JLPT N3 · Intermediate

JLPT N3 Grammar List

159 points

Practice N3 grammar 159 flashcards · forms & meanings Practice JLPT N3 grammar tests 30 tests · real exam questions

来る・くる Arrive or head toward the speaker; begin to, come to be 8 ex.
行く・いく Keep on; proceed onward; go (to a place) 8 ex.
っぱなし Left in an unchanged state; continues without stopping 8 ex.
がち has a tendency to (do something undesirable) 8 ex.
っぽい Has the look or quality of; prone to doing something 8 ex.
ものの Even though; despite the fact that (formal usage) 8 ex.
にもかかわらず in spite of; notwithstanding (formal usage) 8 ex.
ながら（も） during the time something happens; even so, in spite of that 8 ex.
にとって from the viewpoint of; for (someone or something) 8 ex.
について regarding; on the subject of 8 ex.
に関して/関する concerning, with regard to (formal usage) 8 ex.
によると based on what some source says or reports 8 ex.
甲斐・かい・がい merit, value, worth doing something 8 ex.
がたい Difficult to (formal usage) 8 ex.
とする if one assumes or supposes 8 ex.
にしても Even if; whether; in any case 8 ex.
たところで Even supposing; despite the fact that 8 ex.
べきだ is supposed to; is morally right to do 8 ex.
わけだ That explains it; it follows that; such being the case 8 ex.
わけがない There's no way; impossible; can't be true 8 ex.
わけではない It is not the case that; not always so 8 ex.
わけにはいかない unable to do; not permitted to do 8 ex.
くらい Roughly, approximately; to the degree or extent of 8 ex.
ばかり Merely, exclusively, or used in ばかりでなく/ばかりか to mean 'not just... but also' 8 ex.
だけで(は)なく(も) Used to say something is true of one thing and additionally of another 8 ex.
たびに Each time, whenever something occurs 8 ex.
次第 as soon as; depending on; gradually 8 ex.
に従って/従い Following, in line with; as (something changes) 8 ex.
につれて/つれ As something changes; along with it; also take someone along 8 ex.
際（に） at the time of, on the occasion of (formal usage) 8 ex.
（の）上で on top of; after doing; on paper 8 ex.
末（に） After considerable effort; the final outcome 8 ex.
さえ Even; used to stress a surprising or minimal case 8 ex.
こそ Used for strong emphasis; points out something as the exact or true instance 8 ex.
ないことも / はない It isn't the case that... not; doesn't mean... not 8 ex.
なしに doing something without; continuously, nonstop 8 ex.
済む to manage without doing something; to be settled or resolved with less than expected 8 ex.
為（に）・ため（に） In order to; for the sake of; because of this 8 ex.
せい owing to, for the fault of (unfavorable cause) 8 ex.
となる turn into, serve as; when it comes to (a topic) 8 ex.
ことになる It works out that; it follows that; it amounts to 8 ex.
ことにする Choose or resolve to do something 8 ex.
ようだ It appears that; resembling something 8 ex.
ばかりか（さえ） not just that, but in addition 8 ex.
だらけ covered in or filled with something 8 ex.
以外 apart from; with the exception of 8 ex.
以上（は） now that / since 8 ex.
からにかけて spanning from one point to another 6 ex.
からと言って just because ~ it doesn't mean that 8 ex.
くせに Even though, despite the fact that 8 ex.
なしでは lacking ~; cannot manage without 8 ex.
に代わって instead of someone; doing something for another's benefit 8 ex.
に比べると/比べて When measured against something else; relative to 8 ex.
に対して/対する Directed toward, with respect to, in contrast 8 ex.
によって/より depending on / caused by / through the use of 8 ex.
のみ Solely / merely (formal usage) 8 ex.
その上 In addition to that; furthermore; what's more 8 ex.
と同時に simultaneously with; the moment something happens 8 ex.
とうとう In the end; after a long wait or process, at last 8 ex.
上（に） besides that; not just ~ but also 8 ex.
あまり owing to an excessive amount or degree of something 8 ex.
なかなか With difficulty; barely; not readily 8 ex.
ことは It is indeed the case that ~, though; certainly ~ (but) 8 ex.
のに While doing; in order to; for the purpose of 8 ex.
を Marks the cause of a human emotion 8 ex.
さ turns adjectives into nouns, like English -ness 8 ex.
たって Even when; despite the fact that (informal speech) 8 ex.
と言えば used to bring up a topic; when it comes to mentioning ~ 8 ex.
ところだ has just done or just set out to do something; the place where 8 ex.
としては Viewed as; from the standpoint of; for (someone's part) 8 ex.
やはり As expected; after all; none the less; still 8 ex.
分 Quantity or duration's worth; portion; minutes (in telling time) 8 ex.
分・ぶん A person's share or portion; that quantity; correspondingly 8 ex.
どうも for no clear reason; apparently; unable to quite; used to intensify thanks 8 ex.
どうせ In any case; regardless; after all; there's no point 8 ex.
風に In a manner like ~; in the style of ~; resembling ~ 8 ex.
Imperative Gives a direct command or request using the verb's imperative form 4 ex.
かか if or whether; one option or the other 8 ex.
かな expresses wondering about something; also a soft hope 8 ex.
（の）代わりに As a substitute for; as a replacement for; as compensation for 8 ex.
結構 fairly; somewhat; pretty; polite refusal meaning already enough 8 ex.
こうした of this sort; this type of; such as this 8 ex.
ことで By means of doing; via; consequently 8 ex.
ことになる turn out to be; amount to; it follows that (as a result) 8 ex.
くらい To the degree that; as much as; roughly this much 8 ex.
目 ordinal ending meaning -th 8 ex.
なあ exclamation of feeling; expresses a longing or hope; conveys wondering aloud 8 ex.
