Free JLPT Practice Test: Check Your Japanese Level (N5–N1)
25 JLPT-style questions, from easy to hard, with instructions in English. In about 8 minutes you get your estimated JLPT level, N5 to N1, and where to start learning.
I’m a total beginner, start me at lesson 1
Free. A practice test, not an official JLPT result.
- 25 questions
- 3 JLPT sections
- N5–N1 estimate
- 8 minutes
How does the JLPT level test work?
25 questions in the format of the JLPT’s written sections, a little harder every five questions. No timer, no sign-up to start, and one tap answers each question.
Start at N5
Short questions with furigana and rōmaji, which you can switch off.
Step up to N1
Kanji, vocabulary, grammar, sentence order and short texts, one level up every five questions. Several misses in a row and the next questions come from an easier level.
See your level
Your estimated JLPT level, the CEFR level it matches, a score per section and the lesson to start at in Slova.
How we estimate your level
Every question is written at one JLPT level, in the question types of the real exam: kanji reading (漢字読み), orthography (表記), word in context (文脈規定), paraphrase (言い換え類義), sentence grammar (文の文法), sentence order with the ★ (文の組み立て) and short reading (読解). A level counts as passed when you get three of its questions right, and your result is the highest level you passed, counting up from N5. The questions are original and not calibrated on large groups of learners, so the result is an estimate, not an official JLPT result. For the real format, see the official JLPT sample questions.
What your Japanese level test result shows
All of it on one screen, free. Leave your email at the end to see it, and we send you a copy.
- Your JLPT levelFrom N5 to N1 (or below N5), with the levels you would likely pass and your next goal.
- A score for each sectionVocabulary (文字・語彙), grammar (文法) and reading (読解), counted apart, so you see where to work.
- Every answer explainedThe right answer and a short reason in English, for every question you saw.
- Where to start in SlovaThe lesson of our Japanese course that matches your level.
- Vocabulary7 of 11
- Grammar6 of 10
- Reading2 of 4
Where to start
NextLesson 101: gifts, souvenirs and special occasions.
JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test has five levels, from N5 for beginners to N1 for advanced learners. Here is what each one looks like, with the CEFR level it roughly matches. The kanji and word counts are the usual unofficial estimates; the JLPT has published no official lists since 2010.
- N5
Beginner · about A1
- Read hiragana, katakana and about 100 kanji (some 800 words).
- Understand set phrases and simple sentences about daily life.
- Read short, simple notes and signs.
- N4
Pre-intermediate · about A2
- About 300 kanji and 1,500 words.
- Read everyday texts written with basic kanji.
- Follow slow, clear everyday conversation.
- N3
Intermediate · about B1
- About 650 kanji and 3,750 words.
- Read the main points of clear texts and headlines.
- Follow everyday conversation at near-natural speed.
- N2
Upper-intermediate · about B2
- About 1,000 kanji and 6,000 words.
- Read newspaper and magazine articles.
- Follow most conversations and the news.
- N1
Advanced · about C1
- About 2,000 kanji and 10,000 words.
- Read demanding, abstract texts with ease.
- Catch nuance and what is meant but not said.
JLPT sample questions
Five questions from this test, from N5 to N1, in the JLPT’s own question types. Tap to see the answer and why.
Example 1 · N5 · How is the underlined word read?
あの 山は たかいです。
- いけ
- かわ
- しま
- やま
Show the answer
やま. 山 is read やま, “mountain”. かわ is 川 (river), いけ is 池 (pond) and しま is 島 (island).
Example 2 · N4 · Which best fills the blank?
ドアに かぎが かけて ＿＿＿。
- あります
- います
- おきます
- しまいます
Show the answer
あります. A transitive verb + て あります describes a state someone left on purpose: the door has been locked.
Example 3 · N4 · Read the text, then answer the question.
山田さん
来週の 会議ですが、水曜日から 木曜日に 変わりました。時間は 同じ 10時です。場所は 3階の 会議室です。
佐藤
会議は いつ ありますか。
- 水曜日の 10時
- 水曜日の 3時
- 木曜日の 10時
- 木曜日の 3時
Show the answer
木曜日の 10時. The meeting moved from Wednesday to Thursday and the time stays 10:00. 3 is the floor (3階), not the time.
