Japanese Tutoring JLPT Roadmap
N5 to N1 Progression
N5
- Master hiragana & katakana
- Basic greetings & self-introduction
- Understand simple sentence structures (~800 vocabulary)
- Recognize ~100 foundational kanji
- Use of particles like は, が, を, に
N4
- Talk about past & future actions
- Casual and polite verb forms
- Understand everyday conversations and short paragraphs
- Expand vocabulary to ~1,500 words and ~300 kanji
- Grammar points: ～たい, ～ながら, ～んです
N3
- Comprehend slightly complex texts and conversations
- Switch between formal/casual registers
- Vocabulary grows to ~3,750 words, ~650 kanji
- Grammar includes ～ようにする, ～てしまう, ～ことになる
- Read and summarize short news articles
N2
- Understand detailed articles, opinions, and lectures
- Use keigo (respectful language) appropriately
- Read intermediate novels and opinion columns
- Vocabulary expands to ~6,000 words and ~1,000 kanji
- Complex grammar like ～わけではない, ～に違いない
N1
- Read academic, legal, and literary texts with ease
- Follow native-speed audio without subtitles
- Vocabulary reaches ~10,000+ words and ~2,000 kanji
- Advanced grammar nuances: ～ざるを得ない, ～ものではない
- Able to write essays and conduct debates in Japanese