JLPT N3 grammar doesn’t have to feel like a dry textbook march. This list pulls together about 150 of the patterns you’ll actually need to sound more human in Japanese-less robot, more you. Each one comes with a straightforward meaning and a real-life example sentence so you can see how it works in a natural conversation, not just a stiff grammar explanation.
At N3, you’re past the basics and ready to twist your sentences in new ways: expressing reasons, making comparisons, talking about things you’ve heard, and handling those tricky “if” situations. This collection skips the dusty patterns nobody uses and focuses on the grammar that shows up in daily chats, TV shows, and JLPT exams alike. Pair these patterns with JLPT N3 vocabulary for more complete exam preparation.
Grammar goblins beware: this page is packed with JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar, and you’ll want to SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM for the good stuff. There you’ll find the free printable JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar flashcards, ready for your study session.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Japanese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
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| Word | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜あまり | so much that... (result of excessive emotion) | 嬉しさのあまり、涙が出た。 | I was so happy that I cried. |
| 〜うちに | ~uchi ni | 熱いうちに食べてください。 | |
| 〜おかげで | thanks to (positive outcome) | 友達が手伝ってくれたおかげで、早く終わった。 | Thanks to my friend helping me, I finished early. |
| 〜かけ | half-done; in the middle of; not yet finished | 食べかけのパンを置いて行った。 | He left the half-eaten bread and went away. |
| 〜がち | tend to; apt to (usually negative) | 最近、曇りがちの天気が続いている。 | Lately, it has been cloudy most of the time. |
| 〜かどうか | ~ka dō ka | 明日行けるかどうかわからない。 | |
| 〜かと思った | ~ka to omotta | 地震かと思った。 | |
| 〜かもしれない | might; perhaps | その話は本当かもしれない。 | That story might be true. |
| 〜からといって | just because; even if | 安いからといって、要らないものは買わないほうがいい。 | Just because it's cheap, it's better not to buy things you don't need. |
| 〜からには | now that; since; once (a condition is met) | 日本に来たからには、日本語を勉強したい。 | Now that I’m in Japan, I want to study Japanese. |
| 〜かわりに | instead of; in return; in exchange | 自転車のかわりに、今日は歩いて学校に行った。 | Instead of the bicycle, I walked to school today. |
| 〜くせに | even though; despite (criticizing tone) | 彼は自分が遅れたくせに、私を待たせたと怒った。 | Even though he was late himself, he got angry at me for making him wait. |
| 〜ことがある | ~koto ga aru | 週末に映画を見ることがある。 | |
| 〜ことに | to my (surprise, joy, etc.), it is ~ that | 驚いたことに、彼はもう帰っていた。 | To my surprise, he had already gone home. |
| 〜ことにする | ~koto ni suru | 今日は早く寝ることにする。 | |
| 〜ことになる | it has been decided | external decision or result | |
| 〜ことは〜が | it is true that... but, although | 料理ができることはできるが、あまり上手じゃない。 | I can cook, but I'm not very good at it. |
| 〜さえ〜ば | if only; as long as | お金さえあれば、世界中を旅行できる。 | If only I had money, I could travel around the world. |
| 〜ずに | without doing (formal) | 朝ごはんを食べずに学校へ行った。 | I went to school without eating breakfast. |
| 〜せいで | due to (negative cause) | 雨のせいで、試合が中止になった。 | Because of the rain, the game was canceled. |
| 〜そうだ (hearsay) | I heard that; it is said | 天気予報によると、明日は雨が降るそうだ。 | According to the weather forecast, I heard it will rain tomorrow. |
| 〜たかと思うと | no sooner than; just when I thought | 赤ちゃんは泣いたかと思うと、急に笑った。 | The baby was crying, but the next moment suddenly laughed. |
| 〜だけあって | as might be expected; it's only natural because | 彼はプロだけあって、歌がうまい。 | He's a pro, so it's no surprise that he sings well. |
| 〜だけでなく | not only... but also | 彼は日本語だけでなく、中国語も話せる。 | He can speak not only Japanese but also Chinese. |
| 〜たとたん（に） | as soon as; just when (something suddenly happens) | 家を出たとたん、雨が降り出した。 | As soon as I left the house, it started raining. |
Free JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar Vocabulary List and Printable Flashcards
Grab the purple vocab-list button for the JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar vocabulary list, or tap the teal flashcards button for the JLPT N3 Japanese Grammar flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free and need no signup.
