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Japanese · N5

Japanese N5: Complete Interactive Foundations

By deckduck

A complete beginner Japanese course shaped as short interactive units: kana, core grammar, survival phrases, N5 vocabulary patterns, quizzes, puzzles, and deck-linked review.

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Units

12

Resources

25

Interactions

14

Time

565 min

Outcomes

Read and pronounce hiragana, katakana, dakuten, handakuten, yoon, and long vowels.
Build polite N5 sentences with は, です, か, の, も, を, に, で, へ, と, から, まで, and が.
Use core verb and adjective forms for present, past, negative, requests, and invitations.
Handle numbers, time, dates, counters, locations, existence, likes, wants, and daily routines.
Practice with deck assignments, quizzes, matching puzzles, sentence ordering, and animated grammar models.

Course Structure

Unit 1

1. Hiragana as a Sound Map

Learn the five vowel anchors, read the kana chart by rows, and decode your first words.

35 min6 lesson blocks2 interactions
  • Read あ い う え お and the k/s/t/n/h/m/y/r/w rows.
  • Recognize kana by sound instead of by visual memorization alone.
  • Decode simple N5 words such as すし, ねこ, and ひと.
  • Use a kana grid puzzle to connect row patterns.
  • Try a short animated conversation with the course interaction runner.

Kana row map

A compact article for reviewing the hiragana rows.

Hiragana matching drill

Match kana to sounds before moving to Unit 2.

Unit 2

2. Dakuten, Yoon, and Katakana

Turn base kana into voiced sounds, combine small ゃゅょ, and read katakana loanwords.

40 min5 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Read がざだばぱ rows with dakuten and handakuten.
  • Recognize yoon combinations such as きゃ, しゅ, and りょ.
  • Read common katakana words and long-vowel marks.
  • Distinguish native hiragana from borrowed katakana vocabulary.

Katakana loanword patterns

Notice how English words are reshaped into Japanese sound blocks.

Dakuten transformation

Animate a kana changing sound when the marks appear.

Unit 3

3. Greetings, Names, and Classroom Survival

Introduce yourself, ask simple identity questions, and understand the politeness rhythm of N5 Japanese.

30 min4 lesson blocks2 interactions
  • Use はじめまして, よろしく, and common daily greetings.
  • Say your name with Xです and ask names with おなまえは？
  • Ask for repetition and clarification.
  • Build confidence with a short introduction dialogue.

Polite intro script

A short script users can personalize and practice.

Greeting deck assignment

Assign your greeting deck here so this unit appears in review.

Unit 4

4. The Core Sentence Engine: AはBです

Use topic marking to create identity, description, negative, and question sentences.

45 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Understand は as a topic marker pronounced wa.
  • Make affirmative and negative noun/adjective identity sentences.
  • Turn statements into questions with か.
  • Read short AはBです chains without translating word-for-word.

Topic spotlight

A visual model of は placing the topic under a spotlight.

これ/それ/あれ quick guide

Practice this/that/that-over-there inside AはBです.

Unit 5

5. Possession, Similarity, and the の Web

Use の for possession, description chains, country/language phrases, and simple noun modification.

35 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Connect nouns with の for possession and category.
  • Ask whose item something is.
  • Describe nationality, language, school, and work identity.
  • Avoid over-translating の as only apostrophe-s.

Noun chaining with の

Examples of possession, category, origin, and school/work identity.

の phrases deck

Assign a deck of noun-link patterns for spaced repetition.

Unit 6

6. Numbers, Time, Dates, and Prices

Count to 10,000, tell time, read dates, and survive store/payment questions.

50 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Use numbers 0-10, 100s, 1000s, and 10,000 as まん.
  • Tell time with じ and ふん/ぷん.
  • Read common date and day-of-week expressions.
  • Ask and answer prices with いくらですか.

N5 number sound changes

Focus on ひゃく/びゃく/ぴゃく and ふん/ぷん.

Time builder

Arrange hour and minute pieces into the displayed clock time.

Unit 7

7. Verbs: ます, ません, ました, ませんでした

Build polite present/future, negative, past, and past-negative verb sentences for daily routines.

55 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Use ます for present/future polite verbs.
  • Use ません, ました, and ませんでした for negative and past meanings.
  • Mark direct objects with を.
  • Describe daily routines with time words.

Verb tense slider

Slide across positive/negative and present/past endings.

Daily routine verbs

Assign a verb deck for this unit.

Unit 8

8. Places, Movement, and Existence

Talk about where things are, where people go, and what exists with あります and います.

50 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Use に for destination and existence location.
  • Use へ for direction and で for action location.
  • Choose あります for things/plants and います for people/animals.
  • Read location words like まえ, うしろ, なか, and となり.

に, へ, and で contrast

Examples that separate destination, direction, and action location.

Existence scene

Choose あります or います as objects appear in a room scene.

Unit 9

9. Adjectives, Likes, Wants, and Comparisons

Describe things with い and な adjectives, say what you like, and make beginner comparisons.

50 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Use い adjectives before nouns and before です.
  • Use な adjectives before nouns and with です.
  • Say likes/dislikes with がすきです and がきらいです.
  • Use とても, あまり, and いちばん for intensity and simple comparison.

Adjective pattern sheet

Side-by-side い and な examples with negatives.

N5 adjective deck

Assign adjective cards to reinforce this unit.

Unit 10

10. Requests, Invitations, and the て-form Doorway

Use ください, ましょう, ませんか, and beginner て-form requests.

60 min4 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Make polite invitations with ませんか and ましょう.
  • Make requests with てください.
  • Recognize major て-form groups at an N5 level.
  • Use ちょっと as a softener in refusals.

て-form request chain

Animate verb stem to て-form to request.

Invitations without pressure

How ませんか, ましょう, and ちょっと shape tone.

Unit 11

11. Reading Missions: Particles in the Wild

Read short N5 passages by tracking particles, verbs, and sentence endings.

45 min2 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Identify topic, object, location, destination, and possession particles in a passage.
  • Read a short self-introduction and daily-routine paragraph.
  • Use context to infer repeated vocabulary.
  • Answer comprehension questions without translating every word.

N5 reading strategy

A checklist for particle-first reading.

Mini passage comprehension

Three short passages with role-based questions.

Unit 12

12. N5 Capstone: Make, Listen, Review

Combine introduction, routine, location, likes, and invitation patterns into a final practical mission.

70 min3 lesson blocks1 interactions
  • Write a short self-introduction and daily routine.
  • Answer N5-style comprehension questions.
  • Use assigned decks to identify weak vocabulary groups.
  • Complete a final mixed quiz across kana, particles, verbs, adjectives, and requests.

Final N5 mixed deck

Assign a cumulative deck for the capstone review.

Self-introduction template

A fill-in template for the learner's final paragraph.

Capstone listening slot

Upload or link a short listening clip for the final dialogue.