などと such things as; used when quoting or referring to something of that kind 8 ex.
なく without doing ~; not ~ but rather (adverbial negative) 8 ex.
何でも anything at all; everything; reportedly; I'm not certain but 8 ex.
何しろ in fact; believe it or not; when all is said and done 4 ex.
になると once it turns into; when the time comes; as soon as it is 8 ex.
の関係で owing to; on account of (a formal reason) 4 ex.
の下で Beneath something; within; under (conditions/authority) 8 ex.
おだ Respectful verb or state expression showing honor toward the subject 8 ex.
お下さい Kindly please do ~ (courteous request form) 8 ex.
思われる It seems; it appears that; to be thought of as 8 ex.
来 Used for; in; since, marking a time span up to now 8 ex.
例の the (aforementioned); that same; the usual 8 ex.
ろくにない scarcely; insufficiently; to only a small degree; almost not at all 4 ex.
さ casual sentence-ending particle meaning you know; I tell you; sure 8 ex.
そうになる Nearly; on the verge of; almost 5 ex.
それでも in spite of that; even with that; regardless 8 ex.
それどころか Quite the opposite; not only that, in fact; actually 8 ex.
それが Well, contrary to what one expected; regrettably, I'm sorry to say 8 ex.
それも Moreover; in addition; at that 8 ex.
それと And; also; in addition 8 ex.
それは Indeed, that's so; naturally; surely 8 ex.
それぞれ individually; each one separately; in that order 8 ex.
ただの merely; nothing more than; unremarkable; plain 4 ex.
て And; because; after doing ~ (extended use of the te-form) 8 ex.
ては when; if; since (a condition that repeats) 8 ex.
と that; because; like (marks thought, speech, or perception) 8 ex.
というのに However; despite the fact that; even though 6 ex.
と言うと Speaking of ~; when you say or mention ~; on every occasion 8 ex.
とかで for a reason such as; owing to something like that 4 ex.
ところ At the moment when; just as; the point or part in question 8 ex.
とする Sense; seem (sensory or psychological experience) 8 ex.
Vmasu as a Noun verb masu-stem acting as a noun 4 ex.
やる Give; send; do; play; eat; drink (casual giving) 8 ex.
やる carry out an action while being aware it will trouble another person 8 ex.
やっと at last; after a long wait; only just; with difficulty 8 ex.
よう manner or method of doing; resembling; appearing as if 8 ex.
ぞ emphatic sentence-final particle meaning I tell you; you know 8 ex.
っけ Casual ending used when recalling something or double-checking a fact 8 ex.
さて Well; now; by the way (marks a topic change in writing) 8 ex.
うちに during the time something holds; before the chance is gone 8 ex.
である Indicates a state brought about by an intentional action 8 ex.
ところが Yet; however, with an outcome that defies expectation 8 ex.
ほど The more ~, the more ~ (two things rising together) 8 ex.
ばほど the more one thing happens, the more another does 8 ex.
もの（だ） expresses what is natural, expected, or how things ought to be 8 ex.
ことはない It is not necessary to 8 ex.
わけだ for that reason; it's only natural; that is to say 8 ex.
として In the role or capacity of; as 8 ex.
にしては Considering something's usual standard; for 8 ex.
て初めて Not until; only once something has happened; first time after that point 8 ex.
むしろ Rather; instead; if anything 8 ex.
つまり put another way; to put it differently; specifically 8 ex.
とてもない Impossible to do; not at all able to 8 ex.
わけにはいかない unable to bring oneself to; cannot possibly do 8 ex.
ことに it is ~ that; to my ~ (showing surprise or emotion) 8 ex.
とは限らない not always the case; not necessarily true 8 ex.
ついでに while doing one thing, also doing another; on the same occasion 8 ex.
と共に in company with someone or something; at the same time as; in the course of 8 ex.
あるいは or; either...or; as another option; maybe 8 ex.
一方（だ） keeps changing; continues to increase or decrease 3 ex.
一方（で） on the other hand; in the meantime 8 ex.
必ずしも Not invariably; not in every case 8 ex.
向け Heading toward, bound for 8 ex.
次第 hinges on; at random; little by little 8 ex.
同士 People or things of the same kind; fellow; among each other 8 ex.
まさか no way; surely not; I can't believe it 8 ex.
つい Without meaning to; by accident; without noticing; before realizing it 8 ex.
っぽい Looks like, has the quality of, -ish 8 ex.
どころか far from; on the contrary; let alone 8 ex.
を中心に Revolving around / centered on 5 ex.
に決まっている Definitely / certain to be 5 ex.
更に On top of that; to a greater degree; increasingly; additionally 8 ex.

Study guide

Turn the N3 grammar list into practice

Compare patterns with similar English translations. Identify what the speaker assumes and whether the sentence expresses a cause, condition, contrast or change.

Choose a pattern and read its meaning and usage before looking at the examples.
Check how the pattern attaches to the preceding word. Compare the Japanese sentence with its translation, then explain the relationship in your own words.
Try the grammar tests and return to patterns you confuse. Recalling a translation alone does not show that you can choose the pattern in context.

What should I study next?

Try N3 grammar questions
Read N3 passages with word help

About this material

These level labels organise the site’s study material; they are not an official JLPT test-content list.

Reference: Official JLPT FAQ.