Topic name:

Level: N3

Description: A summary of linguistic competence required for N3.

The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain degree.

Reading

・One is able to read and understand written materials with specific contents concerning everyday topics.

・One is also able to grasp summary information such as newspaper headlines.

・In addition, one is also able to read slightly difficult writings encountered in everyday situations and understand the main points of the content if some alternative phrases are available to aid one’s understanding.

Listening

・One is able to listen and comprehend coherent conversations in everyday situations, spoken at near-natural speed, and is generally able to follow their contents as well as grasp the relationships among the people involved.

Difficulty level: 

Topic name:

Level: N4

Description: A summary of linguistic competence required for N4.

The ability to understand basic Japanese.

・One is able to read and understand passages on familiar daily topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji.

・One is able to listen and comprehend conversations encountered in daily life and generally follow their contents, provided that they are spoken slowly.

Difficulty level: 

Topic name:

Level: N5

Description: A summary of linguistic competence required for N5.

The ability to understand some basic Japanese.

・One is able to read and understand typical expressions and sentences written in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji.

・One is able to listen and comprehend conversations about topics regularly encountered in daily life and classroom situations, and is able to pick up necessary information from short conversations spoken slowly.

Difficulty level: