Japanese grammar

Japanese grammar N3: 170 patterns on the JLPT framework

All 170 grammar patterns at N3 level (estimated on the JLPT framework) on GoMe. Open a pattern to see its structure, meaning, example sentences with furigana and common mistakes.

～うちにwhile (a state still lasts); before (the situation changes)
～あいだにwhile ~ is ongoing, another action occurs/completes
～たびにevery time ~; whenever ~ (repeated whenever A occurs)
～ところだabout to / in the middle of / just finished doing ~ (depending on verb form)
～ところにjust at the moment when ~ (interrupted by another event)
～さいちゅうにright in the middle of ~ing, something else happens
～ていらいever since (a past point in time) until now
～につれてas A gradually changes, B changes along with it
～にしたがって(1) as A changes gradually, so does B; (2) in accordance with rules/instructions
～とおりにjust as; in accordance with (what was said/thought/done/planned)
～ままwhile remaining in the state of ~; leaving something unchanged
～っぱなしleaving ~ as is without dealing with it (criticism); continuously remaining in a state
～きりonly ~ (sole limit); ever since (no further occurrence)
～ことにするdecide to ~ (personal decision)
～ことになるit has been decided that ~; it turns out that ~ (external decision / outcome)
～ようにするmake a conscious effort to do / not do ~ (aiming for a habit)
～ようになるcome to be able to ~; gradually develop into ~
～ようとするabout to do ~; trying to do ~
～わけだno wonder; that explains why; turns out that ~ (logical conclusion from facts)
～わけではないit does not mean that ~; not necessarily ~ (partial negation)
～わけがないthere is no way that ~; impossible that ~ (emphatic denial of possibility)
～はずだshould be ~; ought to be ~; bound to ~ (based on expectations/evidence)
～はずがないthere is no way that ~; cannot be ~ (against all reason)
～べきだshould; ought to (moral obligation / standard)
～ことはないno need to ~; there is no reason to ~
～てもeven if ~ (contrary to expectation)
たとえ～てもeven if ~; no matter if ~ (extreme hypothesis)
～ば～ほどthe more A, the more B (proportional change)
～ほどto the extent of (degree); or nothing compares to N (negative comparison)
～くらいto the extent of ~ (degree / minimum baseline); approximately ~ (estimated quantity)
～にちがいないmust be ~; definitely ~ (strong deduction based on evidence)
～らしいseem like / I hear that (external deduction); or Nらしい = typical of N / truly N-like
～おそれがあるthere is a risk/fear that ~ (undesirable outcome)
～にたいしてtowards (attitude); or in contrast to (contrasting two sides)
～についてabout (a topic); regarding; concerning
～によるとaccording to (source of information, someone's words)
～をつうじてthrough (medium/intermediary); throughout (time span/scope)
～にとってfor ~; to ~ (from the perspective / standpoint of evaluation)
～さえeven (extreme example); or with ～ば: if only ~, that is enough
～こそprecisely; especially; indeed (emphatic focus on that specific thing)
～とても～ないcannot possibly ~; simply cannot ~
～て初めてonly after doing ~ does one realize / for the first time ~
～は～で有名famous for ~; known for ~
N+を始めstarting with ~; representing ~; such as ~
～的-like; -tic; -ish; of the nature of; concerning
～は～くらいですthe degree is only about ~; to the extent of ~
～さえ～ばif only ~; as long as ~
～としたらif we assume that ~; supposing that ~
～たものだused to ~ (past recollection); how ~! (deep emotion)
～たてfreshly ~; just finished ~
～には～の～があるhas its own ~ for ~; there is a unique ~ to ~
～っぽい-ish; seeming like; prone to ~; full of ~
～に関するrelated to; concerning; regarding (prenominal)
～まいwill not; probably not
～ふりpretending; acting as if
～おかげでthanks to ~; owing to ~ (positive outcome)
～になれるget used to ~; become accustomed to ~
～ずwithout doing ~; not ~ing
～代わりin exchange for; in return; on the other hand
～としてas; in the role/capacity of
～がちtend to ~; prone to ~; often ~
～限る~ is best; nothing beats ~; limited to ~
～とともにtogether with; along with; at the same time as
～すぎないnothing more than; merely; just
～おいてat; in (a field, place, or situation)
～げlooking ~; seeming ~; with an air of ~
～つもりでwith the intention of ~; as if ~; assuming that ~
～。その上、～furthermore, in addition; on top of that (adding aligned points)
～（よ）うとするattempt to ~; be about to ~ (ta form: attempted but failed)
～かけ／～かけるhalf-finished; in the middle of ~ing; just started to ~
～かなあI wonder if… (soliloquy / wondering to oneself)
～ないでwithout doing A (do B); please do not ~
～から～にかけてfrom ~ through ~; from ~ to ~ (approximate range)
～かわりにinstead of ~; in return for ~; on the other hand
～くせにeven though…; and yet… (blame, reproach, contempt)
～くらい～はないnothing/no one is as ~ as… (superlative comparison)
～こと (nominalization)the act of ~; the fact that ~ (nominalizes clauses)
