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Japanese Study Materials: 90+ Free Guides

Every YoruLearn reference page in one place — organized by level and topic. Start with the scripts if you're new, or jump directly to your JLPT target level.

Use this hub as your map across the full YoruLearn reference library. Each guide is a standalone page with tables, example sentences, and a FAQ, but this index shows the cleanest next step for each level. For most N5 beginners, the fastest path is Learn Hiragana → Learn Katakana → N5 Grammar → N5 Vocabulary → N5 Kanji → Practice Test.

Written by YoruLearn Team · Last reviewed:

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🔥 Popular Search Topics

High-intent pages people are already searching for.

Days and Dates in Japanese ChartWeekdays, month dates, and relative day words Hiragana QuizFree online test for all 46 characters Hiragana Chart with Stroke OrderChart-first reference for all 46 hiragana Hiragana Chart PrintablePrinter-friendly chart for desk study and drills Pitch Accent Dictionary GuideHow accent dictionaries mark patterns Japanese Kanji DictionarySearch all YoruLearn kanji with stroke animations Kanji Handwriting PracticeSee how handwriting practice works and print a free worksheet Vocabulary with Familiar KanjiConnect characters you know to complete words Choosing a Kanji Learning AppCompare handwriting, feedback, offline use and cost Sakunen vs KyonenFormal vs everyday “last year” Japanese HonorificsSuffixes, titles, and polite address Japanese Months ChartJanuary to December with key reading traps Japanese Date FormatHow full Japanese dates are written Good Afternoon in JapaneseHow こんにちは works in real life Good Evening in JapaneseHow こんばんは differs from good night

📈 High-Utility Japanese Reference Charts

Broad beginner references designed for quick answers and repeat visits.

Japanese Alphabet ChartHiragana, katakana, kanji, and romaji compared 100 Common Japanese WordsBeginner vocabulary with kana, romaji, and meanings Basic Japanese Phrases60 useful expressions organized by situation Japanese Verbs List50 common verbs with conjugation groups Verb Conjugation ChartGodan, ichidan, suru, and kuru forms Kanji Radicals Chart50 common components with examples

🌱 Start Here

New to Japanese? Begin with the scripts.

Learn Japanese from ScratchComplete beginner roadmap — N5 to N1 The Japanese Writing SystemHiragana, katakana and kanji explained Learn HiraganaAll 46 characters with drill structure Hiragana Writing PracticeStroke-by-stroke practice sheets Printable Hiragana Writing Sheet46 kana with models and writing grids Hiragana Stroke OrderChart and writing rules for all 46 characters Hiragana QuizFree online quiz for all 46 base characters Hiragana vs KatakanaWhen and how each script is used Learn KatakanaAll 46 katakana with loanword examples Katakana Stroke OrderChart and writing rules for all 46 basics Katakana Chart PrintablePrintable chart for quick katakana review Katakana Loanwords ListCommon foreign words used in Japanese Japanese Pronunciation GuideVowels, consonants, long sounds

📗 JLPT N5

The entry-level exam — aim for this first.

N5 Complete Study GuideEverything you need to pass N5 N5 Study Plan (3 Months)Week-by-week roadmap to the exam JLPT N5 December Toolkit20-question diagnostic, 30-day checklist, worksheets, and share card N5 Grammar Guide30 core patterns with examples N5 Grammar by CategoryReference grammar blocks by function N5 Vocabulary List800+ core words with Japanese text N5 Vocabulary by CategoryTopic clusters for faster retention N5 Kanji Chart and List (103 kanji)Full chart with readings, strokes, and example words Printable N5 Kanji ChecklistTrack all 103 beginner kanji and print your progress sheet N5 Kanji by Stroke CountCompare all 103 targets from one to fourteen strokes Seven Stroke-Order RulesVisual rules, exceptions, and writing pitfalls Kanji Beginners Often ConfuseTen look-alike pairs with fast visual cues N5 Particles ListAll 11 particles with contrast pairs N5 Reading PracticeShort passages with comprehension questions N5 Practice Test30-question mock exam with answers N5 vs N4 DifferencesGap analysis and transition checklist Best N5 TextbooksPractical textbook comparison

📘 JLPT N4

Intermediate forms — the biggest grammar jump.

N4 Grammar Guide30+ patterns including verb forms N4 Vocabulary List1,500+ words with Japanese text N4 Kanji ListAll 181 N4 kanji with readings N4 Reading PracticeShort passages with answer logic N4 Practice TestFree sample questions with answers N4 Study Plan (3 Months)Week-by-week roadmap for the level jump JLPT N4 December Toolkit20-question diagnostic, 30-day checklist, worksheets, and share card Potential Form (れる・られる)How to say "can" in Japanese Passive FormFormation and particle shifts Causative FormMaking someone do something Conditional Forms (ば・たら・なら)All four conditional patterns compared て Form Compounds〜ている, 〜てみる, 〜てしまう and more Japanese ConjunctionsConnecting sentences fluently Adjective Conjugationい and な adjective charts with examples Aru vs IruHow to say there is / there are in Japanese Negative て Form〜ないで and 〜なくて compared Transitive vs Intransitive VerbsThe を vs が distinction explained

📙 JLPT N3 · N2 · N1

Upper-intermediate and advanced grammar.

