JLPT N5 Syllabus 2026

JLPT N5 is the entry level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test — the ability to understand some basic Japanese (hiragana, katakana, roughly 100 kanji and about 800 words). It has three sections and is pass/fail, with a sectional minimum you must also meet.

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JLPT N5 exam pattern

SectionQuestionsDuration
語彙 Vocabulary (~25 Q)2520 min
文法・読解 Grammar + Reading (~30 Q)3040 min
聴解 Listening (~24 Q · audio plays once)2430 min
Total7990 min

Marking: 1 mark per correct answer, no negative marking. Scale: 100–1000.

JLPT N5 syllabus — topic-wise

Language Knowledge — Vocabulary (Moji · Goi)

Language Knowledge — Grammar & Reading (Bunpou · Dokkai)

Listening (Choukai)

How to cover the JLPT N5 syllabus

N5 is the JLPT’s entry level — it confirms you can read hiragana, katakana and basic kanji and follow slow, simple Japanese. The exam is forgiving (pass at 80/180) but the Listening section, played once, is where unprepared candidates stumble.

✅ Preparation tips

  • Lock down hiragana and katakana completely before anything else.
  • Drill the ~100 N5 kanji and core vocabulary with spaced repetition.
  • Practise listening daily — it is played once, with no transcript.

⚠️ Common mistakes

  • Neglecting listening because it feels hard early on.
  • Relying on romaji instead of reading kana fluently.

Frequently asked questions

What is the JLPT N5 syllabus?

The JLPT N5 syllabus covers Language Knowledge — Vocabulary (Moji · Goi), Language Knowledge — Grammar & Reading (Bunpou · Dokkai), Listening (Choukai). JLPT N5 is the entry level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test — the ability to understand some basic Japanese (hiragana, katakana, roughly 100 kanji and about 800 words). It has three sections and is pass/fail, with a sectional minimum you must also meet.

What is the JLPT N5 exam pattern?

Japanese Language Proficiency Test N5 has 79 questions across 3 sections in 90 minutes with no negative marking.

How many sections are there in JLPT N5?

JLPT N5 is organised into 3 sections: 語彙 Vocabulary (~25 Q), 文法・読解 Grammar + Reading (~30 Q), 聴解 Listening (~24 Q · audio plays once).

Where can I practise the full JLPT N5 syllabus for free?

Wrexa Edge offers 10 free full-length JLPT N5 mock tests that cover the entire syllabus in the real exam interface, with instant scoring and topic-wise analysis.

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