The JLPT N5: a beginner's guide to the first Japanese exam

The JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) is the best-known Japanese exam in the world. It has five levels, from N5, the easiest, up to N1. N5 is the natural first goal: it shows you can read and understand basic Japanese, and having a date in the diary is one of the best ways to keep studying.

Here's what you need to know, checked against the official JLPT website.

What N5 tests

The official description says N5 tests "the ability to understand some basic Japanese". In practice that means you can:

• Read short, simple sentences and passages written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji.
• Listen to slow, short conversations about everyday topics (school, home, shopping, daily routines) and pick out the key information.

There's no speaking or writing section. Every question is multiple choice, answered on a mark sheet.

The three parts and their times

That's about 90 minutes of test time in total. The listening time can vary a little with the length of the recordings.

How it's scored

N5 has two scoring sections:

• Language knowledge (vocabulary and grammar) and reading: 0 to 120 points.
• Listening: 0 to 60 points.

To pass, you need at least 80 out of 180 overall, and at least 38 in the first section and 19 in listening. That second rule matters: a great reading score can't make up for a very low listening score, so don't leave listening practice until the end.

Scores are "scaled", so they're not simply the number of questions you got right. Treat practice-test scores as a guide.

When you can take it

The JLPT is usually held twice a year, in July and December. In 2026 the test dates are 5 July and 6 December. Not every country holds both sessions, and each country has its own host organisation, registration period and fee. Registration usually closes months before the test, so check the official website early.

How much do you need to know?

The JLPT doesn't publish official word or kanji lists. Older guidelines suggested about 100 kanji and 800 words for this level, and that's still a useful target. More practically, you should be comfortable with:

• All of hiragana and katakana.
• Numbers, times, dates, days and prices.
• Everyday verbs and adjectives, in their polite forms (〜ます, 〜ません, 〜ました), plus the て-form and simple requests like 〜てください.
• The core particles: は, が, を, に, で, へ, と, も, の, から, まで.
• Basic kanji for numbers, days, people, places and common actions: 人, 山, 行, 見, 食…

How to prepare

1. Learn kana first, properly. Every question uses Japanese script, with no romaji anywhere.
2. Study a little every day. Short daily sessions with spaced review beat long weekend sessions.
3. Listen from the start. Use audio with every new word and phrase, and practise with conversations at natural (but slow) speed.
4. Read in the exam's style. N5 passages put spaces between words and use simple kanji. Get used to notices, short messages and timetables.
5. Sit a full mock exam a few weeks before the test, under timed conditions, and look closely at the questions you miss.

Is the N5 worth it?

If you enjoy goals, yes. The certificate itself won't get you a job, but preparing for it gives your studying a clear shape and a deadline. Many learners skip N5 and go straight to N4; that's fine too. Either way, the N5 syllabus is the foundation that every later level builds on.

Facts checked against the official JLPT website (jlpt.jp) in November 2026. Always check dates and rules with your local host before you register.