Example 4 · N3 · Which word best fills the blank?
この 映画は 評判ほど 面白くなくて、少し ＿＿＿した。
- がっかり
- すっきり
- のんびり
- ぴったり
Show the answer
がっかり. がっかりする means “to be disappointed”, which fits a film that was not as good as people said.
Example 5 · N1 · Which best fills the blank?
彼の 成功は 努力の 結果 ＿＿＿ ほかならない。
- が
- で
- に
- を
Show the answer
に. 〜にほかならない means “is nothing other than”: his success is nothing but the result of effort.
JLPT N5 practice test
The first five questions of this test are at N5, and every result says whether you would likely pass it.
N5 is the first JLPT level and the one most learners sit first. It checks that you can read hiragana, katakana and about 100 basic kanji, and understand short sentences on everyday topics: your day, shopping, family, times and places.
The real N5 exam has three parts: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary), 20 minutes; Language Knowledge (Grammar) and Reading, 40 minutes; and Listening, 30 minutes. To pass you need 80 of 180 points overall, and at least 38 of 120 in the first two parts together and 19 of 60 in listening.
What N5 questions look like here
- Kanji reading: how an underlined word such as 山 or 先生 is read.
- Word in context: the word that fits a short sentence, such as みず after のどが かわきました.
- Grammar: particles (に, で, を, が) and forms such as 〜ませんか and the て-form.
- Sentence order: four pieces, and which one goes in the ★ blank.
Furigana and rōmaji are on for N5 and N4 questions, and you can switch them off. Our test has no listening section; the real N5 does, so practise listening separately. For the exam’s own N5 examples, see the official sample questions.
JLPT N5 kanji and vocabulary: what is tested
N5 checks about 100 kanji and 800 words. Two question types test the kanji: how a word is read and how it is written.
The JLPT no longer publishes official kanji lists, but the usual N5 lists agree on the everyday ones: numbers (一 二 三 百 千 万), days and time (日 月 火 水 木 金 土 年 時 分 半 今), people (人 男 女 子 父 母 先 生 友), places and directions (学 校 店 駅 上 下 中 外 前 後 右 左 東 西 南 北), and common verbs and adjectives (行 来 見 食 飲 話 読 書 聞 買 休 高 安 大 小 長 新 古).
- Kanji reading (漢字読み): an underlined word in kanji, and which kana reading is right, such as 学校 がっこう or 三人 さんにん.
- Orthography (表記): an underlined word in hiragana, and which kanji or katakana spelling is right, such as えき 駅.
- Word in context (文脈規定): which word fits the sentence, mostly everyday verbs, adjectives and counters.
Four examples from this test:
Example 1 · N5 · How is the underlined word read?
学校は えきの ちかくに あります。
- がこう
- がっこ
- かっこう
- がっこう
Show the answer
がっこう. 学校 (school) is read がっこう: a small っ, then a long おう.
Example 2 · N5 · How is the underlined word read?
三人で レストランに 行きました。
- さにん
- さんじん
- さんにん
- みにん
Show the answer
さんにん. People are counted with にん after a number: 三人 is さんにん.
Example 3 · N5 · How is the underlined word written?
きのう えきで ともだちに 会いました。
- 駅
- 験
- 馬
- 訳
Show the answer
駅. えき (station) is written 駅, with 馬 (horse) on the left. 訳 is わけ (reason), and 験 is used in 試験 (しけん).
Example 4 · N5 · Which word best fills the blank?
へやが くらいですね。でんきを ＿＿＿ ください。
- あけて
- けして
- しめて
- つけて
Show the answer
つけて. The room is dark, so you turn the light on: でんきを つけて. けして turns it off; あけて and しめて are for doors and windows.
JLPT N4 test: what changes from N5
Questions 6 to 10 of this test are at N4, the second JLPT level.
