N4 builds on N5 — you should know your N5 words cold before tackling these. At this level you’ll encounter more verb forms, na-adjectives, giving/receiving verbs, and vocabulary for daily situations. Click any Japanese word to hear it.
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Verbs#
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 覚える | oboeru | to memorise / remember |
| 忘れる | wasureru | to forget |
| 教える | oshieru | to teach / tell |
| 習う | narau | to learn (from someone) |
| 決める | kimeru | to decide |
| 変わる | kawaru | to change |
| 続ける | tsuzukeru | to continue |
| 終わる | owaru | to end / finish |
| 始まる | hajimaru | to begin (intransitive) |
| 集まる | atsumaru | to gather / assemble |
| 心配する | shinpai suru | to worry |
| 相談する | soudan suru | to consult / discuss |
| 連絡する | renraku suru | to contact / get in touch |
| 説明する | setsumei suru | to explain |
| 予約する | yoyaku suru | to reserve / book |
| もらう | morau | to receive |
| あげる | ageru | to give (to someone else) |
| くれる | kureru | to give (to me / in-group) |
| 送る | okuru | to send |
| 届く | todoku | to arrive / be delivered |
Na-adjectives#
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 便利な | benri na | convenient |
| 大切な | taisetsu na | important / precious |
| 特別な | tokubetsu na | special |
| 親切な | shinsetsu na | kind |
| 有名な | yuumei na | famous |
| 安全な | anzen na | safe |
| 危険な | kiken na | dangerous |
| 複雑な | fukuzatsu na | complicated |
| 丁寧な | teinei na | polite / careful |
| 真面目な | majime na | serious / hardworking |
| 賑やかな | nigiyaka na | lively / bustling |
| 静かな | shizuka na | quiet |
Nouns#
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 意味 | imi | meaning |
| 理由 | riyuu | reason |
| 問題 | mondai | problem / question |
| 答え | kotae | answer |
| 質問 | shitsumon | question (to ask) |
| 結果 | kekka | result |
| 予定 | yotei | plan / schedule |
| 気持ち | kimochi | feeling |
| 経験 | keiken | experience |
| 文化 | bunka | culture |
| 外国 | gaikoku | foreign country |
| 言葉 | kotoba | word / language |
| 場所 | basho | place |
| 方法 | houhou | method / way |
| 日記 | nikki | diary |
| 旅行 | ryokou | travel / trip |
| 機会 | kikai | opportunity / chance |
| 練習 | renshuu | practice |
| 規則 | kisoku | rule / regulation |
| 社会 | shakai | society |
Time & Frequency#
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| いつも | itsumo | always |
| たいてい | taitei | usually |
| ときどき | tokidoki | sometimes |
| 全然 | zenzen | not at all (with negative) |
| もうすぐ | mousugu | soon / before long |
| さっき | sakki | a little while ago |
| 後で | ato de | later / afterwards |
Key N4 Grammar Patterns#
These grammar points appear frequently in N4 reading and listening. Each entry shows the pattern and an example sentence.
| Pattern |
Meaning |
Example |
| 〜てみる |
try doing ~ |
食べてみてください。Try eating it. |
| 〜てしまう |
end up doing ~ / done (regret) |
忘れてしまった。I ended up forgetting. |
| 〜てあげる |
do ~ for someone |
教えてあげます。I’ll teach you. |
| 〜てもらう |
have someone do ~ |
直してもらった。I had it fixed. |
| 〜ている |
ongoing action / state |
勉強しています。I’m studying. |
| 〜たことがある |
have done ~ before |
日本に行ったことがある。I’ve been to Japan. |
| 〜たほうがいい |
should do ~ |
休んだほうがいい。You should rest. |
| 〜ないほうがいい |
shouldn’t do ~ |
食べないほうがいい。You shouldn’t eat it. |
| 〜なければならない |
must do ~ |
行かなければならない。I must go. |
| 〜てもいい |
it’s ok to do ~ |
入ってもいいですか？May I come in? |
| 〜てはいけない |
must not do ~ |
ここで食べてはいけない。Don’t eat here. |
| 〜そうだ |
looks like ~ / I heard ~ |
雨が降りそうだ。It looks like rain. |
| 〜ようだ |
seems like ~ |
彼は疲れたようだ。He seems tired. |
| 〜ために |
for the purpose of ~ |
合格するために勉強する。Study to pass. |
| 〜ながら |
while doing ~ |
音楽を聞きながら勉強する。Study while listening. |
A Japanese word is shown — pick the correct English meaning.
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