If you're aiming to work in Japan, JLPT N4 is your finish line for the visa — the level the Specified Skilled Worker route asks for (alongside JFT-Basic A2). It's a step up from N5, but a very reachable one. Here's the roadmap from N5 to N4.

Why N4 is the level that matters

N4 certifies you can understand basic Japanese used in everyday situations — a bit more grammar, more vocabulary, and faster listening than N5. For SSW, it's the language bar; for daily life in Japan, it's the difference between getting by and feeling confident. (See the full language plan.)

What N4 adds on top of N5

Roughly, going from N5 to N4 means growing into:

  • ~300 kanji total (up from around 100 at N5).
  • ~1,500 vocabulary words (up from a few hundred).
  • More grammar — past/te-form fluency, comparisons, giving/receiving, plain form, and common everyday patterns.
  • Longer listening and reading at a slightly faster, more natural pace.

Don't let the numbers scare you — you build them gradually, in small daily doses.

The roadmap, step by step

Step 1 — Lock in your N5 foundation

Make sure your hiragana, katakana, N5 vocabulary, and core grammar are solid first. Gaps at N5 slow everything at N4. (See how to pass JLPT N5.)

Step 2 — Grow vocabulary and kanji daily

Add N4 words and kanji with spaced repetition so they stick. Komichi's free N4 decks are built for this — small sets, reviewed daily.

Step 3 — Layer in N4 grammar

Learn the N4 grammar patterns in context, through example sentences and graded reading, not as isolated rules.

Step 4 — Practise listening and reading

N4 leans harder on comprehension, so make daily listening and reading at level a habit — this is where the level is won or lost.

Step 5 — Test-format practice, then book

In the final weeks, do timed practice in your chosen format (JLPT or JFT-Basic), then book once you're consistently scoring at level.

How long does N5 to N4 take?

For a motivated learner studying near-daily, a few months on top of a solid N5 is a realistic target — though it varies with the hours you put in. Steady beats sporadic. (See how long it takes overall.)

After N4

N4 clears the visa bar, but more Japanese keeps paying off — N3 and above open better roles and smoother daily life. Treat N4 as the gateway, then keep the same daily habits going. Start free with Komichi's decks today. Confirm current JLPT details on the official JLPT site.