (the ます form without ます) and add a meaning like "start to," "finish completely" or "redo." 〜っぱなし and 〜づらい attach the same way. Because they make new compound verbs, learning them grows your vocabulary quickly.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜かける／〜かけの | half-done / start to ~ (but not finish) / almost ~ | 机の 上に 読みかけの 雑誌が 置いて ある。 There's a half-read magazine on the desk. |
| 〜きる | do ~ completely / ~ all the way through | 一晩で、この 長い 小説を 読みきった。 I read this whole long novel in a single night. |
| 〜合う | ~ each other / ~ together | 困った ときは、みんなで 助け合いましょう。 When times are hard, let's all help each other out. |
| 〜直す | redo ~ / do ~ over (to fix or improve it) | 字が 汚かったので、手紙を 書き直した。 My handwriting was messy, so I rewrote the letter. |
| 〜出す | start to ~ (suddenly) / burst into ~ | 電車の 中で、隣の 赤ちゃんが 急に 泣き出した。 On the train, the baby next to me suddenly started crying. |
| 〜っぱなし | leave ~ (as is) / keep ~ing | 電気を つけっぱなしで 寝て しまった。 I fell asleep with the lights on. |
| 〜づらい | hard to ~ / awkward or uncomfortable to ~ | 部長に 休みたいとは 言いづらいなあ。 It's awkward to tell the department head I want a day off. |
What casual and conversational patterns are on N3?
These show up most in the listening section: checking a memory, casual topics, reporting what someone told you, and polite ways to ask permission.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜っけ | was it ~? (trying to remember) | えっと、田中さんの 誕生日って 何日だったっけ。 Um, what day is Tanaka's birthday again? |
| 〜って (as for, speaking of) | ~ (casual topic marker) / speaking of ~ | 日本の 夏って、こんなに 蒸し暑いんですね。 So Japanese summers are this humid, huh? |
| 〜というのは／〜とは (definition) | ~ means ~ / what ~ is (explaining a word or idea) | 「積ん読」と いうのは、買った 本を 読まずに 置いて おく ことです。 Tsundoku means buying books and leaving them unread. |
| 〜ように言う／〜ように頼む | tell / ask someone to ~ (indirect request) | 先生に、明日までに レポートを 出すように 言われた。 The teacher told me to hand in my report by tomorrow. |
| 〜させてもらう／〜させていただく | be allowed to ~ / let me ~ (humble) | 熱が あったので、仕事を 休ませてもらった。 I had a fever, so they let me take the day off work. |
| 〜ないで済む／〜ずに済む | get by without ~ / not have to ~ (after all) | 友達が 車で 送って くれたので、雨に ぬれないで済んだ。 A friend gave me a ride, so I managed not to get wet in the rain. |
Which N3 grammar patterns are easy to confuse?
From N3 on, many patterns overlap. These are the pairs and groups learners mix up most. Write the difference in your own words; that's what the exam checks.
- 〜おかげで vs 〜せいで vs 〜ため. All mean "because of." おかげで thanks the cause for a good result, せいで blames it for a bad one, and ため is neutral and formal. 君のおかげで遅刻した ("thanks to you, I was late") is sarcastic.
- 〜わけだ vs 〜わけがない vs 〜わけではない vs 〜わけにはいかない. "So that's why" vs "there's no way" vs "it's not that" vs "I can't very well." Read to the end of the phrase before you decide.
- 〜に違いない vs 〜に決まっている. Both mean "must be." に違いない is a confident guess and suits writing; に決まっている is stronger and more emotional and is common in speech.
- 〜につれて vs 〜にしたがって. Both describe gradual change. にしたがって can also mean "following (instructions or rules)," which につれて can't.
- 〜ほど vs 〜くらい. Both mean "so … that." くらい is more conversational, and only くらい can play something down as small: 電話くらいしてよ (at least give me a call). ほど also appears in "not as … as" (〜ほど〜ない).
- 〜わりに vs 〜にしては. Both mean "for" or "considering." わりに follows words of degree and adjectives (値段のわりに, 安いわりに). にしては follows a specific fact, such as an age or a status (初めてにしては, プロにしては).
- 〜くせに vs 〜のに. Both mean "even though," but くせに blames or looks down on someone. Don't use it about yourself.
- 〜ことにしている vs 〜ことになっている. ことにしている is a rule you set for yourself; ことになっている is a rule or plan someone else set.
- 〜べきだ vs 〜ことだ vs 〜たほうがいい. べきだ states what's right in general, ことだ gives firm personal advice, and たほうがいい (N4) is the softest suggestion.
- 〜がち vs 〜っぽい vs 〜気味. がち is a tendency, usually bad (忘れがち, tend to forget). っぽい means "-ish" or "seems like" (子どもっぽい), while らしい means truly typical: a teenager can look 大人っぽい, but an adult acts 大人らしい. 気味 means "a touch of" (風邪気味).
- 〜ように (so that) vs 〜ために (in order to). ために takes a verb you control, with the same subject in both halves (合格するために勉強する). ように takes a potential form, a negative or a verb you can't control, and the subjects can differ (聞こえるように, 忘れないように).
- 〜たとたん vs 〜たら. たとたん is for something sudden and unexpected that you didn't cause. It can't introduce your own deliberate next action.
How should you study N3 grammar?
- Learn each pattern with one sentence. A single example you can recall is worth more than a rule you can recite. Use the examples above as a starting point.
- Group look-alikes. Study patterns like おかげで and せいで on the same day and compare them. The exam often lists them as answer choices together.
- Notice the register. Mark each pattern as written, neutral or casual. That helps you spot the right answer in reading versus listening questions.
- Keep the pace steady. Five or six patterns a day with review gets you through this list in about a month. Our JLPT study plan shows how to fit grammar around vocabulary and listening.
- Practice the exam tasks. The grammar section asks you to pick the right form, put sentence pieces in order, and fill gaps in a passage. Read about the JLPT test format so the question types feel familiar.
- Read more. N3 reading passages are full of these patterns. The more you see them in context, the faster you'll recognize them under time pressure.
Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are on the JLPT N3?
There's no official number, because the JLPT doesn't publish a grammar list. Textbooks and apps usually list somewhere between 100 and 200 N3 patterns, depending on how they split and group them. The Kantan JLPT N3 set has 113.
Is N3 grammar much harder than N4?
It's different more than harder. N4 is about learning new verb forms. N3 is about choosing between patterns with similar meanings and different nuances. Many learners find the step from N4 to N3 the biggest jump in the test, mainly because of the reading and the amount of vocabulary, not the grammar alone.
Do I need to know N4 grammar before N3?
Yes. N3 patterns attach to the plain, て, た, ない and conditional forms you learn at N5 and N4. The JLPT also assumes you know lower-level material, so N4 grammar can still appear on the N3 test.
How long does it take to learn N3 grammar?
With five or six patterns a day and regular review, you can get through this list in about a month. Making them feel natural takes longer, and reading and listening practice is what gets you there. Check the JLPT passing score guide to see how much the language knowledge section counts.
What comes after N3 grammar?
N2 adds more formal and written patterns, many of them used in news, essays and business Japanese. When you're ready, the N2 grammar list is the next step.
Study N3 grammar in Kantan JLPT
This list comes from the N3 grammar set in Kantan JLPT. In the app, each pattern has its formation, notes on nuance and several example sentences, and fill-in-the-blank reviews bring back the ones you miss until they stick. For how N3 fits into the full path from N5 to N1, see the Japanese grammar guide.