Japanese N5 Vocabulary List

〜は (は)

Topic marker particle: marks the topic of a sentence ('as for…')

〜が (が)

Subject marker particle: marks the grammatical subject or specific identifier

〜を (を)

Direct object marker particle: marks the receiver of an action

〜に (に)

Target/Destination particle: indicates location of existence, specific time, or direction

〜へ (へ)

Directional particle: indicates movement towards a destination

〜で (で)

Context particle: indicates location of an action, or the means/method used

〜と (と)

Connective/Comitative particle: means 'and' between nouns, or 'with' together

〜も (も)

Inclusive particle: means 'also' or 'too'

〜の (の)

Possessive/Modifying particle: links nouns to show ownership or description ('s / of)

〜から (から)

Starting point / Causal particle: indicates starting point ('from') or reason ('because')

〜まで (まで)

Limit particle: indicates spatial or temporal endpoint ('until' / 'as far as')

〜より (より)

Comparative particle: indicates point of comparison ('than')

〜ね (ね)

Sentence-ending particle: seeks agreement or confirmation ('isn't it?')

〜よ (よ)

Sentence-ending particle: provides new information or emphasis

〜か (か)

Question / Alternative particle: marks a question, or connects nouns as 'or'

〜です (です)

Polite copula: expresses state of being ('to be')

〜ではありません (ではありません)

Polite negative copula: expresses negative state of being ('is not / am not / are not')

〜ます (ます)

Polite non-past verb suffix: forms present/future affirmative actions

〜ません (ません)

Polite negative non-past verb suffix: forms present/future negative actions

〜ました (ました)

Polite past verb suffix: forms completed past affirmative actions

〜ませんでした (ませんでした)

Polite negative past verb suffix: forms past negative actions

〜てください (てください)

Request pattern: politely asks someone to perform an action ('please do')

〜てもいいです (てもいいです)

Permission pattern: indicates an action is allowed ('may do')

〜てはいけません (てはいけません)

Prohibition pattern: indicates an action is forbidden ('must not do')

〜ている (ている)

Aspect pattern: indicates continuous ongoing action ('is doing') or a sustained state

〜たい (たい)

Desire pattern: expresses personal wish to perform an action ('want to do')

〜に行く (にいく)

Purpose of movement pattern: indicates going somewhere in order to do something

〜ないでください (ないでください)

Negative request pattern: politely asks someone to refrain from an action ('please don't do')

〜なければなりません (なければなりません)

Obligation pattern: indicates mandatory action ('must do / have to do')

〜なくてもいいです (なくてもいいです)

Lack of obligation pattern: indicates optional action ('don't have to do')

〜ことができる (ことができる)

Potential pattern: expresses capability or circumstance ('can do / able to do')

〜前に (まえに)

Temporal conjunction: indicates action prior to another ('before doing')

〜後で (あとで)

Temporal conjunction: indicates action following another ('after doing')

〜たり〜たりする (たりたりする)

Exhaustive listing pattern: lists non-inclusive sample actions ('do things like A and B')

〜になる (になる)

Change of state pattern: indicates transition into a state or condition ('to become')

〜と思う (とおもう)

Quotative opinion pattern: expresses personal belief or thought ('I think that…')

〜と言う (という)

Quotative speech pattern: reports spoken statement ('to say that…')

〜でしょう (でしょう)

Conjecture pattern: polite expression of probability or confirmation ('probably / right?')

〜の中で〜が一番 (のなかでがいちばん)

Superlative pattern: denotes highest degree within a set ('out of [group], [item] is the most…')

〜すぎる (すぎる)

Excessive degree pattern: indicates doing something beyond proper limit ('too much / excessively')

〜ながら (ながら)

Simultaneous action conjunction: denotes performing two actions at once ('while doing…')

〜方がいい (ほうがいい)

Advice pattern: gives recommendations or suggestions ('had better do')

〜つもり (つもり)

Intention expression: indicates personal conviction or plan ('intend to / plan to')

〜ましょう (ましょう)

Polite volitional suffix: invites or suggests joint action ('let's do')

〜ましょうか (ましょうか)

Polite offer suffix: offers assistance or suggests action ('shall I / shall we?')

