JLPT N5 Vocabulary List — 99 Words & Phrases
N5 is the most basic level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. It covers hiragana, katakana, a small set of simple kanji and the everyday words and sentence patterns needed to handle short, simple situations. This vocabulary list is made for complete beginners and anyone who has just started learning Japanese.
Below are 99 JLPT N5 vocabulary study entries, including いち, に, さん, よん / し. Words and phrases with their meanings, grouped around the situations this level focuses on.
How to use this list
- Study a few entries at a time and say each one aloud, then cover the meaning and test yourself.
- Learn words inside short sentences rather than alone — context makes them easier to recall.
- Review old entries on a schedule (spaced repetition) so they move into long-term memory.
JLPT N5 vocabulary — full list
| Word / phrase | Meaning, reading and notes |
|---|---|
| いち | 1 — one |
| に | 2 — two |
| さん | 3 — three |
| よん / し | 4 — four (よん preferred) |
| ご | 5 — five |
| ろく | 6 — six |
| なな / しち | 7 — seven (なな preferred) |
| はち | 8 — eight |
| きゅう / く | 9 — nine |
| じゅう | 10 — ten |
| ひゃく | 100 — one hundred |
| せん | 1000 — one thousand |
| きょう | today |
| あした | tomorrow |
| きのう | yesterday |
| まいにち | every day |
| なんじですか | What time is it? |
| Days pattern | Sun/Moon/Fire/Water/Wood/Gold/Earth 日月火水木金土 → にちげつかすいもくきんど |
| おはようございます | Good morning (polite) |
| こんにちは | Hello / Good afternoon |
| こんばんは | Good evening |
| ありがとうございます | Thank you very much |
| すみません | Excuse me / I'm sorry / Thank you for your trouble |
| いただきます | Said before eating — I humbly receive |
| ごちそうさまでした | Said after eating — Thank you for the meal |
| ただいま | I'm home! |
| おかえりなさい | Welcome back! |
| おとうさん / ちち | Father (someone else's / your own) |
| おかあさん / はは | Mother (someone else's / your own) |
| ともだち | friend |
| おいしい | delicious 😋 |
| ごはん | cooked rice / meal 🍚 |
| おちゃ | green tea 🍵 |
| いくらですか | How much is it? |
| ～をください | Please give me ~ / ~ please |
| えき | train station 🚉 |
| びょういん | hospital 🏥 |
| じんじゃ | Shinto shrine ⛩️ |
| みぎ / ひだり | right / left ➡️ ⬅️ |
| まっすぐ | straight ahead ⬆️ |
| おおきい / ちいさい | big / small |
| たかい / やすい | expensive / cheap (also tall / low) |
| かわいい | cute / adorable 🥰 |
| むずかしい / やさしい | difficult / easy (also kind) |
| いちばん | most / number one — いちばんおおきい = biggest |
| います / あります | to be/exist — います (living things), あります (objects) |
| わかりません | I don't understand |
| たべたいです | I want to eat (～たいです = want to do ~) |
| いきましょう | Let's go! (～ましょう = let's ~) |
| まってください | Please wait (～てください = please do ~) |
| いってきます | I'm going (and will come back) — said when leaving home |
| おじゃまします | Sorry for intruding — said when entering someone's home |
| しつれいします | Excuse me / Pardon (very polite) |
| だいじょうぶ | It's OK / No problem 👌 |
| ちょっとまってください | Please wait a moment |
| おなかがすいた | I'm hungry (stomach is empty) |
| のどがかわいた | I'm thirsty (throat is dry) |
| つかれた | I'm tired 😫 |
| きもちいい | Feels good / pleasant ☀️ |
| しんぱい | Worried / anxious |
| かばん | bag / backpack 🎒 |
| かさ | umbrella ☂️ |
| きっぷ | ticket 🎫 |
| さいふ | wallet 💰 |
| かぎ | key 🔑 |
| しんごう | traffic light 🚦 |
| こうさてん | intersection / crossroads |
| いりぐち | entrance 🚪 |
| でぐち | exit 🚪 |
| きた | north ⬆️ |
| みなみ | south ⬇️ |
| ひがし | east |
| にし | west |
| てんき | weather ☀️🌧️ (きょうのてんき = today's weather) |
| あめ / ゆき / くもり | rain ☔ / snow ❄️ / cloudy ☁️ |
| すごい！ | Amazing! Incredible! |
| かわいい！ | Cute! Adorable! |
| やばい！ | Oh no! / Wow! (extreme reaction) |
| やった！ | Yes! I did it! / We won! |
| うそ！ | No way! / That's a lie! |
| さすが！ | As expected of you! (admiration) |
| いただきます | Let's eat! / I humbly receive (before meal) |
| ごちそうさまでした | Thank you for the meal (after eating) |
| がんばれ！ | You can do it! / Keep going! (cheering) |
| だいじょうぶ | It's OK / I'm fine / No problem |
| たすけて！ | Help! (urgent) |
| おなかがすいた！ | I'm hungry! |
| ねむい | sleepy |
| ひどい！ | That's mean! / How awful! |
| 青春 (seishun) | youth / springtime of life |
| ひとつ | one (thing) — universal counter ～つ |
| ふたつ | two (things) |
| みっつ | three (things) |
| 一人（ひとり） | one person (irregular) |
| 二人（ふたり） | two people (irregular) |
| 〜枚（まい） | counter for flat things — tickets, paper, plates |
| 〜本（ほん） | counter for long things — pens, bottles, umbrellas |
| 〜匹（ひき） | counter for small animals |
| いくつ | how many? (general) |
Practice questions
Test yourself with 6 sample questions from the JLPT N5 vocabulary quiz in the app. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. A Japanese friend texts: あしたひまですか？(ashita hima desu ka?) What are they asking?
