Konnichiwa, future JLPT champions!
So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and tackle the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, starting with the N5. First of all, congratulations! This is an incredibly exciting first step on your Japanese language journey. You’ve probably read our pillar post, JLPT N5 Vocabulary Complete List: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives & Flashcards, which gives you the big-picture strategy.
Now, it’s time to dig into the nuts and bolts: the vocabulary.
If the N5 is the foundation of your Japanese house, then vocabulary are the bricks. You can’t build anything without them. I remember my own N5 preparation; I had lists scribbled everywhere—on my wall, in my notebook, even on my hand! It felt daunting, but breaking it down made all the difference.
This blog post is your one-stop, comprehensive resource for the complete list of JLPT N5 vocabulary. But we’re going beyond just a dry list. We’re going to explore how to learn these words, understand their nuances, and use them in real life. Consider this your sensei, your study buddy, and your cheerleader, all in one.
What Exactly is the JLPT N5 Vocabulary Scope?
Before we dive in, let’s set expectations. The official JLPT organization doesn’t publish a single definitive list of JLPT N5 vocabulary. However, through years of analysis of past exams, the community and educational publishers have settled on a rock-solid consensus of roughly 700-800 words that are essential for the test.
These words are curated from textbooks like Genki I and Minna no Nihongo, and they cover the most fundamental concepts needed for basic daily conversations and simple reading tasks. Mastering this list is non-negotiable for passing the N5.
How to Use This JLPT N5 Vocabulary List Effectively
Don’t just read this list—interact with it. Here’s how I advise my students to approach it:
- Quality over Quantity: Cramming 100 words a day is a recipe for forgetting 99. Aim for a sustainable 15-20 words per day. Consistency is your greatest weapon.
- Learn in Context: The example sentences I’ve provided are crucial. They show you how the word functions in a real sentence, alongside particles like は (wa), を (o), and が (ga).
- Engage Your Senses: Read the word aloud. Listen to its pronunciation (using a resource like Forvo (outbound link)). Write it down. Say the example sentence. The more senses you involve, the stronger the memory.
- Use SRS (Spaced Repetition Systems): Apps like Anki (outbound link) or Memrise (outbound link) are game-changers. They use a smart algorithm to show you words right before you’re about to forget them. You can find pre-made decks for JLPT N5 vocabulary.
Ready? Let’s get started. がんばって (Ganbatte – Do your best)!
The Complete JLPT N5 Vocabulary List with Meanings and Examples
I’ve organized the words by theme and part of speech to make your learning more logical and connected. This is much more effective than learning random words!
Section 1: The Absolute Essentials – Pronouns, People, and Family
These are the words you’ll use in almost every single conversation.
Pronouns
- 私 (わたし – watashi) – I, me
- Example: 私は学生です。(Watashi wa gakusei desu.) – I am a student.
- あなた (anata) – You (use cautiously; often omitted in Japanese)
- 彼 (かれ – kare) – He
- 彼女 (かのじょ – kanojo) – She
- これ (kore) – This (thing near me)
- それ (sore) – That (thing near you)
- あれ (are) – That (thing over there)
People & Family
- 人 (ひと – hito) – Person
- 男 (おとこ – otoko) – Man
- 女 (おんな – onna) – Woman
- 子 (こ – ko) – Child
- 先生 (せんせい – sensei) – Teacher, Doctor (a title of respect)
- 学生 (がくせi – gakusei) – Student
- 友達 (ともだち – tomodachi) – Friend
- Example: 彼は私の友達です。(Kare wa watashi no tomodachi desu.) – He is my friend.
- 家族 (かぞく – kazoku) – Family
- 父 (ちち – chichi) – My father
- 母 (はは – haha) – My mother
- お父さん (おとうさん – otousan) – Someone else’s father
- お母さん (おかあさん – okaasan) – Someone else’s mother
Section 2: Numbers, Time, and Calendar Words
Crucial for making plans, talking about your schedule, and the “Time” section of the exam.
Numbers (1-10, 100, 1000)
- 一 (いち – ichi) – One
- 二 (に – ni) – Two
- 三 (さん – san) – Three
- …up to…
- 十 (じゅう – juu) – Ten
- 百 (ひゃく – hyaku) – One Hundred
- 千 (せん – sen) – One Thousand
Time
- 時間 (じかん – jikan) – Hour
- 分 (ふん/ぷん – fun/pun) – Minute
- 秒 (びょう – byou) – Second
- 今 (いま – ima) – Now
- 今日 (きょう – kyou) – Today
- 明日 (あした – ashita) – Tomorrow
- 昨日 (きのう – kinou) – Yesterday
- 朝 (あさ – asa) – Morning
- 昼 (ひる – hiru) – Daytime, Noon
- 夜 (よる – yoru) – Night
Days & Weeks
- 曜日 (ようび – youbi) – Day of the week (e.g., 日曜日 – Sunday)
- 週 (しゅう – shuu) – Week
- 月 (がつ – gatsu) – Month (e.g., 一月 – January)
- 年 (ねん – nen) – Year
Section 3: Everyday Nouns – Places, Things, Food
The world around you, named in Japanese.
