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JLPT N3 Practice Test: Free Online Quiz With Answers

A free N3 practice test with 20 questions: 10 vocabulary, 10 grammar. Answer, then check your score, or open "Show answer" under any question to see the answer and why. No signup.

N3 vocabulary

Choose the word or reading that best fits.

  1. 1.テストの前は、___して勉強する。

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    Answer: 1. 集中

    Correct. 集中する (しゅうちゅうする) means 'to concentrate', a natural collocation with 勉強.

    集中(しゅうちゅう)する is the standard verb for focusing one's attention. The other options are nouns/adverbs that do not describe a study action.

    • 2. 案外: Wrong. 案外 (あんがい) means 'unexpectedly' — an adverb of surprise, not a study activity.
    • 3. 故郷: Wrong. 故郷 (こきょう) means 'hometown' — a noun, cannot take する.
    • 4. 候補: Wrong. 候補 (こうほ) means 'candidate' — does not collocate with 勉強.
  2. 2.お客様の___にこたえる。

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    Answer: 2. 要求

    Correct. 要求 (ようきゅう) means 'demand/request' — what customers make and the business responds to.

    要求(ようきゅう)にこたえる ('respond to a demand') is a fixed expression. Customers issue 要求(ようきゅう); the business meets them.

    • 1. 集中: Wrong. 集中 (しゅうちゅう) means 'concentration' — customers do not make 'concentrations'.
    • 3. 故郷: Wrong. 故郷 (こきょう) means 'hometown' — semantically unrelated.
    • 4. 困難: Wrong. 困難 (こんなん) means 'difficulty' — you respond to demands, not to difficulties (in this phrasing).
  3. 3.私の___は北海道です。

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    Answer: 3. 故郷

    Correct. 故郷 (こきょう) means 'hometown' — 北海道 is the speaker's hometown.

    故郷(こきょう) names the place where one was born or grew up. The pattern 私(わたくし)の故郷(こきょう)は〇〇です is a classic self-introduction line.

    • 1. 要求: Wrong. 要求 means 'demand' — Hokkaido is a place, not a demand.
    • 2. 候補: Wrong. 候補 means 'candidate' — Hokkaido is not a candidate here.
    • 4. 障害: Wrong. 障害 means 'obstacle' — a place cannot be an obstacle in this neutral statement.
  4. 4.テストは難しそうに見えたが、___かんたんだった。

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    Answer: 4. 案外

    Correct. 案外 (あんがい) means 'unexpectedly' — captures the contrast between 難しそう and かんたん.

    案外(あんがい) is an adverb signaling that reality contradicted expectation. The が clause sets up the contrast, and 案外(あんがい) marks the surprise.

    • 1. 詳しく: Wrong. 詳しく (くわしく) means 'in detail' — does not describe surprise at ease.
    • 2. 困難: Wrong. 困難 means 'difficulty'; the sentence says it WAS easy, not difficult.
    • 3. 要求: Wrong. 要求 ('demand') is a noun, not an adverb of surprise.
  5. 5.ボールが当たった___、目をつむった。

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    Answer: 1. 瞬間

    Correct. 瞬間 (しゅんかん) means 'the moment/instant' — fits 〜た瞬間 ('the instant something happened').

    〜た瞬間(しゅんかん) is a fixed N3 pattern: 'the moment X happened'. It marks a near-instantaneous reaction.

    • 2. 候補: Wrong. 候補 means 'candidate' — semantically unrelated to a moment in time.
    • 3. 障害: Wrong. 障害 means 'obstacle' — wrong meaning for a time reference.
    • 4. 故郷: Wrong. 故郷 means 'hometown' — a place, not a time.
  6. 6.先生はこのテーマに___です。

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    Answer: 2. 詳しい

    Correct. 〜に詳しい means 'well-versed in / knowledgeable about', a fixed N3 collocation.

    〜に詳しい(くわしい) is the standard way to say someone is knowledgeable about a topic. Particle に is required.

    • 1. 案外: Wrong. 案外 is an adverb meaning 'unexpectedly'; it cannot end a 〜に___です pattern.
    • 3. 困難: Wrong. 困難 means 'difficult/hardship' — describes the topic, not the teacher's expertise.
    • 4. 障害: Wrong. 障害 means 'obstacle' — not used to describe expertise.
  7. 7.雑誌に写真を___。

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    Answer: 3. 載せる

    Correct. 載せる (のせる) means 'to place on; to publish' — used for putting articles or photos in print media.

