You’ve graduated from survival Japanese-ordering ramen, introducing yourself, navigating train stations. Now you’re hungry for more: describing your weekend, explaining why you’re running late, and actually following a simple anime scene without subtitles. That’s N4 territory, and this vocabulary list is built exactly for it. We’ve gathered around 1500 practical words that show up on the JLPT N4 and in everyday life, skipping the obscure terms you’ll never use. It’s vocabulary that earns its keep. Pair these words with JLPT N4 grammar to build fuller sentences.
Ready for a little vocabulary adventure? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable JLPT N4 Japanese vocabulary list PDF PDF and the free downloadable printable JLPT N4 Japanese PDF flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Japanese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already locked a few of these N4 words into memory? The quick quiz below will show you what you know and which ones could use a second glance-no pressure, just a friendly check-in.
Keep building your Japanese
Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Reading | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| もちろん | もちろん | adverb | of course | もちろん、手伝います。 | Of course, I will help. |
| もっとも | もっとも | adverb | most; the most reasonable | それがもっともです。 | That makes the most sense. |
| もらう | もらう | verb | to receive | 友だちに本をもらいました。 | I received a book from my friend. |
| やっと | やっと | adverb | at last; finally | やっと終わりました。 | It finally ended. |
| やっぱり | やはり | adverb | as expected; after all | やっぱり雨が降りました。 | It rained after all. |
| やっぱり | やっぱり | adverb | as expected; after all | やっぱり雨が降りました。 | It rained after all. |
| やはり | やはり | adverb | as expected; still | やはり彼が来ました。 | As expected, he came. |
| やはり | やっぱり | adverb | as expected; after all | やっぱり雨でした。 | It was rain after all. |
| よろしい | よろしい | adjective | good; all right | それでよろしいです。 | That is fine. |
| リポート | レポート | noun | report; paper | レポートを書きます。 | I will write a report. |
| リポート | リポート | noun | report; paper | レポートを書きます。 | I will write a report. |
| レジ | レジ | noun | cash register | レジで払います。 | I will pay at the register. |
| レポート | レポート | noun | report; report paper | レポートを書きました。 | I wrote a report. |
| レポート | リポート | noun | report; report paper | レポートを出してください。 | Please submit the report. |
| ワープロ | ワープロ | noun | word processor | ワープロで文を書きます。 | I write sentences on a word processor. |
| ン | ン | noun | N; the letter N | この単語は「ン」で終わります。 | This word ends with "n". |
| 一定 | いってい | adjective | fixed; certain | 毎日 一定の 時間に 起きます。 | I wake up at a fixed time every day. |
| 一度 | いちど | adverb | once; one time | 一度見たことがあります。 | I have seen it once. |
| 一応 | いちおう | adverb | for now; tentatively | 一応、確認しました。 | I checked it for now. |
| 一斉 | いっせい | noun | simultaneously; all at once | みんな一斉に立ちました。 | Everyone stood up at once. |
| 一旦 | いったん | adverb | once; for the time being | 一旦家に帰ります。 | I will go home for now. |
| 一昨年 | いっさくねん | noun | the year before last | 一昨年、日本へ行きました。 | I went to Japan the year before last. |
| 一昨日 | いっさくじつ | noun | the day before yesterday | 一昨日、友だちに会いました。 | I met my friend the day before yesterday. |
| 一段と | いちだんと | adverb | even more | 今日は一段と寒いです。 | It is even colder today. |
| 一流 | いちりゅう | noun | top class; first-rate | この店は一流です。 | This shop is first-rate. |
Free JLPT N4 Japanese Vocabulary PDF and Flashcard Downloads
Grab the purple button for the JLPT N4 Japanese vocabulary list PDF and the teal button for the JLPT N4 Japanese PDF flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free, with no signup required.