Places
- 家 (いえ – ie) – House
- 学校 (がっこう – gakkou) – School
- 会社 (かいしゃ – kaisha) – Company
- 店 (みせ – mise) – Shop
- ** restaurant (レストラン – resutoran)** – Restaurant
- 駅 (えき – eki) – Station
- 国 (くに – kuni) – Country
Food & Drink
- 水 (みず – mizu) – Water
- お茶 (おちゃ – ocha) – Tea
- コーヒー (koohii) – Coffee
- ご飯 (ごはん – gohan) – Rice / Meal
- 食べ物 (たべもの – tabemono) – Food
- 肉 (にく – niku) – Meat
- 魚 (さかな – sakana) – Fish
Objects
- 本 (ほん – hon) – Book
- 紙 (かみ – kami) – Paper
- 鉛筆 (えんぴつ – enpitsu) – Pencil
- 電話 (でんわ – denwa) – Telephone
- 鞄 (かばん – kaban) – Bag
Section 4: The Engine of Sentences – Verbs (動詞)
Verbs are action words. For the N5, you need to know them in their dictionary (masu-stem) form. Remember, you’ll also be tested on their conjugated forms (ます-form, て-form, etc.).
Get ready for Kanji and visit Conquer the JLPT N5: Your Ultimate, Free Kanji PDF Guide & Study Plan
Basic Actions
- する (suru) – To do
- なる (naru) – To become
- ある (aru) – To exist (inanimate)
- いる (iru) – To exist (animate)
- Example: 猫がいます。(Neko ga imasu.) – There is a cat.
Daily Life Verbs
- 行く (いく – iku) – To go
- 来る (くる – kuru) – To come
- 帰る (かえる – kaeru) – To return home
- 食べる (たべる – taberu) – To eat
- 飲む (のむ – nomu) – To drink
- 見る (みる – miru) – To see, to look
- 聞く (きく – kiku) – To hear; to ask
- 話す (はなす – hanasu) – To speak
- 読む (よむ – yomu) – To read
- 書く (かく – kaku) – To write
- 買う (かう – kau) – To buy
- 勉強する (べんきょうする – benkyou suru) – To study
Section 5: Describing the World – Adjectives (形容詞)
Adjectives describe nouns. Japanese has two main types: い-adjectives and な-adjectives. This is a critical grammar point for the test!
い-adjectives (end with い)
- 良い (いい – ii) – Good
- 悪い (わるい – warui) – Bad
- 大きい (おおきい – ookii) – Big
- 小さい (ちいさい – chiisai) – Small
- 高い (たかい – takai) – High; Expensive
- 安い (やすい – yasui) – Cheap
- 暑い (あつい – atsui) – Hot (weather)
- 寒い (さむい – samui) – Cold (weather)
な-adjectives (need な before a noun)
- 好きな (すきな – suki na) – Liked, Favorite
- Example: 私は猫が好きです。(Watashi wa neko ga suki desu.) – I like cats.
- 嫌いな (きらいな – kirai na) – Disliked
- 静かな (しずかな – shizuka na) – Quiet
- 元気な (げんきな – genki na) – Healthy, Energetic
- 便利な (べんりな – benri na) – Convenient
Section 6: Connecting Words – Adverbs and Conjunctions
These words make your sentences flow and sound more natural.
- とても (totemo) – Very
- あまり (amari) – Not very (used with a negative verb)
- Example: この店はあまり高くない。(Kono mise wa amari takakunai.) – This shop isn’t very expensive.
- たくさん (takusan) – Many, a lot
- 少し (すこし – sukoshi) – A little
- よく (yoku) – Often, well
- いつも (itsumo) – Always
- そして (soshite) – And then
- でも (demo) – But
Section 7: The Tiny Giants – Particles (助詞)
Particles define the relationship between words in a sentence. They are small but mighty and absolutely essential for grammar.
- は (wa) – Topic marker
- が (ga) – Subject marker
- を (o) – Direct object marker
- に (ni) – Direction, time, indirect object marker
- で (de) – Location of action, means of transportation
- へ (e) – Direction (towards)
- の (no) – Possession marker (‘s)
- と (to) – And (connects nouns); with
- か (ka) – Question marker
Pro Tips for Memorizing and Retaining Your N5 Vocabulary
- Create Mental Images: Don’t just memorize “nezumi = rat.” Picture a cute little rat eating cheese. The weirder the image, the more memorable it is.
- Label Your Home: Get some post-it notes and label everything in your house: ドア (doa – door), まど (mado – window), テーブル (teeburu – table). Constant passive exposure works wonders.
- Think in Simple Japanese: Throughout your day, try to form simple thoughts in Japanese. “Ima, koohii ga nomitai.” (Now, I want to drink coffee.) This active recall builds fluency.
- Find a Language Partner: Use apps like HelloTalk or Tandem to find native speakers. Using a word in a real conversation is the ultimate test and the best way to lock it into your memory.
Beyond the List: Understanding Nuance
A simple list of JLPT N5 vocabulary with English meanings can sometimes be misleading because languages don’t have perfect one-to-one translations.
- 知る (しる – shiru) vs. 分かる (わかる – wakaru): Both can mean “to know.” But 知る is about acquiring knowledge (“I know that person”), while 分かる is about understanding (“I understand the question”).
- 大きい (おおきい – ookii) vs. でかい (dekai): Both mean “big,” but でかい is very casual and slangy. You’d use 大きい in most situations.
Always pay attention to the context in the example sentences!
Get ready for kanji and visit JLPT N5 Kanji Stroke Order Guide with Diagrams
Recommended Resources and Next Steps
- Official JLPT Website: The best source for test format and sample questions. https://www.jlpt.jp/e/
- Jisho.org: An incredible online Japanese dictionary. https://jisho.org/
- Anki: For SRS flashcard studying. https://apps.ankiweb.net/
Once you’ve built a strong foundation with this vocabulary list, the next step is to weave it all together with grammar. Your journey from memorizing words to forming sentences is the most rewarding part. You’ve got this!
さいごに (Saigo ni – Finally), remember that learning a language is a marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate small victories. Did you remember 10 new words today? That’s a win! Trust the process, use this list of JLPT N5 vocabulary wisely, and you will be more than prepared for exam day.
またね! (Mata ne! – See you later!)
