JLPT N3 key terms

The knowledge or skill a person gains by actually doing or living through something rather than by studying it. N3 items often use it with する as 経験する, or in phrases about having little experience.

To talk over a problem or decision with someone in order to get advice or reach agreement. The person consulted takes に: 先生に相談する. Common in N3 passages about school, family, and work troubles.

Getting things or yourself ready before something happens, such as a trip, a test, or a meeting. Used as a noun and with する: 準備する. It is close to 用意, which leans more toward concrete supplies.

A piece of business or an errand a person has to do, often used as a polite reason for leaving early or for missing a gathering. 急な用事 means an unexpected errand.

How well a time or situation suits someone's schedule or convenience. 都合がいい means the timing works, and ご都合はいかがですか politely asks when someone is free.

A plan for what will happen at a future time, or the act of planning it. 予定です states a scheduled expectation, while 予定でした refers to a plan that had been made earlier.

An invitation to an event such as a party or a wedding, or the act of inviting someone. The verb is 招待する, and the guest takes を. Passages often mention accepting or turning down an invitation.

Holding back from doing something out of politeness or consideration for others, such as not taking the last piece of food. In signs and announcements, ご遠慮ください means 'please refrain from'.

Putting up with something difficult or unpleasant without complaining or giving in, such as pain, noise, or a strong desire. The verb is 我慢する. Passages often show a character enduring a hard situation quietly.

To become used to a new place, person, or way of doing something over time. It takes に: 新しい生活に慣れる. The transitive partner 慣らす means to make someone or something used to something.

To arrive or finish in time for a deadline, train, or appointment. It takes に before the time or event: 会議に間に合う. The negative 間に合わない appears often in listening tasks about being late.

To say no to an offer, invitation, or request, usually in a polite way. It can also mean to ask permission beforehand, as in 断ってから入る. The polite form お断りします appears on signs.

To say good things about someone's work, appearance, or behaviour so that they feel pleased. The person praised takes を: 先生が生徒を褒めた. It is often contrasted with 叱る, to scold.

To say sorry for a mistake or for causing trouble. It can stand alone or take に for the person apologised to: 友達に謝る. Do not confuse it with 感謝する, which expresses gratitude rather than regret.

To look at two or more things side by side in order to see how they are similar or different. It takes と or に. The phrase ～に比べて, meaning 'compared with', is common in readings.

To make something fall, or to lose something without meaning to, such as a wallet or a key. It is transitive, so the thing dropped takes を. The intransitive partner is 落ちる.

To pick up something lying on the ground or something another person has dropped. It pairs naturally with 落とす in N3 questions: one person drops a wallet, another picks it up and hands it in.

Suddenly, or with no warning. It describes a change that happens quickly and unexpectedly, as in 急に雨が降ってきた. The similar 突然 is more written in style and suits abrupt events.

Gradually, or little by little over a period of time. It describes slow, steady change, as in だんだん暖かくなる. Learners often confuse it with 急に; the slow-versus-sudden contrast is a common listening point.

With a negative verb it means something does not happen easily or takes longer than expected: バスがなかなか来ない. With an affirmative verb it means 'quite' or 'considerably', often showing mild admiration: なかなか上手だ.

Used with a request or invitation to show strong hope that something will happen: ぜひ遊びに来てください. It adds enthusiasm rather than obligation, and often appears in listening when one speaker invites another.

A phrase meaning 'thanks to' or 'because of', used when a good result is owed to someone or something. The parallel ～せいで introduces a bad result, and N3 questions often test the choice.

A conjunction that changes the subject in a conversation, roughly 'by the way'. It signals a new topic rather than a conclusion. Listening dialogues often use it just before the question the task asks about.

Used to introduce one example of a larger group, meaning 'for example'. It usually comes before a concrete instance that explains the previous statement. In reading, the sentence after it often supports the sentence before.

A particle meaning 'only' or 'just'. It can suggest that something is done too much: 遊んでばかりいる. Attached to a past-tense verb it means something has just happened: 来たばかりだ.

A pattern attached to a verb stem meaning 'while doing', when the same person does two things at once: 音楽を聞きながら勉強する. The main action comes second, and both actions must share one subject.

A conjunction meaning 'because', used to give a reason. It sounds softer and more objective than から, so it suits polite explanations: 用事があるので行けません. Before it, verbs take the plain form and nouns take な.

A conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though', used when the result is surprising or disappointing given the first clause: 一生懸命勉強したのに合格できなかった. It can also end a sentence to express regret or complaint.

A pattern added to a verb's て-form to show an action is finished completely, or that something happened which the speaker regrets: ケーキを全部食べてしまった. In casual speech it often contracts to ～ちゃう.

A pattern meaning to do something in advance so that a later situation goes smoothly: ホテルを予約しておく. It focuses on preparation rather than the action itself, and appears often in passages about planning.

A pattern that reports information heard from others, or says something strongly shows a category's typical qualities: 雨が降るらしい, 子どもらしい. Unlike ～ようだ, it suggests second-hand information or a typical impression rather than direct observation.

A pattern meaning 'should be' or 'is supposed to be', used when the speaker reasons from known facts and expects a result: 彼はもう着いているはずだ. The negative ～はずがない expresses strong disbelief.

A pattern meaning to decide on something by one's own choice: 毎朝走ることにした. Compare ～ことになる, which describes a decision reached by a group or by circumstances rather than by personal will.

A very polite request meaning 'could you possibly do something for me?'. It is softer than ～てください and suits strangers, shop staff, or superiors. Listening tasks often ask what the speaker wants done.

In conversation, ちょっと followed by silence or a vague ending often works as a soft refusal or a way to avoid saying something negative: 今日はちょっと…. It can also simply mean 'a little', so context decides.

An ending used to introduce a topic, ask for help, or prepare the listener for a request: 道が分からないんですが. It makes the statement sound explanatory and soft, and often comes just before a question in dialogues.

A filler used to get attention or to hold the floor while thinking, especially before asking a stranger a favour. ええと is similar but mostly fills a pause while choosing words. Ignoring fillers can make listening tasks harder.