JLPT N5 Vocabulary List & Study Guide (800 Words You Actually Need)
The complete JLPT N5 vocabulary list — all ~800 words you need to pass, plus how long it takes and the smartest order to learn them in.
The JLPT N5 covers roughly 800 vocabulary words and 100 kanji. Here's the complete searchable list, plus a realistic study plan to pass.
What's on the N5
- Vocabulary: ~800 words
- Kanji: ~100 (the most common ones, like 人, 日, 本, 学)
- Grammar: Basic particles, です/ます forms, te-form, simple past
- Time to pass: 250–400 study hours for most learners
The complete N5 vocab list
We maintain a free, searchable copy of the full JLPT N5 vocabulary list — filter by kana, kanji or English, no signup required:
→ Browse the full JLPT N5 vocabulary list
The smartest order to learn them
- Numbers, days, months, time (~80 words) — high reuse, easy wins.
- Pronouns and family words (~40 words) — needed in every conversation.
- The 100 most common N5 verbs — these unlock most simple sentences.
- Food, places, transport — practical vocab for the speaking practice section.
- The remaining ~400 words — pick up through reading, not raw drilling.
How to actually study
The most efficient N5 prep stack is: Genki I textbook → daily SRS reviews → graded readers → past papers in the final month. Plan ~250 hours over 6 months if you're starting from zero.
If you want to skip the textbook grind, you can also learn N5 vocab in context using an interactive reader like InputDojo — import any Japanese article and look up every word with one tap, building real reading speed alongside the vocab.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How many words do I need for JLPT N5?
Approximately 800 vocabulary words and 100 kanji, plus basic grammar.
Is JLPT N5 worth taking?
It's a useful milestone if you want external accountability, but most employers care only about N2 or N1. Take it for motivation, not for your resume.
Stop reading about it. Start reading.
InputDojo turns any article, YouTube video or PDF into an interactive lesson with instant word lookup, SRS, and an AI tutor.
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