Why most beginners quit
Not because Japanese is too hard. Because nobody told them what to study first, where to study it, and when they are done.
- 5 apps
- 10 open tabs
- 3 textbooks
…and they still can't read a menu.
One plan, from zero to N5
This guide gives you one realistic plan from absolute zero to JLPT N5. It covers:
What is the JLPT? The 5 levels in 60 seconds
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the official Japanese exam for non-native speakers, run by the Japan Foundation and JEES. It has five levels, and the numbering trips up almost every beginner: N5 is the lowest and easiest level, N1 is the highest and hardest. The number goes down as your Japanese goes up.
You don't have to start at N5. There are no prerequisites, so you can sit any level you like. But N5 is the right first target for a complete beginner: it is small enough to finish, it covers the foundation every higher level builds on, and passing it gives you a real certificate instead of a vague feeling of progress.
- N1Mastery LevelHardestUnderstand complex writing and fast, natural speech+2,911new words8,090 in total · ~2,000 kanji
- N2Advanced VocabularyRead news articles, work in Japanese+1,744new words5,179 in total · ~1,000 kanji
- N3Everyday FluencyUnderstand everyday Japanese at near-natural speed+2,071new words3,435 in total · ~650 kanji
- N4Building ConfidenceFollow basic daily conversations and simple texts+651new words1,364 in total · ~300 kanji
- N5Beginner FriendlyEasiest · start hereRead kana and simple kanji, follow slow everyday phrases713words to start~100 kanji
What the JLPT N5 exam actually looks like
N5 is a multiple-choice paper exam with three timed sections. There is no speaking and no handwriting. You only need to recognise and understand Japanese, which is why reading and listening drive this whole plan.
90 minutes in total · multiple choice · no speaking or writing
Score 80 or more out of 180 overall and reach both pass marks.
In most countries the JLPT is held twice a year, in July and December, and registration usually closes about three months before the test. Pick your test date first, then count back 6 months. That is your start date.
How many words do you need for N5, and how KotoNexa gets you there
The JLPT doesn't publish an official word list, but N5 tests roughly 700–800 everyday words. KotoNexa's N5 level has 713 words in 25 topic categories. Think of them as chapters: Numbers, Time & Date, Food & Drinks, Transportation and so on.
- 25cards a dayyour daily target
- 30%are new wordsthe rest is review
- 7–8new words a daysmall enough to keep
- 713words in ~3 monthsMonths 2–4 of the plan
- Every word lives in a sentence
You learn 速い inside 新幹線は速いです, so you remember how it's used, not just what it means.
See sentence cards - Clear male and female audio
On every word and sentence. Free listening practice every time you study.
Choose your voice - Furigana you control
Reading hints on while a word is new, off once you can read the kanji yourself.
Furigana settings - Smart Review, not a review pile
One balanced daily deck. Miss a day and nothing piles up.
How Smart Review works - A mastery bar you set
A word counts as learned only after the number of correct answers you choose.
Pick your mastery bar - Hard Words and Still Learning
For the final months: revise only the words you keep missing.
See the focus modes
The 6-month JLPT N5 study plan: what to study, where and when
Plan for 45–60 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Each month has one goal, a clear finish line and the exact tool for every step, right next to it, so you never wonder what to open next. The rule that stops resource paralysis: one tool for each skill, and no extras until you pass.
- Month 1
Learn to read: hiragana and katakana
By the end, you can read any word written in kana without romaji.
Day 1: read the Japanese alphabet guide once, so you know how hiragana, katakana and kanji fit together.
Weeks 1–2: learn hiragana one row a day, then add the voiced sounds (が, ざ, ぱ) and combinations (きゃ, しょ).
Week 3: learn katakana. Drill シ/ツ and ソ/ン until you get them right every time.
Week 4: read mixed kana words aloud every day. Open KotoNexa with a small daily target of 10 and start the first three categories.
From now on, stop using romaji. If you still need it, you'll never read fast enough for the exam.
KotoNexa categoriesNumbersExpressions & GreetingsPhrases - Month 2
First words, first sentences
By the end, you can introduce yourself, tell the time and read prices.
Vocabulary: raise your KotoNexa daily target to 25 (about 7–8 new words a day) and work through 8 categories.
Kanji: choose the JLPT N5 set in Kanji Study and learn the first ~35: numbers (一 to 十, 百, 千, 万, 円), the days of the week (日 月 火 水 木 金 土), plus 人, 年, 時 and 分.
Grammar: Genki I lessons 1–4. です and じゃないです, the particles は, の, か, を, に, で and へ, the ます form (present and past), and これ/それ/あれ/どれ.
Listening: replay the example-sentence audio in KotoNexa and repeat it out loud.
KotoNexa categoriesFamily & RelationshipsTime & DateCounterColorsFood & DrinksFruits & VegetablesHomeDaily Life - Month 3
Everyday Japanese
By the end, you can describe things and people, and give simple directions.
Vocabulary: 8 more categories at the same daily target of 25. Turn furigana off once a word feels familiar.
Kanji: up to ~70, including directions and places: 上 下 中 外 前 後 左 右, 東 西 南 北, 山 川 天 気 雨.
Grammar: Genki I lessons 5–8. い- and な-adjectives (present, past, negative), あります vs います, where things are (〜に〜があります), and the て-form: 〜てください, 〜ています.
