A four-week Japanese N5 study plan

The idea

Week 1: learn hiragana and start katakana with short words. Week 2: use greetings, は and を in simple sentences. Week 3: practise polite verbs, words in context and a short story. Week 4: combine reading and listening, revisit difficult items and try official sample questions. A 20-minute daily session can include five minutes of recall and a short listening task; adjust the time to your life.

Examples

• 朝あさ、水みずを飲のみます。I drink water in the morning.
• 私わたしは日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese.
• ここに名前なまえを書かきます。I write my name here.
• 友達ともだちと学校がっこうへ行いきます。I go to school with a friend.
• 駅えきはどこですか。Where is the station?
• 家いえで本ほんを読よみます。I read a book at home.

Watch out

Four weeks do not guarantee an N5 pass. N5 is a broad ability level, not an official list of words; the test does not directly assess speaking or writing.

Try it yourself

1. Complete the Japanese sentence for this meaning: I drink water in the morning. 朝あさ、＿を飲のみます。（水みず／本ほん）

   Show answer or example answer

   水 / みず

   The relevant sentence says: I drink water in the morning.

2. Complete the Japanese sentence for this meaning: I go to school with a friend. 友達ともだちと＿へ行いきます。（水みず／学校がっこう）

   Show answer or example answer

   学校 / がっこう

   The relevant sentence says: I go to school with a friend.

3. Complete the Japanese sentence for this meaning: Where is the station? 駅えきは＿ですか。（どこ／だれ）

   Show answer or example answer

   どこ

   The relevant sentence says: Where is the station?

Use it today

Schedule one session for each week’s focus and record what you can do, such as asking where the station is.