JLPT N5 Grammar and Vocab List

I have re-organized grammar explanation posts so that you can build up your skills in order.

First download the list of vocabulary most likely used in the JLPT N5 exam here. It is based on the prescribed list for the pre-2010 exams.

Click the topic and another page will open to explain each item. Suggested activities are written next to the topic.

1. Hello and Thank you
   • About Japanese scripts
   • Self-Introduction
     • Age (Counting 1 to 10 and Counting 10 to 100)
     • Occupation
   • Hello and Good Bye
   • Thank you
   • How to address people in Japanese
2. My mum is nice. – Describe your family and things near you.
   • A は B です
   • Describing people
   • Describing Occasions/Items
   • いadjectives and なadjectives
3. I like sushi but I don’t like sashimi. – Describe what you like/dislike, what you want, what you are good at.
   • [person]は [item] がすき/きらい/だいすきです（わたしは） [item]が ほしい ですDescribing people using “～は △△が …です” pattern
   • AはBじゃない/Bくないです
   • AはBでした/AはBかったです
   • AはBじゃなかったです/AはBくなかったです
4. I eat sushi. – Make three-part sentences using verbs.
   • AはBを～ます
   • AはBに～ます
   • ～ます、ました、ません、ませんでした
   • How to change a statement into a question and how to answer the question
   • ～ましょう、ましょうか、ませんか
5. Yesterday, I ate sushi with a fork with my friends. – Expand three-part sentences using a phrase led by a particle. Talk about things in the past.
   • Expanding a simple sentence using particles
   • Expanding Simple Sentences with an adverb
   • ～く/に [verb] (changing an adjective into an adverb)
6. It’s 12:34pm on Thursday, 5 June. – Learn time related phrases, days of the week and how to say dates. This module is mainly for vocab learning.
   • Time phrase during the day – あさ、ゆうがた、よる, etc.
   
   
   • Yesterday, today, tomorrow…
   
   
   • Days of the week
   • Dates
   • Seasons
   • Question words
7. 2 coffee, please. – Learn counters and how to order something in a shop.
   • Counters
   • How to order things in Japanese
   • big numbers in Japanese
   • ～ずつ (～each)
8. There is a cat under the table. – Learn to describe where things are.
   • [place]に[noun] があります/います / [noun]は[place]にあります/います
   • 大きな/小さな (pre-noun adjectivals)
9. I wanted to eat sushi and I ate too much. – Talk about what you want to do and learn more simple expressions using verbs.
   • ～たいです
   • ～すぎます
   • ～がります
   • ～に いきます/きます/かえります (purpose)
10. I came to the library and I am reading a book now. Please be quiet. – Learn to use てform: connecting to verbs/adjectives, describe what you are doing and make a request.
    • [てform]… (and)
    • ～てから
    • ～ています
    • ～てください
11. I haven’t finished reading the book yet. – Revise tenses and moods. Expand vocabulary.
    • まだ～ていません
    • まだ
    • もう
    • ～になります/～くなります
12. Let’s write a diary entry. I like watching soccer. – Let’s learn the plain form.
    • Converting Polite form into Plain form
    • AはB（だ）
    • AはBじゃない/Bくない
    • AはBだった/AはBかった
    • AはBじゃなかった/AはBくなかった
    • ～の (nominalisation)
    • ～のがすきです
    • ～のがじょうず/へたです
    • ～でしょう (talking about weather)
13. The book I’m reading now is very interesting. – Contact clause and expressions using plain form verbs/adjectives
    • きのう かった ほん Basic Contact Clause
    • ～つもりです
    • ～んです
    • ～たり、～たりします
    • ～たことがあります
14. Do I have to do my homework now? – obligations, prohibitions, permissions, and requests not to do things.
    • ～なければなりません/～なくちゃ（いけない）
    • ～てはいけません
    • ～てもいいです
    • ～ないでください
15. This book is more interesting than that book. – comparison and related expressions.
    • ～のほうが ～より
    • ～のなかで～がいちばん～
    • ～ほうがいい
    • ～まえに
    • ～たから

N5 Vocabulary You Need to Be Careful about

• All
• N5 Vocabulary

ねる/ねむる/めがさめる/おきる

5 August, 2020

Do you remember the sleep related verbs in Japanese? Let's check out how to use them to describe eac...

Read More

便利（べんり）

4 August, 2020

Which べんり is used incorrectly? a. この かばんは たくさん ポケットが あるか�...

Read More

to have

3 August, 2020

The English verb “to have” has many meanings one of which is to show an ownership. When ...

Read More

しっています vs わかります

29 July, 2020

Many English speakers seem to think しっています = to know and わかります = to understand...

Read More

What does けっこう mean?

28 July, 2020

a. （それは）  けっこう ですね。b. （それで） けっこう ですよ。c. け...

Read More

Don’t use わかっている unless you really mean it!

22 July, 2020

わかっている is made of the てform of わかる but わかっている and わかる give qui...

Read More

にぎやか vs いそがしい

21 July, 2020

Both にぎやか（な） and いそがしい are usually translated "busy" but the meanings are ve...

Read More

できる

15 July, 2020

Which verb fits well in all blanks? ここに あたらしい みせが ＿＿＿＿。 ジョンさ...

Read More

～は いかがですか。

14 July, 2020

Today’s Question コーヒーは いかが ですか。Which response doesn’t suit the quest...

Read More

わかる/わかります

8 July, 2020

The Japanese verb わかる/わかります is often translated as "to understand" but its usage in ...

Read More

大きい vs 大きな

7 July, 2020

One sentence is grammatically wrong. Which one is it? 大おおきい and 大おおきな both mean ...

Read More

ちがう

1 July, 2020

What is the best word to put in all the blanks below. ひらがなと カタカナは ＿＿＿。 �...

Read More

1 2 3 4 5 … 7