How to study

One page so you never wonder what is next. What you need now is at the top.

Where you are42 days to the next exam

Kana

Learn to read hiragana and katakana

If you cannot read kana, word cards are just pictures. Skipping this slows everything that follows.

The whole map

Why: If you cannot read kana, word cards are just pictures. Skipping this slows everything that follows.

Why: Starting above your level means too many unknown words, and you stop. The level test is not a pass/fail exam — it just finds your starting point.

Why: Doing words and kanji first makes grammar much faster. Short and daily beats long and occasional.

Why: If you move on assuming you remember, week 4 arrives empty. A weekly check catches what is slipping.

What: Full-format mock exams — monthly at first, weekly from two months out.

Why: Knowing the material and finishing in time are different skills. Pacing only comes from practice.

What: Review mistakes instead of new questions. Take the last mock at least a week before.

Why: New material does not stick this late. What pays off now is locking down the questions you almost got right.

What each level means

N	CEFR	Can do	Vocab	Kanji	Hours
N5	A1	Kana, greetings, self-introduction	~800	~100	~150h
N4	A2	Basic grammar, simple daily conversation	~1,500	~300	~300h
N3	A2–B1	Japanese for daily life and part-time work	~3,750	~650	~450h
N2	B1–B2	The bar for jobs and university	~6,000	~1,000	~600h
N1	B2–C1	Specialist roles, graduate school	~10,000+	~2,000	~900h+

Common mistakes

Putting off listening — more people fail N5 on listening than on grammar. One item a day from week 3.
Putting off kanji — doing it early speeds up grammar and reading.
Taking many mocks — the score comes from reviewing mistakes, not from the number of tests.
Cramming — 15 minutes every day beats two hours on the weekend.