· 24 lists · 964 words

Basic words: numbers, time, verbs

Numbers, counters, time, question words, basic verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

What holds these lists together

These lists belong to no area, which is to say they belong to all of them: the pointing words, numbers and time, the basic verbs and adjectives, and the adverbs that set the tone of a sentence. Japanese adds two reasons English does not have. A number is rarely said on its own: it takes a counter, chosen by the shape of the thing counted — 三枚(さんまい) for flat things such as tickets, 三本(さんぼん) for long ones such as pens — and the sound of the number shifts with it, as 一本(いっぽん), 三本(さんぼん) and 六本(ろっぽん) show. And the pointing words come in sets of three rather than two: これis near meそれis near youあれis away from both of us Anyone wondering where to start starts here.

The 24 lists

N5This, that and question wordsPointing at things, places and directions, and asking who, what, where, when, why and how much.40 words N5Numbers, money and counting thingsTwo sets of numbers, prices in yen, and the counters that Japanese puts after every number.41 words N5Telling the time and the calendarHours and minutes, the days of the week, months and dates, and the words for today, tomorrow and every week.40 words N5Basic verbsThe verbs a first conversation cannot do without.41 words N5Basic adjectivesDescribing things and people: size, price, age, likes and dislikes.41 words N5Adverbs, time words and linking wordsHow much, how often, already and not yet, and the words that join sentences.40 words N5Colours, shapes and sizesColour words, simple shapes and the adjectives of size and weight.41 words N4Time and frequencyRecently, next year, every morning, once in a while — and being on time.40 words N4Verbs of movementWalking, getting on and off, crossing, turning, arriving and coming back.40 words N4Everyday adverbsBy all means, probably, surely, hardly, at last — the words that set the tone of a sentence.40 words N3More everyday verbsCommon verbs beyond the basics, for changes, choices and dealing with people.40 words N3Adverbs of attitudeAdverbs that show surprise, effort, certainty and resignation.40 words N3Time and changePeriods, stages, before and after, and the words for how things develop.40 words N5Counting thingsCounters in use: the sounds that change, the days of the month, and asking how many.40 words N5Directions and positionWhere things are and how to get there: beside, between, the far end and the second corner.40 words N3More i-adjectivesAdjectives for texture, temperature, sound and judgement, beyond the basics.40 words N3More na-adjectivesWords for what is important, fair, vivid or wasteful, with na before a noun.40 words N3Verb pairs: doing it and it happeningOne verb for doing something to a thing, one for the thing changing by itself.40 words N3Quantities and degreesHow much, how many, how far: amounts, limits and words of degree.40 words N3Connectors and sentence openersThe words that link one sentence to the next: adding, contrasting, explaining, moving on.40 words N2i-adjectives for sharper descriptionThe i-adjectives that make a description more exact, more vivid or more formal.40 words N2na-adjectives for exact judgementThe na-adjectives that judge a plan, a price, a manner or a situation precisely.40 words N2Everyday verbs at N2The exact verbs for what hands do, what things do when they go wrong, and how people treat each other.40 words N2Time, frequency and sequenceHow often something happens, when in the month or year, and what comes just before or after.40 words

Spread across the levels

The category runs across the levels — it is an area, not a difficulty. If you practise it, you can also choose a level at the top of the practice page and then get only the part that sits there.

Level	Words	Share
N5	323	34 %
N4	197	20 %
N3	275	29 %
N2	169	18 %

Practise this category

Multiple choice and gaps, across all 24 lists and all 964 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.