The curriculum, on one page
Six levels in a fixed order, the same five skills at every level, a day-by-day plan that schedules them, and spaced review that decides what comes back. This page explains how the pieces fit.
The path
Each level assumes the one before it. Start where your current level ends.
Foundation · before N5
Hiragana, katakana, pronunciation, numbers and counters, dates and time, greetings. 8 lessons, about 4 hours. Do this first if you cannot yet read kana.
JLPT N5: Foundations
Your first sentences in Japanese.
76 grammar · 729 vocabulary · 80 kanji · 30 reading · 30 listening
JLPT N4: Everyday Japanese
Hold a real conversation about daily topics.
112 grammar · 728 vocabulary · 166 kanji · 30 reading · 30 listening
JLPT N3: Intermediate Bridge
Read news headlines and follow natural speech.
139 grammar · 2,252 vocabulary · 371 kanji · 30 reading · 30 listening
JLPT N2: Advanced Fluency
Work, study and live in Japanese with confidence.
200 grammar · 1,691 vocabulary · 369 kanji · 30 reading · 30 listening
JLPT N1: Advanced Mastery
Read editorials and follow fast, abstract discussion.
180 grammar · 2,066 vocabulary · 1,047 kanji · 30 reading · 30 listening
What you learn at each level
N5 · Foundations
Hiragana, katakana, the most common kanji, basic particles and verb forms. After N5 you can introduce yourself, talk about daily life and read simple signs and notes.
- Particles は, が, を, に, で, へ and how they shape a sentence
- Present, past and negative forms of verbs and adjectives
- Around 100 kanji and 700 everyday words
- Simple requests, invitations and questions
Commonly cited estimates: about 100 kanji and 800 words (the JLPT publishes no official lists). Pass mark: 80 / 180.
N4 · Everyday Japanese
Te-form combinations, potential, passive, causative, conditionals and giving / receiving. You start reading short passages and understanding slow conversations.
- Verb forms: potential, passive, causative, volitional and imperative
- Conditionals たら, ば, と, なら and how they differ
- Around 150 more kanji and 900 words for daily life, work and travel
- Explaining reasons, giving advice and making comparisons
Commonly cited estimates: about 300 kanji and 1,500 words (the JLPT publishes no official lists). Pass mark: 90 / 180.
N3 · Intermediate Bridge
The bridge between everyday and formal Japanese. Keigo, nuanced sentence endings, and the grammar that turns simple sentences into natural paragraphs.
- Keigo: 尊敬語 and 謙譲語 in real situations
- Nuance patterns: 〜わけ, 〜はず, 〜べき, 〜ように and their differences
- Around 370 kanji and 1,500 words on society, work and health
- Reading medium-length passages and understanding the writer's intent
Commonly cited estimates: about 650 kanji and 3,700 words (the JLPT publishes no official lists). Pass mark: 95 / 180.
N2 · Advanced Fluency
Formal and written Japanese: newspaper articles, business emails, opinion pieces and fast natural conversation. N2 is commonly requested by Japanese employers and universities, though requirements vary by organisation.
- 200 grammar patterns including 〜あげく, 〜ざるを得ない, 〜に限らず and 〜わけではない
- Around 390 kanji and 1,800 words for news, business and academic contexts
- Reading long passages, comparing two texts and scanning information
- Listening for the main point, the speaker's attitude and quick responses
Commonly cited estimates: about 1,000 kanji and 6,000 words (the JLPT publishes no official lists). Pass mark: 90 / 180, with at least 19 in each section.
N1 · Advanced Mastery
The highest JLPT level: literary and formal grammar, abstract vocabulary, dense editorials and lectures at natural speed. Built for learners who have passed N2 and want full professional fluency.
- Formal and literary patterns: 〜んばかり, 〜ざるを得ない, 〜を禁じ得ない, 〜とあって, 〜ながらも
- Abstract and specialised vocabulary for politics, economics, science and the arts
- Around 600 more kanji and 1,500 words of editorial and academic Japanese
- Reading long opinion pieces and understanding implication, irony and stance
Commonly cited estimates: about 2,000 kanji and 10,000 words (the JLPT publishes no official lists). Pass mark: 100 / 180 (19 per section).
What every level contains
The same six parts at every level, so the way you study does not change as the material gets harder.
- Grammar
- One lesson per pattern: meaning, formation, a diagram, natural examples with readings, similar patterns, common mistakes, JLPT tips and a quiz.
- Vocabulary
- Words in context, with readings, example sentences and collocations, grouped so that a day's words belong together.
- Kanji
- Readings, common words, look-alike characters and memory aids, grouped by day.
- Reading
- Short, medium and long passages in the JLPT question formats, with strategy notes, questions and explanations.
- Listening
- Scripted conversations with a recording, a full transcript, vocabulary, comprehension questions and shadowing practice.
- Tests and mock exams
- Weekly and phase tests drawn from the question bank, and timed full-length mock exams in the official section structure.
The 270-day plan
Signing in unlocks a day-by-day plan from kana to N1: 270 days in 9 phases, about 128 minutes a day and 574 hours in total. Days 1–180 take you to N2 and days 181–270 to N1. Every day ends with a quiz, every week with a test, every phase with a phase test. It is an intensive schedule: treat it as the order to study in, not a deadline. Most learners repeat phases, and the tracker lets you set your current day at any time.
| Phase | Days | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 1–30 | Kana, N5 grammar, 626 N5 words and the 80 N5 kanji. Build daily study habits. |
| Intermediate | 31–60 | All N4 grammar including keigo basics, 561 N4 words, 166 N4 kanji, first graded reading passages. |
| N3 → N2 Transition | 61–90 | N3 grammar, 1,455 N3 words and 352 N3 kanji. Start exam-style reading and listening. |
| N2 Core | 91–135 | All 200 N2 grammar points, 1,692 N2 words and 319 N2 kanji with short-passage reading and listening drills. |
| N2 Intensive | 136–165 | Second pass over N2 grammar and vocabulary, medium/long/integrated reading, full listening rotation, first mock exam. |
| N2 Exam Preparation | 166–180 | Weak-point review, timed passages, confusable pairs, contractions, two mock exams and the N2 phase test. |
| N1 Core | 181–225 | All 180 N1 grammar points, 2,066 N1 words and 690 N1 kanji, with short and mid-length editorial reading and natural-speed listening. |
| N1 Intensive | 226–255 | Second pass over N1 grammar and vocabulary, long, integrated and information-retrieval reading, full listening rotation, first N1 mock exam. |
| N1 Exam Preparation | 256–270 | Weak-point review, timed long passages, register and nuance drills, two mock exams and the N1 phase test. |
Study time across the plan: grammar 18%, reading 16%, listening 15%, vocabulary 15%, review 12%, kanji 11%, daily quizzes 6%, mock exams 3%, weekly tests 3%, phase tests 1%, kana 1%.
How review works
Every grammar point, word and kanji you answer in a quiz gets its own review record. Items move up a ladder from new to learning, review, strong and finally mastered. A correct answer lengthens the gap before the item comes back; a wrong answer drops it back to learning and brings it back the next day. An item counts as mastered once its review gap has grown to 30 days or more and you have answered it correctly 3 times in a row since your last miss. The daily plan reserves time for whatever is due, so review never has to be scheduled by hand.