JLPT N5 Study Plan: 10 Weeks from Hiragana to the Test
JLPT N5 is the first of the five levels. A plan of 10 weeks at about 25 minutes a day covers hiragana, katakana and the 79 N5 kanji on this site, with a weekly table, a daily routine and a checklist for test day.
What JLPT N5 asks of you
N5 is the first and easiest of the five JLPT levels (N5 to N1). According to the official level summary, you read typical expressions and sentences written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and you follow short conversations about daily life and classroom situations when they are spoken slowly. The test is held in July and December; check the official schedule for your city.
The JLPT does not publish an official kanji list. The N5 list on this site has 79 kanji with 1,098 words, grouped by theme: open the N5 kanji list.
10-week study plan
Study about 25 minutes a day, six days a week. Take one day a week to review.
| Week | Focus | What to do | Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hiragana | Read and write all 46. Add the voiced marks (゛ ゜). | Hiragana chart |
| 2 | Hiragana and katakana | Combined sounds (きゃ, しゃ, ちょ). Start katakana rows a to na. | Hiragana · Katakana |
| 3 | Katakana + kanji 1–11 | Finish katakana. Open the N5 kanji list and learn the first 11 kanji with their words. | Katakana · N5 kanji |
| 4 | Kanji 12–22 | Eleven new kanji. Reread last week's kanji aloud. Learn the shopping sentences. | Shopping |
| 5 | Kanji 23–33 | Eleven new kanji. Learn the train sentences and the kanji you see at stations. | Trains |
| 6 | Kanji 34–44 | Eleven new kanji. Learn the city office words you see on forms. | City office |
| 7 | Kanji 45–55 | Eleven new kanji. Listen to one scene a day and repeat each line. | Japanese Talk |
| 8 | Kanji 56–66 | Eleven new kanji. Write ten sentences using words from the list. | N5 kanji |
| 9 | Kanji 67–79 | The last 13 kanji. Check the words you missed in the dictionary. | Dictionary |
| 10 | Review and practice questions | Read the whole kanji list aloud. Try the official sample questions and note what you missed. | Official sample questions |
A 25-minute day
| Minutes | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 | Review: read yesterday's kanji and words aloud without looking at the English. |
| 10 | New material: this week's kanji or the next conversation page. Write each character in stroke order. |
| 5 | Listening: play one line of audio, then repeat it. Audio on the kanji pages plays with a free account. |
| 5 | Output: say or write two sentences that use today's words. |
Are you ready? A checklist before the test
- You can read all hiragana and katakana without romaji.
- You recognise the 79 N5 kanji and can read at least one word for each.
- You can follow the shopping, train and city office conversations on this site without reading the English.
- You finished the official sample questions and understand each answer you missed.
New to Japanese? Begin with the beginner path from hiragana to daily conversation.
After N5, continue with the JLPT N4 study plan (in Japanese).
Questions beginners ask
How many kanji do I need for JLPT N5?
The JLPT does not publish an official kanji list. The N5 list on this site has 79 kanji, which is a good target for the level.
How long does it take to prepare for JLPT N5?
With about 25 minutes of study a day, the 10-week plan above covers hiragana, katakana and all 79 kanji. If you already read kana, you can shorten weeks 1 and 2.
When is the JLPT held?
The test is held in July and December. Outside Japan, some cities hold it only in July or only in December. Check the official JLPT site for the schedule in your city.
What is the best order to study for N5?
Hiragana, then katakana, then the N5 kanji together with practice in everyday conversation. The beginner path shows the same order in an 8-week table.
Where can I try real N5 questions?
The JLPT website publishes official sample questions for every level. Try them in week 10 and again just before the test.
Sources
- The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: JLPT, what each level requires (N5 to N1)
- The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: JLPT official sample questions
Next: practise listening with a scene in Japanese Talk.