The Official JLPT N3 Practice Workbook

The Official JLPT N3 Practice Workbook post image

The N3 has always been a strange test. It is halfway between N4 and N2 and while the N2 and N4 had old tests that you could practice with to get an idea of what level those tests are, N3 does not. It is a new level of the test created in 2010 to help students bridge the gap between the N4 and N2.

This gap is pretty big too. The difference between N4 and N2, in my opinion, is that N2 and above really test your language skills. At the higher levels, you can’t just study a lot of vocabulary, kanji, and grammar and expect to pass easily. You need to really practice reading and listening for comprehension.

N3 does a decent job of helping you step up to this next level. Although, you will have to change a lot about how you study in order to really make the jump.

JLPT N3 Official Workbook

Take it, I dare you.

How the Practice Workbook Can Help

The JEES released practice workbooks for you to practice with before you go and take the real thing. These can help you get a good idea of the level of the test, especially since a lot of people don’t really know the level (even textbook makers). But, the practice workbooks are made up of previous test questions, so they should, in theory, be the same level as the test.

The one downside is that these workbooks don’t offer any explanations of the answers or any test strategies. So, if you need a little more help, you might want to pick up a practice test as well. This is especially true if you are a self-learner and don’t have a tutor to go over these questions with. I think one of the best things about taking a test is that you can discover and learn from your mistakes.

If you don’t have time to go through this entire workbook, I still have the older, but shorter JLPT N3 Practice Test available that you can use as well.

If you are taking the N4, I also have the JLPT N4 Practice Workbook available, as well as the JLPT N5 Practice Workbook for those taking the N5, too.

Here’s the Goods

Here is the giant wad of stuff:

JLPT N3 WorkBook Pack (zip/42.24MB)

Again, I separated out the 4 large audio files into separate CD tracks for each question, so that it is a lot easier to review. I even included the muzak break!

If you love downloading things separately, here are all the files:

JLPT N3 Answer Sheet (pdf/690.03kb)

JLPT N3 Answers (pdf/132.2KB)

JLPT N3 Grammar Section (pdf/1.39MB)

JLPT N3 Listening Section (pdf/1.41MB)

JLPT N3 Listening MP3s (zip/37.23MB)

JLPT N3 Listening Script (pdf/339.47KB)

JLPT N3 Reading Section (pdf/1,013KB)

JLPT N3 Vocabulary Section (pdf/1.09MB)

If you are pressed for time, the much shorter older JLPT N3 Practice Test is also still available.

Also, if you prefer a hard copy, so that you can doodle on it and take notes, you can pick up the printed copy of the Official JLPT N3 Workbook here.

What you are Standing Around here for?

Go forth and take this practice test, practice workbook thingy. Download it and give it a whirl, you really don’t have anything to lose. Let me know how you did in the comments.

{ 33 comments… add one }
  • Isaura February 14, 2013, 6:42 am

    Thank you very much!:)) N2 practice test is not available?

    • Clayton MacKnight February 17, 2013, 5:09 am

      I’ll post my version with notes in it for N2, but you can get the ‘clean’ version at the official site:

      https://jlpt.jp/e/samples/sample12.html

      They’ve hidden it pretty well, but it is there. Unfortunately, I might not be able to make notes on the N2 and N1 versions due to some copyright restrictions.

      • Yogee September 13, 2019, 1:41 am

        Thanks you

  • Hilary February 16, 2013, 12:15 am

    Thank you!

    • Clayton MacKnight February 17, 2013, 5:12 am

      np, I’m glad they make these things available. They are a big help.

  • Calum March 5, 2013, 1:48 am

    Hi there, thank you for this! I have just stumbled upon your site while checking out info for JLPT N3 as I have just returned to uni study using Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese. While I think now, my level isn’t there it’s good to use the resources here to help assist me passing.

    Thanks again, and keep up the great work!

  • Ryuu June 11, 2013, 1:04 pm

    Definitely loving this site. I really appreciate the materials you’re providing and interesting blog entries.

    I was just wondering, I’m about to sit N4 and want to get a head start on N3 (as I’m feeling pretty good for N4)
    Do you have any preferred textbook recommendations?

    Keep up the good work. I’ll definitely be visiting more often 🙂

    • Clayton MacKnight June 14, 2013, 3:10 pm

      N3 is such a weird test, textbook makers are still a little unsure what is covered at that level.

      It really depends on your weaknesses, but I recommend the Kanzen Master series for N3+. The grammar, reading, and listening books are worth every penny (I would almost pay double for them to be honest). The So-Matome series are an easy guide and aren’t as brutal as the Kanzen Master series though. They have more English and clearer, step by step exercises, but are, in general, easier than the test.

      Vocabulary and Kanji can easily be picked up from Anki/SRS work and just doing some good old fashion reading, which at the N3 level, it is time to start looking into some native books.

  • Rabbi June 22, 2013, 5:14 pm

    Thank you very much for your goods. It’s very useful for myself at this time when the text nearly coming.

  • Chiara July 26, 2013, 7:25 am

    Hi Clayton.
    I can’t open the .zip; it says is damaged. 🙁

    • Clayton MacKnight July 30, 2013, 3:16 pm

      Sorry for this late reply, but I just got done double checking the file. It seems to be okay on the server so maybe something got messed up when you downloaded it?

  • Martinrosem November 30, 2013, 3:26 am

    Thanks a lot for this! The exam’s tomorrow and I was looking for something to ease my nerves. This is all I need! (I think! :P)

    • Clayton MacKnight December 2, 2013, 11:04 pm

      No problem. I hope you did well in the test!

      • Martinrosem February 20, 2014, 2:07 am

        Hey! I want to thank you again! I did very well on the exam and decided to gun for N2 in December. I know I’m going to have to work a lot harder for that level, and this site really is a big help. Keep up the good work! 🙂

  • thaekokooo February 15, 2014, 2:32 pm

    thank a million

  • kyungy February 18, 2014, 10:40 am

    THANKS A BILLION! You know it isn’t easy acquiring copies of good jlpt practice materials if it isn’t for living in Japan yourself. I’ll make sure I make the most out of this. Thanks again!

  • diwakar singh February 22, 2014, 2:59 pm

    i want to speak japanese i’m in n3 demo watasi no hanasikatta wa totemo waruii desu kara nanika osiyete kudasai

  • ram March 26, 2014, 12:01 pm

    very very good

  • Joyce May 7, 2014, 8:14 am

    I’m really glad that I stumbled upon your site. This will really help me in studying (especially that I’m really desperate to pass this time) . Keep it up and again, THANK YOU

  • RayShuri September 1, 2014, 7:35 am

    Thanks alot for the materials , will be using it these 3 months earnestly to pass the december test !

  • Narendra October 7, 2014, 2:53 am

    need some tricks to pass the N3 exam

    • Clayton MacKnight October 8, 2014, 1:57 pm

      For N3, I think it is really important to do a lot of reading to prep yourself, and get used to reading at a good speed.

  • Zack January 15, 2015, 8:08 am

    Dude, you are the best.. 🙂

  • Indah April 20, 2016, 7:10 am

    Thanks a lot!!! I downloaded the N5~N3 !!! Really really thank you!!! ^^

  • yinyinlay October 7, 2016, 3:37 am

    Good

  • nyinyikyaw September 14, 2017, 3:46 am

    Really really thank …
    Made me big help, thanks

  • Haruki May 6, 2018, 9:06 am

    Thanks a million

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