This is the same 25-lesson path I followed to build my own N5 foundation, rewritten as complete lessons anyone can study from directly. Each lesson has four parts: grammar explanations with formation tables, vocabulary and original example sentences (every kanji carries furigana), a model conversation you can read aloud, and a short quiz with explained answers. I also list the mistakes I actually made at each stage, so you can skip them.
Work through the lessons in order — each one builds on the grammar before it. One lesson per two or three days is a realistic pace alongside work or school; that finishes the course in about two months, which matches the 60-day N5 roadmap. Pair each lesson with the matching words on the N5 vocabulary page and characters on the N5 kanji page, then test yourself with the free practice tests.
Introducing Yourself — です, は and も
Self-introduction: saying "A is B", asking and answering about identity.
Lesson 2This and That — これ・それ・あれ
Demonstratives: pointing at things, asking what something is, and choosing between A and B.
Lesson 3Places and Prices — ここ・そこ・あそこ
Asking where things are, saying where you are from, and asking prices.
Lesson 4Time and Verb Tenses — ます・ました・から・まで
Telling the time, present and past verb forms, and "from … to …".
Lesson 5Going and Coming — 行きます・へ・で・と
Movement verbs and the particles for destination, transport and companions.
Lesson 6Doing Things — を, Place で and Invitations
Action verbs with objects, where actions happen, and inviting people.
Lesson 7Tools and Giving — で, あげます, もらいます
Doing things with tools, and the give/receive pair.
Lesson 8Adjectives — い-Adjectives and な-Adjectives
Describing things: the two adjective families and how each behaves.
Lesson 9Likes, Skills and Reasons — が好きです, わかります
What you like, what you understand, and explaining why with から.
Lesson 10Existence — あります and います
"There is / there are": saying what exists where.
Lesson 11Counters and Quantities
Counting things, people and time spans the Japanese way.
Lesson 12Past Adjectives and Comparisons
Yesterday's weather, and comparing two or more things.
Lesson 13Wants — ほしいです and 〜たいです
Wanting things, wanting to do things, and going somewhere for a purpose.
Lesson 14The て-Form — Requests and 〜ています
Japanese's most important verb form: making it, using it for requests and ongoing actions.
Lesson 15Permission and Prohibition — 〜てもいいです
Asking "may I…?", saying "you must not", and states that continue.
Lesson 16Linking Actions — 〜て、〜てから
Describing sequences: "I got up, showered and ate", and "after doing A, B".
Lesson 17The ない-Form — Don't, Must, Don't Have To
Negative requests, obligations and exemptions.
Lesson 18Dictionary Form — できます and Hobbies
The plain non-past form: abilities, hobbies, and "before doing".
Lesson 19The た-Form — Experience and 〜たり
Past experiences, unordered activity lists, and becoming.
Lesson 20Plain Form — Casual Japanese
The style friends actually speak: plain forms of verbs, adjectives and nouns.
Lesson 21Opinions and Quotes — 〜と思います
Saying what you think and reporting what people said.
Lesson 22Describing Nouns with Clauses
Relative clauses: "the movie I watched yesterday", "a friend who lives in Tokyo".
Lesson 23〜とき and 〜と — When and Whenever
"When I was young…", "when you press this, …": time clauses and automatic results.
Lesson 24Favours — くれます and て-Form Giving
The third giving verb, and doing actions for people.
Lesson 25Conditionals — 〜たら and 〜ても
If, when, and even if: the final N5 grammar step.
How to use this course
- Read the grammar section once, slowly. Say every example sentence out loud — N5 grammar lives in patterns, not rules.
- Copy the model conversation by hand and read both roles. This is the fastest way to make particles feel natural.
- Do the quiz before peeking. If you miss two or more questions, re-read the section the question came from before moving on.
- Review the previous lesson's vocabulary before starting a new lesson — ten minutes of review beats an hour of new material.
Written by Rahul Kumar Singh. Published 17 July 2026. The lesson sequence follows the standard JLPT N5 grammar syllabus; all explanations and example sentences are my own.