N4 adds about 200 more kanji (around 300 in all) and 1,500 words, and the grammar of everyday conversation: the plain form, 〜たり〜たり, 〜ことが できる, 〜と おもう, giving and receiving (あげる, もらう, くれる), the potential and passive forms, and 〜たら / 〜ば for “if”.
The real N4 has the same three parts as N5, a little longer: Vocabulary (25 minutes), Grammar and Reading (55 minutes) and Listening (35 minutes). To pass you need 90 of 180 points, with at least 38 of 120 in the first two parts and 19 of 60 in listening. Our test has no listening section; the real N4 does.
JLPT reading practice: N5 to N1
Every level of this test ends with three short reading questions (読解), like the JLPT’s short passages.
- N5 and N4: a short message, notice or diary entry in simple Japanese, with furigana, and a question about a fact in it.
- N3: notices and short essays in everyday written Japanese; what the writer most wants to say, or why something happens.
- N2 and N1: short opinion pieces and explanations with abstract vocabulary; the writer’s view, or what an expression means in context.
The real JLPT also has longer passages and information-retrieval tasks (an ad or a timetable), which this short test does not. Three examples from this test, at N5, N3 and N1:
Example 1 · N5 · Read the text, then answer the question.
としょかん
げつようびは やすみです。
かようび〜きんようび 9:00〜20:00
どようび・にちようび 9:00〜17:00
としょかんが しまって いるのは いつですか。
- かようびの 18じ
- すいようびの 10じ
- どようびの 18じ
- にちようびの 16じ
Show the answer
どようびの 18じ. On Saturday the library closes at 17:00, so at 18:00 it is shut. The other three times are within opening hours.
Example 2 · N3 · Read the text, then answer the question.
【お知らせ】
エレベーター点検のため、6月10日（土）午前9時から12時まで、エレベーターが使えません。ご不便をおかけしますが、階段をご利用ください。
管理会社
このお知らせで一番伝えたいことは何か。
- 10日の午後に点検があること
- 10日の午前中はエレベーターが使えないこと
- 10日は一日中エレベーターが使えないこと
- エレベーターが故障したこと
Show the answer
10日の午前中はエレベーターが使えないこと. The lift is out of use from 9 to 12 on the 10th, for an inspection, not a breakdown.
Example 3 · N1 · Read the text, then answer the question.
専門家の意見は尊重すべきだが、鵜呑みにするのは危うい。専門家とて人間であり、時には誤りもあるからだ。
「鵜呑みにする」とは、ここではどういう意味か。
- よく考えずにそのまま信じる
- 強く反対する
- 詳しく調べる
- 聞かなかったことにする
Show the answer
よく考えずにそのまま信じる. 鵜呑みにする means “to swallow whole”: to believe something without thinking it through.
JLPT past papers and official sample questions
For full papers, use the official ones.
The JLPT does not put every past paper online. It does publish free sample questions for every level, N5 to N1, as PDFs with the listening audio and answers, and its Official Practice Workbooks (sold as books) contain full tests made from real past questions.
Use this test first to find your level, then work through the official sample questions for that level to get used to the exact format and timing.
JLPT and CEFR: how the levels compare
The JLPT now prints a CEFR reference level on its certificates. It depends on your score, not only on the level you passed.
Since the December 2025 test, the JLPT gives passing candidates a CEFR reference level on their certificate, worked out from the total score. A low pass at a level can match the CEFR level below it:
| JLPT level | CEFR reference (by total score) |
|---|---|
| N1 | C1 (142 or more) · B2 (100–141) |
| N2 | B2 (112 or more) · B1 (90–111) |
| N3 | B1 (104 or more) · A2 (95–103) |
| N4 | A2 |
| N5 | A1 |
There is no C2 on the JLPT: the linking study only reached C1. The CEFR level is a reference for reading and listening, the skills the JLPT tests, and says nothing about speaking. Our result shows the CEFR level each JLPT level roughly matches (N5 A1, N4 A2, N3 B1, N2 B2, N1 C1). Source: jlpt.jp, CEFR reference.
