JLPT N4 study plan

Build a spaced-repetition deck of roughly 600 N4 vocabulary cards, tagging every card by part of speech and by kanji reading.

Memorize 150 high-frequency N4 nouns and 40 い-adjectives, then recall each from its Japanese definition without English prompts.

Drill 60 N4 kanji by writing them daily, pairing each character with two vocabulary words that use it.

Group 40 transitive/intransitive verb pairs and 30 な-adjectives into themed clusters, then recite each cluster aloud from memory.

Add 150 more vocabulary items, prioritizing adverbs, counters, and katakana loanwords that appear in everyday notices.

Convert 80 core verbs among dictionary form, ます-form, て-form, and ない-form until each conversion takes under two seconds.

Learn 15 N4 grammar patterns such as ～たことがある, ～ながら, ～ので, ～のに, and ～てしまう, writing two original sentences for each.

Read five 150-character passages, underline every unknown word, and add those words to the deck with example sentences.

Learn 20 further patterns covering conditionals ～ば, ～たら, ～なら, plus passive, causative, ～そうです, and ～すぎる.

Read eight passages of 200 to 250 characters and answer three comprehension questions on each within four minutes.

Identify what こ, そ, and あ pronouns refer to across ten short passages, writing the referent beside each one.

Compose ten connected sentences narrating a daily routine, chaining clauses with て-form and time expressions.

Review every card marked wrong so far and cut the leech list to under 5% of the total deck.

Drill 30 patterns for modifying nouns with な-adjectives, plain-form verbs, and relative clauses.

Complete a 60-question mixed vocabulary and grammar set under exam timing, then classify each error as knowledge gap or careless slip.

Re-read all passages from weeks 2 and 3 at speed, aiming to finish each in half the original time.

Shadow ten short dialogues of 30 to 45 seconds daily, matching the speaker's pitch and pace rather than reading along.

Transcribe eight listening passages, then compare against the script and mark misheard long vowels, 促音, and 撥音.

Practise task-based comprehension by reading the question options before the audio starts and noting two keywords per option.

Read six longer passages of about 350 characters each and summarize each in one Japanese sentence.

Master the remaining 20 grammar patterns, including ～ておく, ～てある, ～ところ, ～はず, ～らしい, and ～かもしれない.

Read ten passages of 400 to 500 characters with four questions each, holding to a six-minute limit per passage.

Practise point-comprehension listening by writing down only the words that answer the printed question, ignoring everything else.

Run three timed listening drills and chart which question type loses the most points.

Listen for 20 minutes daily, alternating between task-based comprehension and quick-response formats.

Drill 100 vocabulary items that are easily confused by sound, such as long vowels, doubled consonants, and similar kanji readings.

Answer 60 quick-response prompts aloud within two seconds each, recording yourself to check for hesitation.

Clear the remaining leech cards by writing a personal mnemonic for each one.

Sit two full-length timed mock exams on separate days, reproducing the real section order and break lengths.

Review every error from both mocks and re-test the underlying vocabulary or grammar point the same evening.

Rehearse the test-day routine: arrival time, section pacing, and a rule for abandoning a question that stalls.

Skim the whole grammar list and the full deck once more, flagging anything still below 80% recall.