JLPT N5 is where real Japanese starts. You’ve nailed the kana, and now you’re ready for words that actually do useful work-ordering food, talking about your day, asking simple questions. This list packs roughly 800 practical N5 words you’ll meet on the exam and in daily chats, not dusty textbook fillers.
Every entry gives you a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you see how the word behaves in the wild-not just a lonely translation. Audio playback is baked right in, because your ears need practice just as much as your eyes. Tap, listen, repeat.
Ready to give your Japanese study a little boost? Scroll all the way to the bottom for the free printable JLPT N5 Japanese vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable JLPT N5 Japanese flashcards—nice, tidy, and perfect for quick review.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already memorised a few N5 words? Give the quiz a quick spin-it’s a low‑stress way to spot which ones still need a second look.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Reading | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 上げる | あげる | verb | to give; to raise | 先生に花をあげます。 | I give flowers to the teacher. | |
| 上手 | じょうず | adjective | good at; skillful | 彼は日本語が上手です。 | He is good at Japanese. | |
| 上着 | うわぎ | noun | jacket; coat | 上着を着ます。 | I put on a jacket. | |
| 下 | した | noun | down; below | 机の下に猫がいます。 | There is a cat under the desk. | |
| 下手 | へた | adjective | poor at; bad at | 私は英語が下手です。 | I am bad at English. | |
| 両親 | りょうしん | noun | parents | 両親は東京に住んでいます。 | My parents live in Tokyo. | |
| 並ぶ | ならぶ | verb | to line up; to stand in a row | 人が駅に並んでいます。 | People are lining up at the station. | |
| 並べる | ならべる | verb | to arrange; to line up | 本を机に並べます。 | I arrange the books on the desk. | |
| 中 | なか | noun | inside; middle | 箱の中にあります。 | It is inside the box. | |
| 丸い | まるい | adjective | round | このボールは丸いです。 | This ball is round. | |
| 乗る | のる | verb | to ride; to get on | バスに乗ります。 | I get on the bus. | |
| 九 | きゅう | noun | nine | 九人います。 | There are nine people. | |
| 九 | く | noun | nine | 九時に会いましょう。 | Let's meet at nine o'clock. | |
| 九つ | ここのつ | noun | nine | 九つあります。 | There are nine. | |
| 九日 | ここのか | noun | the 9th day of the month | 九日に東京へ行きます。 | I will go to Tokyo on the 9th. | |
| 予め | あらかじめ | adverb | in advance | 予め連絡してください。 | Please contact me in advance. | |
| 争い | あらそい | noun | quarrel; conflict | 争いをやめよう。 | Let's stop the quarrel. | |
| 二 | に | noun | two | 二を足します。 | I add two. | |
| 二つ | ふたつ | counter | two | みかんを二つください。 | Please give me two mandarins. | |
| 二人 | ふたり | noun | two people | 二人で行きます。 | We will go together, two people. | |
| 二十日 | はつか | noun | the 20th day of the month | 今日は二十日です。 | Today is the 20th. | |
| 二十歳 | はたち | noun | twenty years old | 彼は二十歳です。 | He is twenty years old. | |
| 二日 | ふつか | noun | the second day; two days | 二日は休みです。 | The second day is a holiday. | |
| 五 | ご | noun | five | りんごを五つください。 | Please give me five apples. | |
| 五つ | いつつ | noun | five | みかんを五つ買いました。 | I bought five mandarins. |
Free JLPT N5 Japanese Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards
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