Vocabulary is the engine of early Japanese — grammar connects words, but words carry the meaning. JLPT N5 asks for the core everyday vocabulary a beginner needs, and mastering it is the foundation for N4 (the level the SSW visa requires). Here's what N5 vocabulary covers and how to learn it efficiently.
How much vocabulary is in N5?
N5 expects roughly 600–800 vocabulary words and around 100 basic kanji (figures are approximate — the JLPT doesn't publish a single official list). That sounds like a lot, but it's very ordinary, high-frequency language you'll use constantly.
What the N5 vocabulary covers
The words cluster into everyday themes, including:
- Numbers, time, and dates — counting, days, months, telling the time.
- People and family — family members, occupations, pronouns.
- Food and drink — common meals, ingredients, restaurant basics.
- Places and directions — home, school, shops, station, left/right.
- Common verbs — to go, eat, drink, see, do, come, buy.
- Basic adjectives — big/small, hot/cold, good/bad, cheap/expensive.
- Everyday objects and school/work basics.
How to learn N5 vocabulary efficiently
- Small daily sets — 10–20 new words a day beats a weekly marathon.
- Spaced repetition — review words just as you're about to forget them, so they stick (Komichi's N5 decks do this automatically).
- Learn words with their kanji and reading together, not in isolation.
- See them in sentences — the reading library turns a word list into real comprehension.
- Prioritise high-frequency words — the common verbs and adjectives appear everywhere.
Don't just memorise — use
A word you can recognise on a flashcard but can't understand in a sentence isn't learned yet. Mix flashcards with reading and listening so your vocabulary becomes usable, not just recognisable.
After N5 vocabulary
With the N5 core solid, move on to grammar and then the N4 roadmap — the level the SSW visa needs. (See how to pass JLPT N5.) Start free with Komichi's N5 decks, which cover this vocabulary with spaced repetition built in.