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JLPT N5 — Vocabulary (800 Words) for the JLPT Exam

JLPT N5 is the entry level, requiring approximately 800 vocabulary words and 100 kanji. N5 vocabulary covers everyday survival Japanese: greetings, numbers, time, family, food, and basic actions. All 800 words should be known with their reading (hiragana/katakana/kanji), meaning, and basic usage.

Locale-specific study guides

Pass-rate data, regulatory context, and study tips for JLPT N5 — Vocabulary (800 Words) all change by candidate locale. Pick your context:

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

  • !Memorising vocabulary without learning their reading in hiragana/kanji
  • !Confusing similar particles: は (wa) vs が (ga) in basic sentences
  • !Not knowing katakana for borrowed words (テレビ/terebi = TV, バス/basu = bus)

Study tips

  • 1Master hiragana and katakana first — without these writing systems, JLPT preparation is nearly impossible.
  • 2Use the Genki I textbook vocabulary lists as a comprehensive N5 vocabulary resource.
  • 3Learn vocabulary in sentences, not in isolation — context reinforces meaning and usage.

Sample JLPT JLPT N5 — Vocabulary (800 Words) questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real JLPT questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

  1. 1

    What does "私は学生です" (Watashi wa gakusei desu) mean?

    • AI am a teacher
    • BI am a studentCorrect
    • CHe is a student
    • DThe student is me
    Why this answer?

    "私" (watashi) = I; "は" (wa) = topic marker; "学生" (gakusei) = student; "です" (desu) = polite copula (am/is/are). The sentence means "I am a student." This is one of the most fundamental N5 sentence patterns.

  2. 2

    Which word means "to eat" in Japanese?

    • A飲む (nomu)
    • B食べる (taberu)Correct
    • C見る (miru)
    • D聞く (kiku)
    Why this answer?

    "食べる" (taberu) means "to eat." "飲む" (nomu) = to drink; "見る" (miru) = to see/watch; "聞く" (kiku) = to hear/listen/ask. These four verbs are all essential N5 vocabulary.

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