JLPT N3 grammar list

119 patterns sorted by frequency. Click any pattern for meaning, usage, and FAQs.

• あまりtoo much
• いくら～てもno matter how
• うちにwhile, before, during
• おかげでthanks to, because of
• かけhalf-; not yet finished; in the middle of
• から言うとin terms of; from the point of view of
• がたいhard to, difficult to
• がちapt to do, tend to do
• きりonly, just
• ぎみ-like, -looking
• くせにeven though, and yet, in spite of
• くらいto the extent that, so… that
• こそfor sure (emphasize preceding word)
• こと(must) do
• ことかhow…!; what…!
• ことからfrom the fact that…
• ことがあるthere are times when; (something) happens on occasions
• ことだshould (used when giving suggesions or advice)
• ことにunusually, especially, particularly
• ことにするto decide to
• ことになるit has been decided that…, it has been arranged so that…
• ことはないthere is no need to; never happens
• さえeven
• さえ～ばif only ~ then
• しかないhave no choice but
• ずにwithout doing
• ずにはいられないcan’t help but feel, can’t help but do
• せいでbecause of
• そうもないvery unlikely to
• その結果as a result
• たとえ～てもeven if… is the case
• たとたんjust (now, at the moment), as soon as
• たびにeach time, every time, whenever (something happens), on the occasion of
• ためにfor, for the sake of, in order to
• たらいい/といいit would be nice if, I hope, should
• だらけcovered all over in, full of
• っけwhat is… again?
• っぱなしleaving (something) on, leaving (something) still in use
• っぽい-ish, -like
• ついでにwhile (you) are at it; on the occasion; taking the opportunity
• つまりin other words; that is to say
• てごらん(please) try to, (please) look
• てはじめてnot until, only after… did I
• てもかまわないit doesn’t matter if…
• というcalled, named; as much as; all, every
• ということだI’ve heard that…; rumour has it that…; it appears as if…
• というとif it were the case that…, then certainly; if one were to speak of… then certainly
• というのはmeans; is; because; that is to say
• というよりrather than
• といってもalthough I say; although one might say; although called
• とおりin the way…, the same as…
• ところがeven so, however, even though
• ところでby the way
• としたら / とすればif it were the case that…, if we assume…
• としてas (i.e. in the role of)
• とは限らないnot necessarily so; is not always true
• と共にtogether with
• どころかfar from, anything but, let alone, much less
• どんなに～てもno matter how
• ないことはないcan; …is not impossible
• ながらもbut, although, despite
• なぜならbecause; the reason is; if you want to know why
• なんか / なんてsuch as, things like
• において/ におけるin, on, at (place); as for, regarding
• にかけてover (a period), through, concerning
• にかわってinstead of, on behalf of
• にしてはfor; considering it’s (something or someone)
• にしてもeven if
• についてconcerning, regarding
• につれてas… then…
• にとってto, for, concerning, as far as … is concerned
• によって / によるby means of, due to
• によると / によればaccording to
• に対してin contrast to; while; in regard to
• に比べてcompared to
• に違いないI’m sure, no doubt that, without a doubt
• に関する / に関してrelated to, in relation to
• の間にwhile, during
• はずだit must be, it should be
• ばいいshould, can, it’d be good if
• ばかりonly, nothing but
• ばかりだcontinue to (similar to 一方だ)
• ばかりでなくnot only… but also, as well as
• ばかりにbecause, on account of => negative result
• ばよかったshould have, it would have been better if…
• ば～ほどthe more… the more
• ふりをするto pretend, to act as if
• べきmust do, should do
• べきではないmust not do, should not do
• べつに～ないnot really, not particularly
• ほどto the extent that, so much… that; the more
• ほど～ないis not as… as
• ままas it is
• まるでas if; as though; just like
• めったに～ないhardly, rarely, seldom
• もしかしたらperhaps; maybe; perchance; by any chance
• ものbecause; indicates reason or excuse; indicates dissatisfaction
• ものだused to do something; should do something; of course
• ようとしないnot try to, not try to make an effort to
• ようとするtry to, be about to
• ような気がするhave a feeling that…, think that…
• ようにin order to (e.g. meet goal); so that; hoping or wishing for something
• ようにするto try to, to make sure that
• わけがないthere is no way that…
• わけにはいかないmust not, can’t afford to
• わりにalthough, rather, unexpectedly
• をはじめfor example, starting with
• んだってI hear that…
• 一方だmore and more, continue to
• 一方でon one hand, on the other hand
• 上でafter
• 代わりにinstead of, in exchange for
• 切るto do something completely to the end
• 切れないbeing too many or too much to finish or complete
• 向きsuitable for
• 向けintended for; aimed at; oriented towards
• 最中にin the middle of
• 次第as soon as, dependent upon
• 決して～ないnever; by no means; not in the least; in no way