    載せる(のせる) has two senses: physical placement and 'publish in print'. With 雑誌(ざっし)に, it means 'put in a magazine'.

    • 1. 抱える: Wrong. 抱える (かかえる) means 'hold under one's arm' — physical action, not publishing.
    • 2. 寄せる: Wrong. 寄せる (よせる) means 'gather/draw near' — does not mean 'publish in'.
    • 4. 継ぐ: Wrong. 継ぐ (つぐ) means 'inherit/succeed' — about taking over, not publishing.
  8. 8.三人の___から一人を選ぶ。

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    Answer: 4. 候補

    Correct. 候補 (こうほ) means 'candidate' — you pick one out of several candidates.

    候補(こうほ) names people or things being considered for selection. 三(さん)人(にん)の候補(こうほ)から選ぶ(えらぶ) is a textbook phrasing.

    • 1. 障害: Wrong. 障害 ('obstacle') is not a thing you select among.
    • 2. 構成: Wrong. 構成 ('composition/structure') is abstract; you don't choose 'one out of three structures' in this context.
    • 3. 困難: Wrong. 困難 ('difficulty') describes a state, not a set of options to choose from.
  9. 9.机を窓のほうに___。

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    Answer: 1. 寄せる

    Correct. 寄せる (よせる) means 'to draw something closer / move toward' — fits 〜のほうに.

    寄せる(よせる) describes moving an object closer to a point — common with 〜のほうに or 〜に.

    • 2. 載せる: Wrong. 載せる means 'place on top of' — does not match 'move toward'.
    • 3. 抱える: Wrong. 抱える means 'hold under arm' — you cannot 抱える a desk in this sense.
    • 4. 継ぐ: Wrong. 継ぐ means 'inherit' — semantically unrelated to moving furniture.
  10. 10.太陽が東から___。

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    Answer: 2. 昇る

    Correct. 昇る (のぼる) means 'to rise (of the sun, smoke, etc.)' — the standard verb.

    昇る(のぼる) is reserved for things that rise upward — sun, moon, smoke, ranks. Note the kanji 昇(のぼる) (different from 登(とう) 'climb stairs').

    • 1. 載る: Wrong. 載る ('be loaded/printed') does not describe the sun's motion.
    • 3. 抱く: Wrong. 抱く (だく) means 'embrace' — unrelated to celestial motion.
    • 4. 延びる: Wrong. 延びる (のびる) means 'be extended/postponed' — describes time or length, not rising.

N3 grammar

Choose the option that correctly fills the blank.

  1. 11.留学する___、まずはしっかりお金を貯めなければならない。

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    Answer: 2. にしても

    にしても means "even if / whether or not," expressing that regardless of the condition, the result holds — "Even if you study abroad, you must first save money." The most tempting wrong choice, にしては, means "considering that / for someone who," used to express surprise at an unexpected result. It requires an established fact as its subject, not a hypothetical plan, making it grammatically mismatched here.

    • 1. にしたら: 「にしたら」means 'from X's perspective / for X' — a viewpoint marker. It doesn't give the concessive 'even if' meaning the sentence needs.
    • 3. にしては: 「にしては」means 'considering X / for X', used with established facts to express surprise (彼(かれ)は新人(しんじん)にしては上手(じょうず)だ). 留学(りゅうがく)する is a hypothetical plan, not a fixed fact, so にしては is grammatically mismatched.
    • 4. にして: 「にして」is an emphatic time/role marker ('at this point in life', 'as a teacher and as a parent'). It does not form a concessive clause.
  2. 12.コーヒー ___ 飲みに 行きませんか。

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    Answer: 1. か何か

    「Nか何か」 = 'N or something'. Casual hedging — opens the offer to coffee or any similar drink.

    「Nか何(なん)か」 = N or something similar. Sister forms: かどこか (place), かだれか (person), かいつか (time).

    • 2. か どこか: 「かどこか」 = 'somewhere or other (place)'. Wrong category.
    • 3. か だれか: 「かだれか」 = 'someone or other (person)'. Wrong category.
    • 4. か いつか: 「かいつか」 = 'at some time or other (time)'. Wrong category.
  3. 13.学校で タバコを 吸っては いけない ___。

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    Answer: 1. ことになっている

    「~ことになっている」 = 'it has been established/decided that ~ (rule, custom)'. Marks an institutional fact.

    「ことになっている」 = rule/custom in place. 「ことにしている」 = personal habit by choice.