Listening: 10 minutes a day of slow Japanese. Search YouTube for beginner listening videos.
KotoNexa categoriesDirection & PositionTransportationTravel & PlacesSchool & WorkBody & HealthClothing & AccessoriesAnimals & BirdsNature & Weather - Month 4
Finish the N5 word list
By the end, you have studied all 713 N5 words and about 100 kanji.
Vocabulary: the last 6 categories. Then do one Hard Words session each week.
Kanji: complete the N5 set (~100). Learn every kanji's readings inside words you already know.
Grammar: finish Genki I (lessons 9–12): the ない-form and た-form, 〜たい, 〜ましょう and 〜ませんか, comparisons with より and 〜のほうが, and reasons with 〜から.
Exam drills: start Quick Mastery of N5 Grammar, one short unit a day, to practice the question formats.
KotoNexa categoriesHobbies & SportsTechnology & MediaGeneral ThingsConjunctions & ConnectorsKeigo & Polite ExpressionsSociety & Economy - Month 5
Reading and listening practice
By the end, you can follow slow, everyday Japanese after hearing it once.
Vocabulary: stop adding new words. Lower your target and use Still Learning mode until every word is learned.
Listening (20 min a day): official JLPT N5 sample audio and N5 listening videos on YouTube. Play each clip once, answer, then replay it with the script.
Reading: short N5 passages and notices. Time yourself, aiming for about 5 minutes per short passage.
Shadowing: repeat the KotoNexa example sentences aloud a moment after the speaker. It is the fastest way to train your ear.
- Month 6
Exam mode
By the end, you have passed at least two timed mocks with room to spare in every section.
Follow the 4-week revision plan below. It is the same plan whether you are on Month 6 or only have one month left.
Mock exams: sit the Quick Mastery mock papers and the official samples under real exam timing.
A typical 45-minute study day (Months 2–4)
Less than 6 months? How to compress the plan
Six months is the comfortable pace for someone with a job or school. If your exam is closer, keep the order exactly the same and give it more time each day. Don't skip kana and don't skip listening. Those are the two shortcuts that fail people.
| Time until exam | Daily study | KotoNexa daily target | Kana | All 713 words done by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 45–60 min | 25 cards | Month 1 | End of Month 4 |
| 4 months | 75–90 min | 35 cards | Weeks 1–3 | End of Month 3 |
| 3 months | 2 hours | 45–50 cards | Weeks 1–2 | Middle of Month 3 |
One month before the exam: what to revise
Whether this is Month 6 or you only just booked the test, the last 30 days are not for new material. They are for finding your weak spots and fixing them under exam timing.
- Week 1
Take a mock and find your gaps
Know your score in each section and what is pulling it down.
- Take a full timed mock on day 1: 20 minutes vocabulary, 40 minutes grammar and reading, 30 minutes listening.
- Mark every mistake as vocabulary, kanji reading, particle, verb form or listening. Your biggest group is what you study first.
- Run KotoNexa in Hard Words mode every day this week.
- Week 2
Fix vocabulary and grammar
Clear the high-yield traps listed below.
- Revise the classic N5 traps: particle pairs (は/が, に/で), irregular readings for dates, times and counters, and adjective forms like いい → よかった.
- Go through your grammar book's summary pages. Write 2 sentences for each grammar point.
- Kanji: re-test all ~100 in Kanji Study and keep the ones you miss in a short list.
- Week 3
Listening every day, then mock #2
Listening comfortably above the 19/60 pass mark.
- 30 minutes of listening a day, with each clip played once only, just like the real test.
- Take your second full mock at the end of the week and compare each section with Week 1.
- Week 4
Light review and exam logistics
Arrive rested and confident.
- Short daily KotoNexa sessions in Still Learning mode only. Don't start anything new.
- Print your test voucher, check the venue and route, and pack pencils, an eraser and a watch (phones aren't allowed).
- Sleep properly the night before. A tired brain loses more points in listening than one extra night of studying will win.
JLPT N5 questions beginners ask
Is JLPT N5 the easiest or the hardest level?
N5 is the easiest. The JLPT runs from N5 (beginner) up to N1 (advanced), so the smaller the number, the harder the level. N5 is the best first exam for a complete beginner.
How long does it take to pass JLPT N5 from zero?
For most self-learners, about 6 months at 45–60 minutes a day. You can do it in 3–4 months if you study 1.5–2 hours a day. The order is the same either way: kana first, then vocabulary, kanji and grammar, then listening and mock exams.
How many words and kanji do I need for JLPT N5?
Around 700–800 words and about 100 kanji. There is no official list, so most courses use a list of that size. KotoNexa's N5 level has 713 words in 25 topic categories, each with an example sentence and natural-sounding audio.
Do I need to learn hiragana and katakana before N5 vocabulary?
Yes. Every N5 question is written in Japanese script with no romaji, so learn both kana first. That usually takes 2–4 weeks.
Do I have to write kanji by hand on the JLPT?
No. The JLPT is multiple choice and has no writing or speaking section. Practicing stroke order still helps you remember kanji, but the test only checks that you can read and understand them.
Can I skip N5 and take N4 directly?
Yes. There are no prerequisites, and you can register for any level. But N4 includes everything from N5, so you still need to learn all of the N5 material first.
Your N5 vocabulary, sorted
All 713 JLPT N5 words in 25 topic categories, with example sentences, natural-sounding audio and Smart Review. Free to start.
