N3 Grammar
160 grammar points across the N3 range. Each point explains the meaning, how to connect it, and how it differs from similar patterns.
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160 points.
Time and sequence
- ～間にwhile ~; during ~ (something happens within the period)
- ～間during ~; all the while ~
- ～出すsuddenly start to ~; burst into ~
- ～ごとにevery ~; at each ~; for each ~
- ～始めるbegin to ~; start ~ing
- ～かけるstart to ~ (but not finish); half ~ed
- ～ながらwhile doing ~
- ～ないうちにbefore ~ happens; while ~ has not yet (happened)
- ～終わるfinish ~ing
- ～際(に)when ~; at the time of ~
- ～最中(に)in the middle of ~
- ～たばかりhave just done; only just
- ～たところwhen I did ~, (I found that ~)
- ～たびにevery time ~; whenever ~
- ～てばかりいるdo nothing but; keep doing (and little else)
- ～てからafter doing ~; since doing ~
- ～ところだbe about to; be in the middle of; have just finished
- ～ところだったalmost did ~; nearly ~
- ～たとたん(に)the moment ~; as soon as ~
- ～ついでにwhile one is at it; taking the opportunity to ~
- ～つつあるbe in the process of ~ing; gradually ~
- ～続けるkeep ~ing; continue to ~
- ～うちにwhile (it is still ~); before it changes; as one goes on ~ing
Condition and supposition
- ～ば～ほどthe more ~, the more ~
- ～ばよかったI should have ~; I wish I had ~
- ～ばif ~; when ~ (conditional)
- ～場合in the case of ~; if ~
- ～ならif it is the case that ~; if you say so ~ (assumption); as for ~
- ～たらいいit would be good if ~; you should ~ (suggestion)
- ～たらif ~; when ~; after ~
- ～てもeven if ~; even though ~; no matter ~
- ～としてもeven if (we suppose that) ~; even as ~
- ～と(条件)if ~; whenever ~; when ~ (always results)
Scope and emphasis
Advice, obligation and request
- ～べきだshould ~; ought to ~
- ～こと(指示)be sure to ~; (written rule or instruction)
- ～な(禁止)don't ~ (rough prohibition)
- ～ないといけないmust ~; have to ~
- ～なければならないmust ~; have to ~
- ～なくてもいいdo not have to ~; need not ~
- ～なくてはいけないmust ~; have to ~
- ～なさい(please) do ~; (gentle command)
- ～たほうがいいit would be better to ~; you had better ~
- ～ていただけませんかwould you be so kind as to ~?
- ～てもかまわないit is all right to ~; I do not mind if ~
- ～てもらえませんかcould you ~ for me?
- ～てはいけないmust not ~; may not ~
Tendency and state
- ～だらけfull of ~; covered with ~
- ～がちtend to ~; apt to ~
- ～がるshow signs of feeling ~; (third person) want to ~
- ～方way of ~ing; how to ~
- ～きるdo completely; do to the end
- ～ままas it is; with ~ left as it is; remaining ~
- ～ものだit is natural that ~; one should ~; used to ~ (nostalgia)
- ～にくいdifficult to ~; hard to ~
- ～っぽい-ish; tending to ~; having the feel of ~
- ～さnoun-forming suffix: -ness; the degree of ~
- ～そうになるalmost ~; be on the verge of ~
- ～すぎるtoo ~; ~ too much
- ～てあるhas been ~ed (and remains so); is ~ed
- ～ていくgo on ~ing; become ~ (from now); go and ~
- ～てくるgo and come back; come to ~; begin to ~
- ～てみるtry ~ing; do and see
- ～ておくdo in advance; do and leave as is
- ～てしまうfinish ~ing; end up ~ing (regret)
- ～的-ic; -al; in terms of ~; ~like
- ～やすいeasy to ~; likely to ~
Judgement and conjecture
- ～だろう / でしょうprobably ~; I suppose ~; right? (seeking agreement)
- ～はずだshould be ~; be expected to ~; must be ~
- ～はずだったwas supposed to ~; should have ~ (but did not)
- ～はずがないcannot be ~; there is no way that ~
- ～かもしれないmay ~; might ~; perhaps ~
- ～気がするI have a feeling that ~; it seems to me ~
- ～みたいだit seems like ~; looks like ~; like ~
- ～に違いないmust be ~; no doubt ~; surely ~
- ～らしい(伝聞・推量)it seems that ~; I hear that ~
- ～らしい(典型)typical of ~; befitting ~; -like
- ～そうだ(様態)looks like ~; seems about to ~
- ～そうだ(伝聞)I hear that ~; they say that ~
- ～そうにないdoes not look like it will ~; unlikely to ~
- ～ということだI hear that ~; that means ~; the point is that ~
- ～と思うI think that ~; I believe ~
- ～とは限らないnot necessarily ~; it is not always the case that ~
- ～わけだno wonder ~; that is why ~; that means ~
- ～わけではないit does not mean that ~; it is not that ~
- ～わけがないthere is no way that ~; cannot be ~
- ～ようだit seems that ~; looks like ~; as if ~
- ～ように(比喩・例示)like ~; as ~; in the same way as ~
Experience and ability
Contrast, comparison and degree
- ～ほどto the extent of ~; as much as ~; not as ~ as
- ～ほうが(比較)~ is more ... (than ~)
- ～くらい / ぐらいabout ~; to the extent of ~; at least ~
- ～ながらもalthough ~; while still ~
- ～に比べてcompared to ~; in comparison with ~
- ～に対してtowards ~; in contrast to ~; regarding ~
- ～のに(逆接)although ~; even though ~; in spite of ~
- ～割にconsidering ~; for ~; (unexpectedly) given ~
Cause and reason
Reasoning and explanation
Passive, causative and honorific
- ～れる/られる(尊敬)(honorific) does ~
- お～になる(honorific) does ~
- お～する(humble) I will do ~ (for you)
- ～(さ)せてくださいplease let me ~
- ～(さ)せていただくI will (humbly) do ~; may I ~
- ～(さ)せられるbe made to ~ (causative-passive)
- ～(さ)せる(使役)make / let someone ~ (causative)
- ～(ら)れる(迷惑の受身)have something unpleasant happen (passive of annoyance)
- ～(ら)れる(受身)be ~ed (passive)
Purpose and intention
- ～ことになるit has been decided that ~; it turns out that ~
- ～ことになっているit is arranged that ~; it is the rule that ~
- ～ことにしているmake it a rule to ~; have decided to (as a habit)
- ～ことにするdecide to ~
- ～のに(用途・必要)for ~ing; in order to ~ (use, need, cost)
- ～ために(目的)in order to ~; for the sake of ~
- ～つもりintend to ~; plan to ~; (did) as if ~
- ～予定be scheduled to ~; plan to ~
- ～ようになるcome to ~; reach the point where ~
- ～ように(目的)so that ~; in order that ~
- ～ようにするmake an effort to ~; try to ~; see to it that ~
- ～ようとするtry to ~; be about to ~