JLPT N3 grammar by function

JLPT N3 Degree, comparison, and emphasis

ほど and くらい express extent, ほど～ない says "not as ... as", and ば～ほど means "the more, the more". さえ, こそ, and 一体 add emphasis, while せいぜい, ずつ, and きり set limits. Learners confuse さえ ("even") with こそ ("precisely this one"), which point in opposite directions.

20 N3 grammar points in this group

ほど (hodo): degree; extent; bounds; upper limit

Use ほど when you want to express the degree or extent of something, or an upper limit.

彼ほど日本語が上手な人はいない。 — There is no one as good at Japanese as him.

ほど～ない (hodo nai): is not as… as

Use ほど～ない when you want to make a comparison showing that something does not reach another's degree.

彼ほど上手ではない。 — I'm not as good as him.

くらい / ぐらい (kurai gurai): about; to the extent of

Use くらい / ぐらい when you want to give an approximate amount or describe degree.

駅まで十分ぐらいかかります。 — It takes about ten minutes to the station.

だけ (dake): as much as ~; to the extent of

Use だけ when you want to express limits, sufficiency, or proportional extent.

私は知っていることを話しただけだ。 — I only spoke about what I know.

ば～ほど (ba hodo): the more… the more

Use ば～ほど when you want to express that as one thing increases, another thing increases or decreases proportionally.

読めば読むほど、面白くなる。 — The more you read, the more interesting it gets.

に比べて (ni kurabete): compared with

Use に比べて when you want to compare one thing with another.

去年に比べて、今年は暑い。 — Compared with last year, this year is hot.

よりも (yorimo): than; rather than

Use よりも when you want to make a comparison with stronger emphasis than simple より.

今日は昨日よりも寒い。 — Today is colder than yesterday.

というより (to iu yori): rather than

Use というより when you want to correct or replace one description with a more accurate one.

彼は怒っているというより、悲しそうだ。 — Rather than angry, he seems sad.

むしろ (mushiro): rather; instead

Use むしろ when you want to say the opposite or a better alternative is more accurate.

忙しいが、むしろ楽しい。 — I am busy, but rather, it is fun.

あまり (amari): so much… that

Use あまり when you want to express that an extreme feeling or state leads to an unexpected result.

驚きのあまり、声も出なかった。 — I was so surprised that I couldn't even speak.

あまりにも (amari ni mo): too much; excessively

Use あまりにも when you want to emphasize that a degree is far beyond normal or expected.

あまりにも高くて、買えなかった。 — It was too expensive, so I couldn't buy it.

なかなか (nakanaka): quite; not easily

Use なかなか when you want to express a high degree or difficulty when used with negatives.

このケーキはなかなかおいしい。 — This cake is quite good.

せいぜい (seizei): at most; at best

Use せいぜい when you want to show the maximum is limited or unimpressive.

歩いても、せいぜい十分ぐらいです。 — Even walking, it is at most about ten minutes.

数量 + は（すうりょう + は） (suuryou wa): at least; as much as

Use 数量 + は（すうりょう + は） when you want to use は after a quantity to imply a minimum or surprisingly large amount.

完成まで三時間はかかります。 — It will take at least three hours to finish.

ずつ (zutsu): each; at a time

Use ずつ when you want to show equal distribution or repeated small amounts.

一人ずつ名前を呼んで下さい。 — Please call the names one person at a time.

きり (kiri): only; just; since

Use きり when you want to limit something to one time, one person, or a state that has continued since then.

彼とは一度会ったきりです。 — I met him only once.

ばかりで (bakari de): only; just; nothing but

Use ばかりで when you want to state that something consists of only one kind of thing or only one action happens.

彼はゲームをしてばかりで、勉強しない。 — He just plays games and doesn't study.

さえ (sae): even; not even

Use さえ when you want to emphasize an extreme example to make the whole statement stronger.

彼は自分の名前さえ書けない。 — He cannot even write his own name.

こそ (koso): precisely; for sure; the very

Use こそ when you want to emphasize the preceding word as the true or important one.

今こそ行動するべきだ。 — Now is precisely the time to act.

一体 (ittai): what on earth; what in the world; emphasis

Use 一体（いったい） when you want to add strong emphasis to questions, expressing surprise, frustration, or disbelief.

いったい何をしているんだ。 — What on earth are you doing.

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