JLPT N4 Study Plan: From N5 to N4 in 90 Days
You passed N5. Nice work. Now N4 is the next step. It is bigger but it is doable in 90 days if you have a plan.
What N4 covers
- ~1,500 vocab words (you know ~800 from N5)
- ~300 kanji (you know ~100 from N5)
- ~150 grammar points
- Listening at natural conversation speed
- Reading short articles and notices
The 90-day plan
Days 1 to 30: Vocab and kanji base
- 15 new vocab words a day (Nihongo Master spaced repetition)
- 4 new kanji a day with stroke order practice
- Review old N5 grammar — do not let it slip
- 10 minutes of listening practice (NHK Easy News works)
Days 31 to 60: Grammar deep dive
- 2 new grammar points a day
- Continue 15 vocab a day
- Drop kanji to 3 new a day, add 30 minutes of review
- Start reading short stories on Nihongo Master Reading Practice
Days 61 to 90: Test prep
- Take a full N4 mock test every 7 days
- Use the wrong answers to drive what you study next
- Watch one J-drama episode a week with Japanese subs
- Speak out loud — read passages aloud daily
Daily schedule (90 minutes)
- 20 min vocab
- 15 min kanji
- 20 min grammar
- 20 min listening
- 15 min reading
The biggest mistakes
- Skipping kanji until the last month — it does not work
- Studying only on weekends — daily reps win
- Not doing mock tests — the format itself is a skill
- Ignoring listening — this is where most people lose points
Tools that help
- Nihongo Master — vocab, kanji, drills, mock tests in one place
- NHK Easy News — daily reading and listening
- Bunpro — grammar reps if you want extra grammar drills
You can do this
N4 is not harder than N5. It is just bigger. With 90 days and a plan, you will pass.