JLPT N5: Beginner

What does JLPT N5 mean?

N5 is the entry level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, certifying that you can read and understand typical expressions written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and follow short, slowly spoken conversations about familiar everyday topics.

What can you do at JLPT N5?

At JLPT N5 you can typically do the following:

• Read short sentences written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji
• Follow short classroom and everyday conversations spoken slowly
• Introduce yourself, give your age and say where you are from
• Read a simple menu, price tag or shop sign
• Ask for something in a shop using set polite phrases

How long does it take to reach JLPT N5?

Reaching JLPT N5 from a standing start typically takes 325-600 hours, or 250-450 with a kanji-using background.

A learner at this level generally has an active vocabulary of About 800 words and 100 kanji (pre-2010 bands; no official list is published today).

These are guides, not guarantees: prior languages, study intensity and how much you speak all move the number substantially.

How do you practise at JLPT N5?

NativePal generates its content at the level you select, so at JLPT N5 your reading lessons, vocabulary and speaking prompts are pitched here rather than at a generic average.

Reading lessons produce stories written for N5, with every word tappable for a translation and a comprehension quiz at the end. Vocabulary lessons and the spaced-repetition flashcards draw on words appropriate to the level, and Speaking Practice scores your pronunciation on individual sounds, stress and rhythm, fluency and connected speech.

What comes after JLPT N5?

JLPT N4 is the next level up. N4 is the second JLPT level, certifying that you can read passages on familiar everyday topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji, and follow conversations about daily life well enough to grasp the content when they are spoken slowly.