Topic marker は
私は学生です。
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
は marks the topic.
JLPT N5
N5 is the first official step. But kana is the real starting line.
JLPT N5 gives beginners a clear first target: read simple Japanese, understand basic grammar, recognize common words, and follow short everyday phrases. Nihongo.co.jp connects N5 study to real life.
N5 is a test level, but your goal should be bigger: read simple Japanese, ask basic questions, understand short phrases, and begin functioning in Japan.
N5 rule: Do not rush past the foundation. Weak kana makes every later level harder.
Before N5
Master kana first.
N5 assumes you can read hiragana and katakana. If kana is slow, every N5 question becomes harder. Start with the sounds, then build words, phrases, grammar, and reading.
Say each row out loud. Japanese begins with sound.
あa
いi
うu
えe
おo
かka
きki
くku
けke
こko
さsa
しshi
すsu
せse
そso
たta
ちchi
つtsu
てte
とto
なna
にni
ぬnu
ねne
のno
N5 foundation:
kana first, then words, then grammar, then reading and listening.
N5 map
What JLPT N5 really covers
N5 is the beginner level, but it is still a real test. You need reading speed, basic grammar, common vocabulary, simple kanji, and short listening comprehension.
01
Kana
Hiragana and katakana recognition. No N5 progress is stable without kana.
02
Grammar
Particles, です, ます, questions, negatives, past tense, and useful patterns.
03
Vocabulary
People, places, food, numbers, time, daily objects, and simple verbs.
04
Listening
Short phrases, simple questions, numbers, time, and everyday expressions.
Core grammar
N5 grammar should become usable sentences.
Do not memorize grammar as lonely rules. Memorize patterns that can become real sentences.
Object marker を
水をください。
Mizu o kudasai.
Water, please.
を marks the thing receiving the action.
Question か
大丈夫ですか。
Daijoubu desu ka.
Is it okay?
か often marks a question.
Direction に
駅に行きます。
Eki ni ikimasu.
I go to the station.
に can mark destination or time.
Place of action で
駅で待ちます。
Eki de machimasu.
I wait at the station.
で often marks where action happens.
Possession の
私の名前です。
Watashi no namae desu.
It is my name.
の connects nouns.
N5 sentence shape
The verb usually comes last.
English says “I eat sushi.” Japanese often feels like “I sushi eat.” The action usually appears near the end.
私はすしを食べます。
Watashi wa sushi o tabemasu.
I eat sushi.
The verb 食べます comes at the end. This is one of the first big Japanese grammar habits.
N5 vocabulary
First words that become first life skills.
N5 vocabulary should connect to real beginner situations: food, trains, people, homes, school, numbers, and time.
Food
水・お茶・ご飯・魚
mizu · ocha · gohan · sakana
water · tea · rice/meal · fish
Travel
駅・電車・道・切符
eki · densha · michi · kippu
station · train · road · ticket
People
人・子ども・先生・学生
hito · kodomo · sensei · gakusei
person · child · teacher · student
Time
今日・明日・昨日・今
kyou · ashita · kinou · ima
today · tomorrow · yesterday · now
Numbers
一・二・三・十・百・千
ichi · ni · san · juu · hyaku · sen
1 · 2 · 3 · 10 · 100 · 1,000
Practice words
Read beginner kana words and choose the meaning.
Play First Words →N5 listening
Short listening comes before long listening.
N5 listening is built from short phrases, numbers, times, locations, and simple questions. Train your ear with pieces you can repeat.
Where?
駅はどこですか。
Eki wa doko desu ka.
Where is the station?
How much?
いくらですか。
Ikura desu ka.
How much is it?
What time?
何時ですか。
Nanji desu ka.
What time is it?
Again, please
もう一度お願いします。
Mou ichido onegai shimasu.
One more time, please.
N5 reading
Start with tiny reading wins.
A beginner does not need long articles. Start with signs, menus, labels, short sentences, and game-like repetition.
Short sign
入口
iriguchi
entrance
Short sign
出口
deguchi
exit
Menu word
水
mizu
water
Station word
駅
eki
station
People word
人
hito
person
Practice signs
Practice basic Japanese sign recognition.
Play Kanji or Kana? →Study plan
A practical 8-week N5 plan
This is a realistic beginner plan if you study a little every day and use games for repetition.
Weeks 1–2
Kana and sound foundation
- Study hiragana daily
- Study katakana daily
- Play Kana Sprint
- Play Hiragana Match
- Say every row out loud
Weeks 3–6
Grammar and vocabulary
- Learn particles は, を, に, で, の
- Learn です and ます
- Learn numbers and time
- Play First Words
- Build first sentence patterns
Weeks 7–8
Reading and listening review
- Read short sentences
- Practice listening daily
- Review missed vocabulary
- Take short mock quizzes
- Move toward N4 basics
Beginner philosophy
N5 is not small. It is the foundation under everything.
Learners sometimes rush through N5 because it is the lowest JLPT level. That is a mistake. N5 is where your kana speed, particle habits, polite endings, numbers, first verbs, and listening reflexes begin.
A strong N5 learner is not fluent, but they are no longer helpless. They can ask, read, count, point, confirm, and understand the first layer of Japanese life.
Practice path
What to do next
Remember this
N5 is where Japanese becomes readable.
Do not skip the foundation. Read kana. Learn particles. Count. Listen. Build the first layer carefully.