～ことだshould…; the important thing is to… (advice/recommendation)
～ことにしているmake it a rule/habit to ~
～ことになっているit is expected/scheduled that ~; by rule ~
～ことは～がit is true that ~, but…; although…
～さ (nominalizing adjectives)the degree of ~, the ~ness (nominalizes adjectives)
～しかないhave no choice but to ~; only ~
少しも～ないnot… in the slightest; not… at all; not a bit
～ずにwithout doing ~ (written form of ないで)
～せいでbecause of ~; owing to ~ (negative outcome / blame)
～（さ）せてくださいplease allow me to ~; please let me ~
～。そのために、～for that purpose; as a result of that (conjunction)
～。その結果、～as a result… (following a process)
～。それと、～and also…; furthermore (addition in conversation)
～？それとも～？…or…? (choosing between two options)
～だけしか～ないonly ~ (emphasizing scarcity/exclusivity)
だけどbut, however… (casual, sentence-initial)
～たところwhen (I did A), (discovered B)
～たとたん（に）the moment ~; as soon as ~
～んだもの／～んだもんbecause… (justification, pouty/whiny)
～ちゃった／～じゃったended up ~ing; accidentally ~ (contracted form of てしまった)
～ついでにwhile doing A, taking the opportunity to do B
～っけ？was it ~ again?; right? (trying to recall something)
～でいっぱいfull of ~; packed with ~; filled with ~
～。つまり、～in other words…; that is to say…; namely…
～てくれとask/tell (someone) to please do ~ (quoted request)
～てごらんtry ~ing (superior to subordinate)
～ですからbecause…; therefore… (giving a reason, polite)
～てほしいwant someone to do ~
～といいなあI hope…; I wish…
～という＋Ncalled ~; named ~; the ~ that is (introducing name or content)
～ということだI hear that ~; it means that ~ (hearsay or conclusion)
～というとspeaking of ~; when you mention ~ (immediate association)
～というのだ／～というんだthey say that…; turns out that… (emphatic hearsay)
～というのは~ means that…; the meaning of ~ is (definition / explanation)
～というよりrather than ~; more like ~ than ~
～といってもalthough one says that ~, in reality…; even though ~
～とおり（に）just as…; according to…
～とく／～どくdo in advance… (casual contraction of ておく)
～。ところが、～however; but surprisingly (unexpected result)
ところでby the way; incidentally… (changing topic)
どんなに～ことかhow much…!; so very…! (exclamation of degree)
どんなに～てもno matter how much ~; however much ~
～ないとmust…; have to… (contraction of ないといけない)
なぜなら～からthe reason is because…; that is because…
～など~ and so on; such things as ~ (non-exhaustive listing)
～なんか／～なんてsuch a thing as ~; things like ~ (casual, belittling/dismissive)
～においてat…; in…; in terms of… (formal/written)
～にかわってon behalf of ~; in place of ~
～にしてはfor ~; considering that ~ (unexpectedly)
～にしてもeven if ~; even granting that ~
～によってby means of…; depending on…; due to… (various meanings)
～によれば／～によるとaccording to… (citing information source)
～に対してtowards…; in contrast to… (target or contrast)
～に比べてcompared to/with ~
～に関してregarding…; concerning… (formal/written)
AのB (particle の)A's B; B of A (possession, attribute, relationship)
～ばかりonly…; nothing but…; just finished…
～ばかりか～もnot only… but also…
～ば～のにif only ~ had happened, then ~ (regret over an unfulfilled past)
～はもちろん～もnot to mention ~; ~ of course, but also ~
～ばよかったshould have ~ed; wish I had ~ed
～ふりをするto pretend to ~; to act as if ~
～ますようにI pray that…; may… (wishing/hoping)
まったく～ないnot at all…; completely not…
～までuntil…; up to…
まるで～ようだjust like…; as if…
～てみるtry doing ~ (to see what happens)
～みたいだlooks like…; seems like… (casual)
めったに～ないrarely…; seldom…; hardly ever…
～ことはめったにないit rarely happens that ~; ~ seldom occurs
もしかすると～かもしれないmaybe…; perhaps…; might…
もし～たならif (hypothetically) ~ had happened, then ~
もし～てもeven if ~; even supposing ~
もしも～ならif, supposing that…; if by any chance…
～（よ）うとしないrefuse to ~; make no attempt to ~; have no intention of ~ing
～（よ）うと思うplan to ~; intend to ~
～ように (purpose)in order to…; so that… (purpose/goal)
～ように。(sentence-ending reminder)make sure to…; please remember to… (sentence-ending reminder)
～ように (as, in the manner of)like…; as…; in the manner of… (comparison, manner)
～ようにする／～ようにしましょうtry to ~; build the habit of ~
～ようになったhave come to… (gradually developed an ability or habit)
～ように言うtell (someone) to ~ (reporting an instruction)
～（ら）れた (passive form)was/were ~ed (passive form, past tense)
～ている (resulting state)is ~ing; remains in the state of having ~ed
～わけにはいかないcannot ~ (due to social/moral reasons or circumstance)
～わりに（は）considering ~; for ~ (unexpectedly)
～んだってI hear that…; they say that… (casual hearsay)
～んだもんbecause… (excuse, childish/petulant)
～上げる（Vます形＋あげる）finish ~ completely; thoroughly complete ~
～切れないtoo much/many to finish ~ing; cannot ~ completely
必ずしも～とは限らないnot necessarily…; not always…
～最中にright in the middle of ~ing, then ~
決して～ないby no means…; never…; definitely not…