    • 2. ことにしている: 「ことにしている」 = 'I make a habit of ~' (personal decision). Different agent.
    • 3. ことがある: 「ことがある」 = 'sometimes ~ / have experienced ~'. Wrong meaning.
    • 4. ことができる: 「ことができる」 = 'be able to ~'. Wrong meaning.
  4. 14.今度 ___ 必ず 勝ちます。

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    Answer: 1. こそ

    「Nこそ」 = 'this time / precisely this' (emphatic). Reinforces the topic with conviction.

    「Nこそ」 emphasizes 'precisely this N (vs others)'. Often paired with strong intent/promise.

    • 2. だけ: 「だけ」 = 'only', restrictive — different focus.
    • 3. でも: 「でも」 = 'or something / even', different nuance.
    • 4. さえ: 「さえ」 = 'even (extreme example)', different focus.
  5. 15.先生の ___、試験に 合格しました。

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    Answer: 1. おかげで

    「Nのおかげで」 = 'thanks to N (positive cause)'. Acknowledges beneficial help.

    「おかげで」 = grateful 'thanks to'. 「せいで」 = blameful 'because of'. Same slot, opposite polarity.

    • 2. せいで: 「せいで」 = 'because of (negative)'. Wrong polarity — passing the exam is positive.
    • 3. ために: 「ために」 = 'for / because of', neutral — but 「おかげで」 specifically marks gratitude.
    • 4. ように: 「ように」 = 'so that / like', wrong function.
  6. 16.彼とは 五年前に 会った ___ だ。

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    Answer: 1. きり

    「Vた + きり」 = 'last time was ~ and nothing since'. Implies no follow-up since the marked event.

    「Vた + きり」 = 'have not done anything since V-ing'. Implies an unbroken state of inaction.

    • 2. ばかり: 「ばかり」 = 'just (recently)', different aspect.
    • 3. ところ: 「ところ」 = 'just / about to', different aspect.
    • 4. だけ: 「だけ」 = 'only', restrictive but lacks the 'and never since' nuance.
  7. 17.そんなに 心配する ___。

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    Answer: 1. ことはない

    「Vる + ことはない」 = 'no need to V / there's no reason to V'. Reassurance.

    「Vる + ことはない」 = no need / no point in V-ing. Used as reassurance.

    • 2. ことがない: 「ことがない」 = 'have never ~' (experience). Wrong meaning.
    • 3. ことができない: 「ことができない」 = 'cannot ~'. Wrong meaning.
    • 4. はずがない: 「はずがない」 = 'no way that ~' (denial), not 'no need'.
  8. 18.雨の 日は 電車が 遅れ ___ だ。

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    Answer: 1. がち

    「Vます-stem / N + がち」 = 'tend to ~ (often negatively)'. 遅れがち = 'tends to be late'.

    「がち」 = tendency (usually unfavorable). 病気(びょうき)がち = sickly; 忘れ(わすれ)がち = forgetful.

    • 2. こそ: 「こそ」 emphasizes ('precisely ~'), wrong meaning.
    • 3. だけ: 「だけ」 = 'only', wrong meaning.
    • 4. ばかり: 「ばかり」 = 'nothing but', wrong nuance.
  9. 19.三十キロを 走り ___ た。

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    Answer: 1. きっ

    「Vます-stem + きる」 = 'do completely / finish doing'. 走りきる = 'run all the way through (to the end)'.

    「Vます-stem + きる」 = thorough completion. 使い(つかい)きる = use up entirely; 食べ(たべ)きる = eat it all.

    • 2. はじめ: 「はじめる」 = 'start', wrong aspect.
    • 3. だし: 「だす」 = 'start (suddenly)', wrong aspect.
    • 4. つづけ: 「つづける」 = 'continue', doesn't capture completion to the end.
  10. 20.事故が 多い ___ この 道路は 危険だと 言われている。

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    Answer: 1. ことから

    「~ことから」 = 'from the fact that ~ / based on ~'. Reasoning from observed evidence to a conclusion.

    「ことから」 = evidence-based reasoning (from the fact that). Common in formal/written reasoning.

    • 2. ことに: 「ことに」 = 'to my (emotion) ~' (e.g., 残念なことに). Wrong meaning.
    • 3. ように: 「ように」 = 'so that / like', wrong function.
    • 4. ばかりに: 「ばかりに」 = 'simply because (with bad outcome)'. Wrong direction.

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About this N3 practice test

These are original N3-level practice questions, in the style of the JLPT but not real or past exam questions. Each answer has a written explanation, and so does every wrong option, so you can see why a distractor fails. Questions last reviewed 2026-10-11.