JLPT N3 cheat sheet

Kanji compounds in N3 often combine on-yomi for Sino-Japanese words (経済, 資料) and kun-yomi for native words (花, 空); context determines the reading.

Transitive/intransitive pairs include 開く/開ける, 閉まる/閉める, 落ちる/落とす, 入る/入れる; the transitive verb typically takes を and an agent.

Counters: 〜冊 for bound volumes (本, ノート), 〜枚 for flat items (紙, 切符), 〜台 for machines/vehicles (車, パソコン), 〜人 for people.

〜的 attaches to nouns to form na-adjectives: 経済的 (economic), 具体的 (concrete), 積極的 (proactive).

Prefixes お and ご add politeness: お with many native words (お茶, お金), ご with many Sino-Japanese words (ご飯, ご説明); some combinations are fixed.

Onomatopoeia often functions as adverbs: ぐっすり (sleep soundly), ぺらぺら (fluent), どんどん (rapidly), そろそろ (soon/gradually).

Masu-stem + 〜始める/〜続ける/〜終わる expresses begin/continue/finish: 降り始める, 読み続ける, 食べ終わる.

Similar pairs: 直す (fix/repair) vs 治す (cure); 聞く (hear/ask) vs 聴く (listen attentively); 見る (see) vs 観る (watch a performance).

Katakana loanwords are often shortened: パソコン (personal computer), エアコン (air conditioner), コンビニ (convenience store), デパート (department store).

Conditionals: と = automatic/natural consequence; ば = general hypothetical; たら = completed condition or 'when/after'; なら = topic-based condition ('if it's about X').

〜ている = ongoing action or resultant state; 〜てある = intentional resultant state, often with が (窓が開けてある); 〜ておく = do in advance.

Giving/receiving: あげる (giver→other), くれる (other→me/my group), もらう (I receive); 〜てあげる/〜てくれる/〜てもらう add benefactive meaning.

Passive: godan u→a + れる; ichidan stem + られる; する→される; 来る→来られる. The receiver becomes subject and often takes は/が.

Causative: godan u→a + せる; ichidan stem + させる; する→させる; 来る→来させる. Meaning 'make/let someone do'; the causee often takes を or に.

Relative clauses use plain form directly before a noun: 昨日買った本, 駅に近い店. No relative pronoun is inserted.

Reason markers: 〜ので is objective/polite; 〜から is subjective/personal; 〜のに means 'despite/although' and signals contrast.

Reading discourse markers: しかし/ところが contrast; つまり/すなわち paraphrase; たとえば example; したがって conclusion.

Politeness decision rule: plain form for casual/inner speech, です/ます for polite conversation, ございます for service or highly formal contexts.

Task types: point comprehension asks for one detail (time, place, reason); overview asks for the main idea; verbal expressions test appropriate responses.

Question words guide listening: いつ (when), どこ (where), だれ (who), なぜ/どうして (why), いくつ (how many), どちら (which).

Directions: まっすぐ, 右/左, 角を曲がる, 二つ目の信号, 向かい側. Route questions often include a correction cue.

Permission/prohibition/obligation: 〜てもいい (may), 〜てはいけません (must not), 〜なくてもいい (need not), 〜なければなりません (must).

Requests: 〜てください (please), 〜ていただけませんか (could you please, polite), 〜てもらえますか (can you do for me).

〜んです/のです explains or asks for explanation: どうしたんですか, 頭が痛いんです. It often introduces the key reason in a dialogue.

Correction cues: いや, じゃなくて, そうではなくて signal that earlier information is being replaced; the later statement is usually the answer.

Numbers and counters in listening: 〜階 (floor), 〜番 (number), 〜円 (yen), 〜分 (minutes), 〜人 (people); sound changes occur (いっかい, さんがい).

Common distractors: the speaker mentions two options and then chooses the second after やっぱり or じゃあ; track the final decision.

Kanji compounds in N3 often combine on-yomi for Sino-Japanese words (経済, 資料) and kun-yomi for native words (花, 空); context determines the reading.

Transitive/intransitive pairs include 開く/開ける, 閉まる/閉める, 落ちる/落とす, 入る/入れる; the transitive verb typically takes を and an agent.

Counters: 〜冊 for bound volumes (本, ノート), 〜枚 for flat items (紙, 切符), 〜台 for machines/vehicles (車, パソコン), 〜人 for people.

〜的 attaches to nouns to form na-adjectives: 経済的 (economic), 具体的 (concrete), 積極的 (proactive).

Prefixes お and ご add politeness: お with many native words (お茶, お金), ご with many Sino-Japanese words (ご飯, ご説明); some combinations are fixed.

Onomatopoeia often functions as adverbs: ぐっすり (sleep soundly), ぺらぺら (fluent), どんどん (rapidly), そろそろ (soon/gradually).

Masu-stem + 〜始める/〜続ける/〜終わる expresses begin/continue/finish: 降り始める, 読み続ける, 食べ終わる.

Similar pairs: 直す (fix/repair) vs 治す (cure); 聞く (hear/ask) vs 聴く (listen attentively); 見る (see) vs 観る (watch a performance).

Katakana loanwords are often shortened: パソコン (personal computer), エアコン (air conditioner), コンビニ (convenience store), デパート (department store).

Conditionals: と = automatic/natural consequence; ば = general hypothetical; たら = completed condition or 'when/after'; なら = topic-based condition ('if it's about X').

〜ている = ongoing action or resultant state; 〜てある = intentional resultant state, often with が (窓が開けてある); 〜ておく = do in advance.

Giving/receiving: あげる (giver→other), くれる (other→me/my group), もらう (I receive); 〜てあげる/〜てくれる/〜てもらう add benefactive meaning.

Passive: godan u→a + れる; ichidan stem + られる; する→される; 来る→来られる. The receiver becomes subject and often takes は/が.

Causative: godan u→a + せる; ichidan stem + させる; する→させる; 来る→来させる. Meaning 'make/let someone do'; the causee often takes を or に.

Relative clauses use plain form directly before a noun: 昨日買った本, 駅に近い店. No relative pronoun is inserted.

Reason markers: 〜ので is objective/polite; 〜から is subjective/personal; 〜のに means 'despite/although' and signals contrast.

Reading discourse markers: しかし/ところが contrast; つまり/すなわち paraphrase; たとえば example; したがって conclusion.

Politeness decision rule: plain form for casual/inner speech, です/ます for polite conversation, ございます for service or highly formal contexts.

Task types: point comprehension asks for one detail (time, place, reason); overview asks for the main idea; verbal expressions test appropriate responses.

Question words guide listening: いつ (when), どこ (where), だれ (who), なぜ/どうして (why), いくつ (how many), どちら (which).

Directions: まっすぐ, 右/左, 角を曲がる, 二つ目の信号, 向かい側. Route questions often include a correction cue.

Permission/prohibition/obligation: 〜てもいい (may), 〜てはいけません (must not), 〜なくてもいい (need not), 〜なければなりません (must).

Requests: 〜てください (please), 〜ていただけませんか (could you please, polite), 〜てもらえますか (can you do for me).

〜んです/のです explains or asks for explanation: どうしたんですか, 頭が痛いんです. It often introduces the key reason in a dialogue.

Correction cues: いや, じゃなくて, そうではなくて signal that earlier information is being replaced; the later statement is usually the answer.

Numbers and counters in listening: 〜階 (floor), 〜番 (number), 〜円 (yen), 〜分 (minutes), 〜人 (people); sound changes occur (いっかい, さんがい).

Common distractors: the speaker mentions two options and then chooses the second after やっぱり or じゃあ; track the final decision.