Japanese placement test: where to start in Slova
Your result also places you in Slova’s spoken Japanese course of 400 lessons, so you skip what you already know.
Slova is a speaking course: you learn by talking, with an AI tutor, from the first lesson. A written test tends to overrate speaking, so from N3 up we start you one step lower than your reading level.
| Your result | Start at |
|---|---|
| Below N5 | Lesson 1 · First greetings and polite openings |
| N5 | Lesson 61 · Talking about what you like and what you feel like doing |
| N4 | Lesson 101 · Gifts, souvenirs, and special occasions |
| N3 | Lesson 201 · Being invited, asked for directions, or recommended something |
| N2 | Lesson 251 · Sharing the backstory and opening requests softly |
| N1 | Lesson 301 · Getting comfortable, choosing alternatives, and swapping favors |
Cannot read Japanese yet? Skip the test and start at lesson 1: the course is spoken first and needs no script to begin.
Japanese level test FAQ
Taking English too? Try the English level test. For the real JLPT format, see the official sample questions.
What is the JLPT?
The JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, 日本語能力試験) is the main test of Japanese for non-native speakers, run by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services since 1984. It is a multiple-choice test of language knowledge, reading and listening, with five levels from N5 to N1. It is held on fixed dates in Japan and many other countries; see jlpt.jp for dates and registration. It does not test speaking or writing.
How many JLPT levels are there?
Five: N5, N4, N3, N2 and N1. N5 is the easiest and N1 the hardest. N5 and N4 cover the Japanese learned in class; N3 bridges to the Japanese of everyday life; N2 and N1 cover Japanese in a wide range of real situations, including newspapers and abstract texts.
What level is JLPT N5?
N5 is the beginner level, about CEFR A1. You can read typical words and sentences written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and follow slow, short conversations on everyday topics in class and at home.
How many kanji do I need for N5?
About 100 kanji and some 800 words, by the usual estimates. The JLPT has published no official kanji or vocabulary lists since 2010, so treat these as a guide: numbers, days, time, people, places and common verbs such as 行く, 見る and 食べる.
What is N1 in Japanese?
N1 is the highest JLPT level, about CEFR C1. It means you can read logically complex and abstract texts, such as editorials and essays, and follow lectures and news at natural speed. Learners usually need about 2,000 kanji and 10,000 words. A short test like this one cannot tell N1 from beyond it.
What is the JLPT equivalent in CEFR?
Roughly N5 = A1, N4 = A2, N3 = B1, N2 = B2 and N1 = C1. Since December 2025 the JLPT prints a CEFR reference level on certificates, worked out from your total score: a high N1 score is C1, a lower one B2; N2 is B2 or B1; N3 is B1 or A2. There is no C2 on the JLPT.
Does the JLPT have a listening test?
Yes. Every JLPT level has a listening section (聴解), from 30 minutes at N5 to 55 minutes at N1, and you need a minimum score in it to pass. This free test has no listening part, so it estimates your level from vocabulary, grammar and reading only. The official sample questions include listening with audio.
Can I take the JLPT online?
No. The official JLPT is a paper test taken at a test centre on a fixed date; in most countries you register online, but you sit the exam in person (dates and registration: jlpt.jp). You can practise online: this free test follows the JLPT’s written sections and estimates your level in about 8 minutes. It has no listening section; the real JLPT does, and its official sample questions include listening with audio.
Is this free JLPT test online really free?
Yes. There is nothing to pay and no account to make. At the end you leave your email address to see your result, and we send you a copy, along with 50% off Slova when it launches. Your answers are marked in your browser.
Is the result an official JLPT certificate?
No. This is a practice and level test made by Slova, not by the Japan Foundation or JEES, and its result is an estimate. Only the JLPT itself gives a certificate. Use our result to choose the level to sit, and the JLPT’s own sample questions to see the exact format.
Are the instructions in English?
Yes. Every instruction and every explanation is in English; only the questions themselves are in Japanese. The easier questions show furigana and rōmaji, which you can switch off. From N3 up they are off, because reading kanji is part of those levels, as on the real exam.
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