A shift lever system for a vehicle having longitudinal and lateral directions. The shift lever system includes a shift lever pivotable in the longitudinal and lateral directions, a main range shift part for a shift operation between parking P, reverse R, neutral N, and drive D ranges in accordance with a movement of the shift lever along a first line between a first point and a second point, the line being parallel to the longitudinal direction, a forward manual shift part for a shift operation between third 3, second 2, and lock up L ranges in accordance with a movement of the shift lever along a second line between a third point and a fourth point, the second line being parallel to the first line and the first and third points being located on a third line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the second and fourth points being spaced away from the third line in the same longitudinal direction, and a D-3/3-D range shift part for a shift operation between the D and 3 ranges in accordance with a movement of the shift lever along the third line connecting the first point to the third point.