JLPT N4 Study Guide: 300 Kanji, 150 Grammar Patterns (2026)
JLPT N4 is the bridge between beginner and intermediate Japanese. It proves you can handle everyday conversations, read basic written Japanese, and understand the grammar that powers real communication. With a ~53% pass rate, nearly half of test-takers fail — but with the right plan, you will not be one of them.
This guide covers everything: what N4 requires, the key grammar patterns, vocabulary targets, a 3-month study plan, the best resources, and the practice strategies that actually work.
What JLPT N4 requires
| Component | N5 (for reference) | N4 requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | ~800 words | ~1,500 words |
| Kanji | ~100 | ~300 |
| Grammar patterns | ~80 | ~150 |
| Study hours (from zero) | ~150 hours | ~300 hours |
| Study hours (from N5) | — | ~150 hours |
| Pass rate (historical) | ~62% | ~53% |
| Passing score | 80/180 (44%) | 90/180 (50%) |
The test has two timed sections: Language Knowledge + Reading (60 minutes) and Listening (35 minutes). Each section has its own minimum — you must pass both, not just the total.
N4 scoring breakdown
| Section | Max score | Minimum to pass | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language Knowledge (Vocab + Grammar) + Reading | 120 | 38 | 60 min |
| Listening | 60 | 19 | 35 min |
| Total | 180 | 90 | 95 min |
Key N4 grammar patterns
N4 grammar builds directly on N5. These are the most important pattern groups:
1. Te-form compounds
| Pattern | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜ている | Ongoing action / state | 本（ほん）を読（よ）んでいる。 | I am reading a book. |
| 〜てもいい | May / it's okay to | 写真（しゃしん）を撮（と）ってもいいですか。 | May I take a photo? |
| 〜てはいけない | Must not | ここで走（はし）ってはいけません。 | You must not run here. |
| 〜ておく | Do in advance | ホテルを予約（よやく）しておく。 | I'll book the hotel in advance. |
| 〜てしまう | Completion / regret | 財布（さいふ）をなくしてしまった。 | I lost my wallet (unfortunately). |
| 〜てあげる | Do for someone | 友達（ともだち）に教（おし）えてあげた。 | I taught my friend (as a favour). |
| 〜てもらう | Have someone do for me | 先生（せんせい）に説明（せつめい）してもらった。 | I had the teacher explain it. |
| 〜てくれる | Someone does for me | 母（はは）が作（つく）ってくれた。 | My mother made it for me. |
2. Conditional forms
| Form | Nuance | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜たら | General if/when | 雨（あめ）が降（ふ）ったら、傘（かさ）を持（も）っていく。 | If it rains, I'll take an umbrella. |
| 〜ば | Hypothetical if | 安（やす）ければ買（か）う。 | If it's cheap, I'll buy it. |
| 〜なら | Given that / topic if | 日本（にほん）に行（い）くなら、京都（きょうと）がおすすめ。 | If you're going to Japan, I recommend Kyoto. |
| 〜と | Natural consequence | 春（はる）になると、桜（さくら）が咲（さ）く。 | When spring comes, cherry blossoms bloom. |
3. Potential form
The ability to express “can do” is tested heavily at N4:
- 食（た）べられる (taberareru) — can eat (Group 2)
- 読（よ）める (yomeru) — can read (Group 1: む → める)
- できる (dekiru) — can do (する → できる)
- 来（こ）られる (korareru) — can come (くる → こられる)
4. Volitional form and intentions
- 〜よう / 〜ましょう — Let's do / I shall: 一緒（いっしょ）に行（い）きましょう。(Let's go together.)
- 〜ようと思（おも）う — I think I will: 来年（らいねん）日本（にほん）に行こうと思う。(I think I'll go to Japan next year.)
- 〜ようとする — Try to do: ドアを開（あ）けようとしたが、開（あ）かなかった。(I tried to open the door but it wouldn't open.)
5. Reason and conjunction
- 〜ので (soft reason): 疲（つか）れたので、早（はや）く寝（ね）ます。 — Because I'm tired, I'll sleep early.
- 〜のに (despite): 勉強（べんきょう）したのに、テストに落（お）ちた。 — Despite studying, I failed the test.
- 〜から (strong reason): 暑（あつ）いから、エアコンをつけて。 — It's hot, so turn on the AC.
Vocabulary targets by category
The ~1,500 N4 words expand N5's concrete everyday vocabulary into more abstract and functional territory:
| Category | Examples | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 乗り換える、到着する、出発する | のりかえる、とうちゃくする、しゅっぱつする |
| Daily actions | 片付ける、準備する、連絡する | かたづける、じゅんびする、れんらくする |
| Descriptions | 真面目、親切、不便、複雑 | まじめ、しんせつ、ふべん、ふくざつ |
| Time | 〜間、〜ごろ、〜まで、〜以内 | 〜かん、〜ごろ、〜まで、〜いない |
| Connectors | それに、だから、ところで、しかし | soreni, dakara, tokorode, shikashi |
| Emotions | 心配する、残念、嬉しい、悔しい | しんぱいする、ざんねん、うれしい、くやしい |
View the full N4 vocabulary list with searchable table
N4 kanji: 300 characters
N4 requires ~300 kanji (including ~100 from N5). Focus on these clusters:
- Body: 頭（あたま）、顔（かお）、目（め）、耳（みみ）、手（て）、足（あし）、口（くち）
- Nature: 海（うみ）、山（やま）、川（かわ）、空（そら）、雨（あめ）、雪（ゆき）、風（かぜ）
- Actions: 走（はし）る、泳（およ）ぐ、起（お）きる、寝（ね）る、着（き）る
- Society: 会社（かいしゃ）、工場（こうじょう）、銀行（ぎんこう）、病院（びょういん）
- Time: 朝（あさ）、昼（ひる）、夜（よる）、週（しゅう）、月（つき）、年（ねん/とし）
Study tip: Learn kanji through vocabulary, not in isolation. If you learn 起（お）きる (to wake up) and 起（お）こす (to wake someone), you learn 起 in context and remember it significantly faster.