- Are you cold tomorrow?
- Are you coming tomorrow?
- Are you free tomorrow?
- Are you studying tomorrow?
Show answer
Answer: Are you free tomorrow?
あした (ashita) = tomorrow, ひま (hima) = free time / not busy. あしたひまですか = "Are you free tomorrow?" This is how Japanese people typically ask if you want to hang out — they ask if you're free rather than directly proposing an activity.
2. Which sentence correctly says "I live in Melbourne"?
- メルボルンをすんでいます (Meruborun o sunde imasu)
- メルボルンにすんでいます (Meruborun ni sunde imasu)
- メルボルンがすんでいます (Meruborun ga sunde imasu)
- メルボルンですんでいます (Meruborun de sunde imasu)
Show answer
Answer: メルボルンにすんでいます (Meruborun ni sunde imasu)
メルボルンにすんでいます. The particle に marks location for existence and state verbs. すんでいます (sunde imasu) = living (ongoing state). に is the correct particle for "living in" a place — を, が, and で would all be wrong here.
3. What is the correct way to say "This is delicious!" after trying food?
- やさしいです！ (yasashii desu!)
- たのしいです！ (tanoshii desu!)
- おいしいです！ (oishii desu!)
- うれしいです！ (ureshii desu!)
Show answer
Answer: おいしいです！ (oishii desu!)
おいしいです (oishii desu) = It's delicious! This is one of the most important phrases in Japan — saying it genuinely delights anyone who made or served you food. The other options: たのしい (fun), やさしい (kind/easy), うれしい (happy/pleased).
4. いただきます (itadakimasu) is said?
- When arriving
- Before eating
- When meeting someone
- When leaving
Show answer
Answer: Before eating
いただきます is THE before-meal phrase. Deeply cultural. Its pair after eating: ごちそうさまでした.
5. すごい！(sugoi!) means?
- Cute!
- Amazing! Incredible!
- Delicious!
- Help!
Show answer
Answer: Amazing! Incredible!
すごい = amazing / incredible. One of the most-heard words in anime and daily Japanese. Used constantly as a positive reaction.
6. Counter ～まい is used for:
- People
- Machines
- Small animals
- Flat things (tickets, paper)
Show answer
Answer: Flat things (tickets, paper)
～まい counts flat objects like tickets, paper and plates.
Study JLPT N5 vocabulary in the free app
A Star Japanese turns this list into lessons, flashcards with spaced repetition, quizzes and listening practice with real Japanese voices — plus timed JLPT N5 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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More JLPT N5 study lists
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official JLPT N5 vocabulary list?
There is no single official vocabulary list for the JLPT, so this is a study list built from the A Star Japanese JLPT N5 lessons. It focuses on what learners at this level are most likely to meet.
How should I study the JLPT N5 vocabulary?
Study a few entries at a time and say each one aloud, then cover the meaning and test yourself. Learn words inside short sentences rather than alone — context makes them easier to recall. Review old entries on a schedule (spaced repetition) so they move into long-term memory.
How can I practise JLPT N5 vocabulary for free?
Download A Star Japanese for free on iPhone or Android. It has lessons, flashcards with spaced repetition, quizzes, listening practice with real Japanese voices and timed JLPT mock exams — with no ads.