N3 Grammar GuideComplex patterns and keigo intro N3 Kanji ListAll 370 N3 kanji with readings N3 Practice TestMock exam with full answer key N2 Grammar GuideAdvanced patterns and formal expressions N2 Kanji ListAll 367 N2 kanji with examples N1 Grammar GuideLiterary and advanced written patterns Japanese KeigoFormal and honorific language complete guide Japanese Pitch AccentThe tonal system explained Pitch Accent DictionaryHow accent numbers and dictionary notation work

📖 Grammar Reference

Forms and structures used across all levels.

Sentence StructureSOV order and how Japanese builds sentences Particles: Complete GuideAll 14 major particles with examples Particles は vs がThe most confusing distinction explained N5 Particles ListAll 11 entry-level particles Verb Groups (G1 / G2 / G3)How to identify conjugation type Masu FormPolite present and future conjugation Te FormThe most versatile verb form Negative Form〜ない and 〜ません Past Tense〜た and 〜ました Question Words何, 誰, どこ, いつ, なぜ, どう and more Honorifics〜さん, 先生, 様 and their rules Name Suffixesさん, くん, ちゃん, 様 explained Personal Pronouns私, 僕, 俺, あなた — who uses what Conjunctionsそして, でも, だから, ところで and more Formal GreetingsBusiness and polite opening phrases Everyday Greetingsおはよう to こんばんは with usage rules Good Afternoon in JapaneseWhen こんにちは is the right choice Goodbye Phrasesじゃあね to お疲れ様でした

📚 Vocabulary by Topic

Learn words in context — by theme and level.

Japanese Numbers 1-1000 ChartFull chart for 1–100, hundreds, kanji, hiragana, and romaji Japanese Counters Chart20+ counters: 本, 枚, 匹, 台, 冊 N5 CountersTime, dates, and basic counters Days and Dates in Japanese ChartWeekdays, date numbers, and relative day words Days of the Week曜日 with example sentences Days of the MonthIrregular date readings (ついたち etc.) Telling TimeHours, minutes, AM/PM in Japanese Time Expressions今日, 明日, 先週, 来月 and more Sakunen vs KyonenHow to say “last year” in formal and everyday Japanese Japanese Colors ChartCommon color words with kana, kanji, and examples N5 Adjectivesい and な adjective reference with conjugation Japanese SeasonsSpring, summer, autumn, and winter with examples How Old Are You in Japanese?Age questions, answers, and the key irregular forms Family VocabularyHumble vs honorific family terms Body PartsVocabulary for medical and daily use Weather VocabularySeasons, conditions, and forecasting Food VocabularyRestaurant, grocery, and cooking terms Animals in Japanese50 common animal names with kanji and counters Emotions VocabularyFeelings, moods and emotional expressions Travel PhrasesAirport, hotel, transport, emergencies OnomatopoeiaGiongo and gitaigo for real fluency

🎌 Culture & Conversation

Real Japanese beyond the textbook.

Anime Vocabulary50 anime words used in real Japanese Self-Introduction in JapaneseBeginner script for first meetings Slang WordsCasual expressions and youth language Japanese Proverbs20 ことわざ with meaning and usage Love PhrasesRomantic and affectionate expressions Goodbye PhrasesEvery way to say goodbye in Japanese Strong LanguageWhat these words actually mean and when NOT to use them

Practice & Quizzes

N5 Practice Test30 questions across grammar, vocab, reading N4 Practice TestFree sample questions with answers N3 Practice TestFull mock exam with answer key N5 Reading PracticeShort passages with questions N4 Reading PracticeShort passages with answer logic Kanji Practice AppMove from reference into active recall Five-Minute Kanji QuizTen beginner recognition questions with instant results

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I study first if I'm a complete beginner?

Start with hiragana. It takes 1–2 weeks of daily practice and unlocks everything else — grammar books, vocabulary lists, and the app all assume you can read hiragana. Then do katakana (another 1–2 weeks), and from there begin N5 vocabulary and grammar simultaneously. See the complete beginner guide for a step-by-step roadmap.

How long does it take to pass JLPT N5?

Most learners reach N5 level in 3–6 months studying 30–60 minutes per day. The exact timeline depends on how much time you put in and how efficiently you study. Use the 3-month N5 study plan as a realistic baseline.

Do these guides connect to the YoruLearn app?

Yes — every guide links to YoruLearn for iPhone and iPad in the App Store. The app provides spaced-repetition flashcards, fill-in-the-blank drills, and adaptive review that turn reference knowledge into active recall. The guides teach; the app makes it stick.

In what order should I tackle the grammar guides?

Follow JLPT level order: N5 grammar first (masu form, te form, negative, past, particles), then N4 (potential, passive, causative, conditional forms), then N3 and above. Within each level, start with sentence-building patterns and verb conjugations before moving to compound structures.

Which pages should I open right after hiragana and katakana?

After the scripts, open the JLPT N5 Grammar Guide, JLPT N5 Vocabulary List, JLPT N5 Kanji List, JLPT N5 Particles List, and JLPT N5 Reading Practice. That sequence gives you sentence structure, core words, characters, particles, and short text exposure in a practical beginner order.

Can I use this page as my long-term study hub?

Yes. Bookmark this page and revisit it whenever you need the next guide, a level jump, or a topic-specific reference such as dates, counters, honorifics, conjugation forms, or kanji. It is designed to stay useful beyond your first month of study.

Practice Everything with YoruLearn

The YoruLearn app turns these guides into active study sessions — spaced-repetition flashcards, grammar fill-in-the-blank drills, and adaptive review that tracks what you get wrong and brings it back at the right time. Download YoruLearn on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

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