3-month study plan (from N5 level)
Month 1: Grammar foundation
- Complete Genki II chapters 13–17 (or Minna no Nihongo II chapters 26–30)
- Drill te-form compounds daily — 30 minutes minimum
- Add 10 new vocabulary words per day via Anki or SRS
- Start N4 kanji: 5 new characters per day
- Write 3 Japanese sentences daily and check them with ZISTICA MOJIIQ's grammar checker
Month 2: Consolidation and practice
- Complete remaining grammar (conditionals, giving/receiving, conjunctions)
- Read 2 NHK Web Easy articles per week
- Listen to Nihongo con Teppei for Beginners — 15 minutes daily
- Take first practice test to identify weak areas
- Begin reading practice with graded materials
Month 3: Exam preparation
- Take 2 full N4 practice tests under timed conditions (60 + 35 minutes)
- Review every wrong answer — categorise mistakes by grammar pattern
- Focus final 2 weeks on your weakest section
- Maintain daily SRS reviews — do not let cards pile up
- Simulate exam conditions: no dictionary, no pausing, strict time limits
Best JLPT N4 study resources
| Resource | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Genki II | Structured grammar + reading | ~$45 |
| Minna no Nihongo II | Grammar (immersion-style, all-Japanese) | ~$40 |
| Shin Kanzen Master N4 | Focused exam preparation | ~$25 |
| Anki + Core 2000 deck | Vocabulary SRS | Free |
| JLPT Sensei | Free grammar lists and practice tests | Free |
| NHK Web Easy | Reading practice at natural pace | Free |
| Nihongo con Teppei | Listening practice (podcast) | Free |
| ZISTICA MOJIIQ | Writing practice with AI correction | Free / Pro |
Common mistakes N4 test-takers make
- ✗ Only studying grammar, ignoring listening.
Listening is worth 60 points and has its own minimum. Many pass grammar but fail the test because of listening. Start listening practice from month 1. - ✗ Confusing 〜たら and 〜ば.
〜たら is general (“if/when X happens, Y”). 〜ば is hypothetical (“if X were the case”). The test loves questions that require choosing between them. - ✗ Mixing up あげる / もらう / くれる. → ✓ Draw the direction arrows.
あげる = I give (outward). もらう = I receive. くれる = someone gives (toward me). The perspective is always from the speaker. - ✗ Memorising grammar rules without practice sentences.
The test gives you sentences, not grammar labels. Write your own sentences for every pattern and get them checked. - ✗ Ignoring the reading section time limit.
Reading shares 60 minutes with vocabulary/grammar. If you spend too long on grammar questions, you will rush reading and lose easy points.
N4 vs N5: What changes
| Aspect | N5 | N4 |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Basic です/ます, particles, て-form | Conditionals, potential, passive basics, complex て compounds |
| Reading | Short, simple sentences with furigana | Paragraphs with less furigana, opinions, and context clues |
| Listening | Slow, clear speech with pauses | Natural-speed speech, longer dialogues, inference questions |
| Vocab depth | Concrete nouns and basic verbs | Abstract nouns, suru-verbs, connectors, emotion words |
The jump from N5 to N4 is manageable if you build systematically. For the full N4 grammar list with detailed explanations, visit our JLPT N4 grammar list. For the N5 foundation, see the JLPT N5 beginner's guide.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is JLPT N4?
N4 has a ~53% pass rate, making it harder than N5 (~62%). It requires 300 kanji, 1,500 vocabulary words, and 150+ grammar patterns. From N5 level, expect 150+ hours of additional study. The reading and listening sections are significantly harder — you need real comprehension, not just pattern matching.
How long does it take to prepare for JLPT N4?
From N5 level: 3–6 months at 1–2 hours per day. From zero: 12–18 months. Daily consistency matters more than long weekend sessions. If you study 1 hour every day for 5 months, that is about 150 hours — enough from N5 level.
What grammar does JLPT N4 test?
Core N4 grammar includes: te-form compounds (ている, てもいい, てはいけない, てしまう, ておく), conditionals (〜たら, 〜ば, 〜なら, 〜と), potential form (食べられる), volitional (〜よう), giving/receiving (あげる, もらう, くれる), and reason conjunctions (ので, のに, から).
What is the passing score for JLPT N4?
The total passing score is 90/180 (50%). But each section has its own minimum: Language Knowledge + Reading needs 38/120, and Listening needs 19/60. Failing any one section means failing the entire test, even if your total score exceeds 90.