Start learning Japanese
Begin with the writing systems, then put words and sentence patterns to work in short Japanese. You can use these guides on their own or follow them in order.
First, learn to read the sounds
Hiragana and katakana let you read Japanese directly instead of relying on romaji. Learn a few characters at a time, then test recognition out of order.
Then make sense of sentences
Learn how a basic statement works, add useful words, and meet kanji inside the words you actually read. The N5 guide gives you a practical order.
N5 study guideWhat the first JLPT level covers and a sensible way to prepare.Explore Everyday wordsRead each word, see its meaning, and look at a sentence.Explore Sentence patternsSee what a pattern means, how it works and where to use it.Explore Kanji in contextRecognise characters through their readings and common words.Explore
Check what you remember
Short quizzes and a starting-point check can show you what to revisit next.