JLPT N3 Grammar Points: All 54 Patterns Explained
Every grammar point in the A Star Japanese JLPT N3 course, grouped by lesson. Open a pattern for its meaning, how to build it, example sentences and practice questions.
"Only" Expressions โ ใ ใใปใใใปใฐใใ
- ใ ใNeutral "just/only." States a fact without emotion.
- ใใใใชใ"Only" with a feeling of scarcity.
- ใฐใใ"Nothing but / always." Often slightly negative โ implies someone is doing/eating/etc.
- Choosing the right "only"ใ ใ for neutral facts, ใใใใชใ for limitation/scarcity feelings, ใฐใใ for excess/exclusivity complaints.
Changes and Habits โ ใใใซใชใใปใใใซใใ
- ใใใซใชใExpresses change/becoming.
- ใใใซใใExpresses effort/intention.
- ใชใใชใThe negative of ใใใซใชใ pattern โ "stopped doing / no longer do." ้ฃในใชใใชใฃใ = I stopped eating it (gradโฆ
- ใใใซใใฆใใ ใใPolite request: "please make sure to / please try to." Softer than ~ใฆใใ ใใ.
Expectation and Reasoning โ ใฏใใปใใใปใคใใ
Cause and Effect โ ใใใปใใใปใใใ
- ใใ(ใซ)Formal "because" OR "in order to." Past form + ใใ = cause.
- ใใ(ใง)"Because of" with NEGATIVE feeling.
- ใใใ(ใง)"Thanks to" with POSITIVE feeling.
- Choosing the right oneSame event, three feelings: ้จใฎใใ (formal/factual) vs ้จใฎใใ (annoyed) vs ้จใฎใใใ (grateful).
Nuance Connectors โ ใฎใซใปใใใซใปใใฎใฎ
Reporting and Hearsay Patterns
- ๏ฝใซใใใจ โฆ ๏ฝใใใ "According to [source], (I hear) ~." The standard way to report news.
- ๏ฝใใใ (two uses)PLAIN + ใใใ = hearsay ("I hear ~").
- ๏ฝใใใ"Apparently / seems" โ looser hearsay than ใใใ .
- ๏ฝใใใ / ๏ฝใฟใใYour own inference from evidence ("it seems").
Conditionals, Level 2 โ ใใใใฐใปใฐใใปใฉใปใจใใใ
- The ใฐ restrictionIf the ใฐ-clause is an ACTION verb, you cannot follow it with a request, command or intention โ useโฆ
- ใใใใใฐ"If only / as long as just ~." Isolates one sufficient condition.
- ใใฐใใปใฉ"The more, the more." ็ทด็ฟใใใฐใใใปใฉไธๆใซใชใ.
- ใใจใใใ / ใใจใใใฐ"Supposing that / if we assume." Sets up a thought experiment rather than a real expectation โ moreโฆ
- ใใฆใใใใใใฆใใCounterfactual past: if X had happened, Y would have.
๐ About, Toward, For, As โ ใซใคใใฆใปใซๅฏพใใฆใปใซใจใฃใฆใปใจใใฆ
- ใใซใคใใฆAbout / concerning โ the topic of discussion, research or thought.
- ใใซๅฏพใใฆToward / in response to โ marks the target of an attitude, response or ratio.
- ใใซใจใฃใฆFrom the standpoint of โ nearly always followed by an evaluation.
- ใใจใใฆAs / in the capacity of โ role, function or status.
- ใใซๅฏพใใฆ vs ใใซๅใใฃใฆใซๅฏพใใฆ = attitudinal direction (ๅ ็ใซๅฏพใใฆๅคฑ็คผ).
๐ง Compound Verbs โ ใๅบใใปใ็ถใใใปใใใใปใใใใ
- ใๅบใ vs ใๅงใใๅบใ = sudden, uncontrolled burst (ๆณฃใๅบใ = burst into tears).
- ใใใ / ใใใใชใDo completely, to the limit: ้ฃในใใ = eat it all, ่จใใใ = declare flatly.
- ใใใใStarted but unfinished: ่ชญใฟใใใฎๆฌ = a half-read book.
- ใ็ดใRedo properly: ๆธใ็ดใ (rewrite), ใใ็ดใ (redo), ่ใ็ดใ (reconsider), ๅบ็ดใ (come back later).
- ใๅใDo mutually: ่ฉฑใๅใ (discuss), ๅฉใๅใ (help each other), ็ฅใๅใ (get acquainted โ ็ฅใๅใ = acquaintance).
โ๏ธ Should and General Truths โ ในใใ ใปใใฎใ
- ในใใ Should / ought to โ a personal judgement about what is right.
- ในใใ ใฃใShould have โ regret about a specific past action.
- ใใฎใ A general truth or shared social norm โ "that's just how it is." ไบบใฏ่ชฐใงใ้้ใใใใฎใ = people make mistakeโฆ
- ใใฎใงใฏใชใA gentle "you shouldn't" โ a soft, near-proverbial social norm, gentler than ในใใงใฏใชใ.
- ใใฎใ (nostalgia)Past tense + ใใ + ใใฎใ = fond reminiscence about the past.
๐ Tendency and Proportion โ ใใกใปๆฐๅณใปใใใซใปใซใใฆใฏ
- ใใใกTends to / prone to โ a repeated pattern over time, ใพใ-stem + ใใก.
- ใๆฐๅณA touch of / a slight sign of โ a mild degree happening now, noun/stem + ๆฐๅณ.
- ใใใก vs ใๆฐๅณใใก = a repeated pattern across occasions.
- ใใใใซ(ใฏ)Considering X, Y is surprisingly different from expected.
- ใใซใใฆใฏFor an X (category norm), surprisingly Y.
๐ Occasions and Moments โ ใใณใซใปใคใใงใซใปๆไธญใปใใใจใใ
- ใใใณใซEvery time (without fail) thatโฆ โ links a repeated event to a repeated reaction.
- ใใคใใงใซWhile doing X, also doing Y โ X is the main errand, Y a small extra on the same trip.
- ใๆไธญ๏ผใใใกใ ใ๏ผRight in the middle of (an action), usually when something unexpected happens.
- ใใใใจใใBe about to / try to do.
- ใใใใจใใชใWon't even try / refuses to.
Learn JLPT N3 grammar in the free app
Lessons with examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards and timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
Free on iPhone and Android ยท No ads
Frequently asked questions
How many grammar points are in JLPT N3?
The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list. The A Star Japanese JLPT N3 course teaches 54 grammar patterns across 12 lessons, and each one has its own page here.
How should I study JLPT N3 grammar?
Learn one pattern at a time, read the example sentences aloud, then test yourself with practice questions. Comparing patterns that look alike (such as ones that both mean โbecauseโ) helps most.