〜がほしい (がほしい)

Desire pattern: expresses wish for a physical object ('want [noun]')

〜あげる (あげる)

Benefactive verb: indicates giving an item or favor to another person

〜もらう (もらう)

Benefactive verb: indicates receiving an item or favor from another person

〜くれる (くれる)

Benefactive verb: indicates another person giving an item or favor to the speaker

〜より〜のほうが (よりのほうが)

Comparative pattern: expresses relative preference or degree ('[A] is more [adj] than [B]')

どこか (どこか)

Indefinite pronoun: somewhere

どこも (どこも)

Negative indefinite pronoun: nowhere (used with negative verb)

誰か (だれか)

Indefinite pronoun: someone

誰も (だれも)

Negative indefinite pronoun: no one (used with negative verb)

何か (なにか)

Indefinite pronoun: something

何も (なにも)

Negative indefinite pronoun: nothing (used with negative verb)

だ (だ)

Casual copula: expresses state of being ('to be')

ではない (ではない)

Casual negative copula: expresses negative state of being ('is not')

だった (だった)

Casual past copula: expresses past state of being ('was')

ではなかった (ではなかった)

Casual past negative copula: expresses past negative state of being ('was not')

でした (でした)

Polite past copula: expresses past state of being ('was')

ではありませんでした (ではありませんでした)

Polite past negative copula: expresses past negative state of being ('was not')

有る (ある)

Inanimate existence verb: indicates presence of objects, plants, or ideas ('to exist / to have')

居る (いる)

Animate existence verb: indicates presence of living, moving things like humans and animals ('to exist / to be')

これ (これ)

Demonstrative pronoun: this thing (near speaker)

それ (それ)

Demonstrative pronoun: that thing (near listener)

あれ (あれ)

Demonstrative pronoun: that thing over there (far from both)

どれ (どれ)

Interrogative pronoun: which one? (out of three or more)

この (この)

Demonstrative modifier: this [noun] (near speaker)

その (その)

Demonstrative modifier: that [noun] (near listener)

あの (あの)

Demonstrative modifier: that [noun] over there (far from both)

どの (どの)

Interrogative modifier: which [noun]?

ここ (ここ)

Demonstrative place pronoun: here (near speaker)

そこ (そこ)

Demonstrative place pronoun: there (near listener)

あそこ (あそこ)

Demonstrative place pronoun: over there (far from both)

どこ (どこ)

Interrogative place pronoun: where?

こちら (こちら)

Polite directional pronoun: this way / this person / here

そちら (そちら)

Polite directional pronoun: that way / that person / there

あちら (あちら)

Polite directional pronoun: that way over there / that person over there

どちら (どちら)

Polite interrogative pronoun: which way? / which one? (between two)

こんな (こんな)

Demonstrative adjective: this kind of…

そんな (そんな)

Demonstrative adjective: that kind of…

あんな (あんな)

Demonstrative adjective: that kind of… (over there)

どんな (どんな)

Interrogative adjective: what kind of…?

〜くない (くない)

i-adjective negative suffix: indicates something is not [adjective]

〜かった (かった)

i-adjective past suffix: indicates something was [adjective]

〜くなかった (くなかった)

i-adjective past negative suffix: indicates something was not [adjective]

〜くする (くする)

Adverbial change pattern: to make something [adjective]

〜くなる (くなる)

Adverbial transition pattern: to become [adjective]

〜て (て)

Te-form connective: connects sequential actions ('and') or makes casual requests

〜てから (てから)

Sequential action pattern: indicates doing an action immediately after another ('after doing [verb]')

〜たことがある (たことがある)

Experience pattern: indicates having done something in the past ('have done before')

だから (だから)

Conjunction: indicates reason or logical conclusion ('therefore / so')

けれども (けれども)

Conjunction: connects contradictory statements ('but / although')

もう (もう)

Adverb: indicates a change in state ('already' or 'not anymore' with negative)

まだ (まだ)

Adverb: indicates a continuing state ('still' or 'not yet' with negative)

沢山 (たくさん)

Adverb/Noun: a lot / many

少し (すこし)

Adverb: a little / a few

全然 (ぜんぜん)

Adverb: not at all (always used with a negative verb)

おはようございます

Greeting: Good morning (polite)