Is Duolingo Enough for JLPT N5? What It Covers and What It Doesn't

Is Duolingo enough for JLPT N5? The short answer

No, not on its own: Duolingo alone is a risky way to prepare for JLPT N5. It can teach much of the kana, vocabulary and grammar that N5 expects, but it isn't built for the test, which is a timed, multiple-choice exam in reading and listening with its own question types.

So use Duolingo as a daily habit, and add JLPT-focused practice: kanji words, numbers and dates, and the official practice test.

This page sets out what Duolingo says about its Japanese course, what the JLPT says N5 tests, and where the two may not line up. Every fact about both comes from their own pages, linked in the sources.

What Duolingo Japanese teaches

We only include what Duolingo states on its own blog, with the date of each post.

It follows the CEFR. In April 2025, Duolingo wrote that it had redesigned its biggest courses, Japanese among them, around an international standard called the CEFR (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The same post announced new lessons focused on speaking and listening.

It now goes up to B2. In April 2026, Duolingo announced that nine courses, Japanese among them, now teach up to level B2 of the CEFR. Before that, it said, most learners "could only complete content up to A2".

Duolingo also has a Duolingo Score mapped to CEFR bands. When it launched in October 2024, it was shown only in the Spanish, French and English courses, and we couldn't confirm that it's shown for Japanese.

It teaches all three scripts, gradually. In 2023, Duolingo said its Japanese course introduces hiragana first, brings in katakana early in Section 1 and starts kanji later in Section 1. It "teaches kanji as part of whole words and introduces them gradually". Character practice included tracing, multiple-choice, matching and spelling exercises. The course has been redesigned since, so some details may have changed.

It has listening practice beyond lessons. In 2023, Duolingo said DuoRadio, its short audio episodes, was available in the Japanese course for English speakers. The episodes use words, phrases and grammar from recent lessons.

It's free, with limits. Duolingo has free learners and a paid subscription, Super Duolingo, which removes ads and gives unlimited hearts. Free learners used to lose a heart for each mistake. In July 2025, Duolingo announced Energy to replace hearts. Each lesson uses a little Energy, and it fully recharges in about a day. You can watch an ad to earn some back, or buy a refill with gems. When Duolingo announced it, only a small number of users had Energy, so your app may still show hearts.

Some learners use it as part of their JLPT plan. Duolingo's blog has featured a learner who downloaded the app as part of his preparation for the JLPT.

In the Duolingo pages we checked, Duolingo describes its courses in CEFR terms and doesn't give a JLPT equivalent. So any claim that "Duolingo section X equals JLPT N-something" comes from somebody else, not from Duolingo.

What the JLPT N5 tests

The JLPT is run by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services. Its official site is jlpt.jp.

The JLPT says N5 tests "the ability to understand some basic Japanese". In reading, that means simple sentences in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji. In listening, it means short, slow conversations about daily life and the classroom.

The test has three sections:

A few details matter for how you prepare:

• It's all multiple choice. Answers go on a mark sheet, with four options for most questions and three for some listening ones. Speaking and writing aren't tested.
• There are two scores and three pass marks. Language Knowledge and Reading together are scored out of 120, Listening out of 60. You need 80 of the 180 overall, and at least 38 in the first part and 19 in Listening. (More in the JLPT N5 passing score.)

Duolingo's CEFR levels vs JLPT levels

It's tempting to line the two scales up: A1 is N5, A2 is N4. The JLPT itself now gives a reference point. From the December 2025 test, score reports show a CEFR level for reference. An N5 pass with 80 points or more is shown as A1, and an N4 pass with 90 or more as A2. It's shown only to people who passed.

But the JLPT is careful about what that means. It says its sections match the "Linguistic" and "Reception" parts of the CEFR. They don't include "Production (speaking and writing)" or "Interaction". Duolingo's course, by contrast, includes speaking practice (Duolingo added speaking lessons in 2025), which the JLPT doesn't test.

So the two measure overlapping but different things:

• A course's CEFR level describes the content it covers, across several skills.
• A JLPT result says how you performed on reading and listening questions, under time, in a specific format.

Reaching A1 or A2 in a course is a useful sign of progress. But it isn't a prediction of a JLPT score, and neither Duolingo nor the JLPT claims it is.

What Duolingo may not prepare you for on the N5

Whatever app you use, these N5 skills are worth checking on their own, because the test asks for them in a very specific way. They aren't claims that Duolingo leaves them out. They're a checklist to run against your own knowledge.

Reading kanji words, in both directions

Two of the four vocabulary question types are about the script: reading a word written in kanji, and choosing the right kanji or katakana for a word written in hiragana. Recognising a word in a sentence you've practised isn't quite the same as choosing between four similar-looking options. Check you can do both, quickly, for every word you know.

Numbers, dates and counters

The JLPT doesn't publish a list. But numbers, dates, times and counters are on the common unofficial N5 lists, including ours: words like 一つ (ひとつ, hitotsu) and 二人 (ふたり, futari), and the days of the month. They have some of the most irregular readings at this level:

Careful: 一日 is also 一日 (いちにち, ichinichi, “one day”). The same kanji can be two different words.

These are easy to understand in a lesson and easy to forget, so they deserve their own drill. We have guides to counters, dates and telling the time.

Listening in the test format

One N5 listening question type, "Comprehension of key points", tells you what to listen for before the conversation starts. The JLPT says it tests the ability to narrow down points "based on necessary information presented in advance". Practising that "listen for one thing" skill, and getting used to the pace, is different from following a story. The JLPT's own practice material is the best way to meet the format.

The format itself

Time pressure, a mark sheet and question types like sentence ordering are easy to handle once you've seen them, and surprising if you haven't. Do at least one full practice test under time.

How to use Duolingo for JLPT N5

A sensible way to combine them:

1. Keep your Duolingo habit for daily practice: new words and grammar in context, listening, and speaking, which the JLPT doesn't test but you will want anyway.
2. Add a JLPT-focused layer for the checklist above: kanji words in both directions, numbers and counters, and N5 vocabulary you haven't met yet. Our guide to the best websites to learn Japanese lists other tools organised by JLPT level.
3. Use spaced repetition for the words you need to keep, so what you learn in January is still there in July. (See how many new words to learn a day.)
4. Do the official practice material in the last months. On jlpt.jp, the JLPT offers two official practice workbooks for every level to download, with audio, answer keys and listening scripts. Printed copies are sold separately.

For a timeline, see how long to study for JLPT N5.

Where KanaMastery fits

KanaMastery is built for the JLPT-focused layer, and it works next to any course. The relevant parts:

• N5 path (/programs/n5): every word of our N5 list (668 words) and the N5-level kanji, most common first, with a timed multiple-choice sprint after every six chapters. The first seven chapters (100 words and 20 kanji) are free.
• N5 numbers path (/programs/n5-numbers): 14 chapters on counting things, people, months, dates, o'clock, minutes, age and the N5 counters. The first chapter is free.
• N5 listening path (/programs/n5-listening): hear a word and type it. The first four chapters (100 words) are free. The audio is text-to-speech.
• Smart Review (/review): everything you answer is scheduled with FSRS, with a daily cap so reviews don't pile up.

Our JLPT N5 page has the level summary and the next test date.

Questions about Duolingo and JLPT N5

Can you pass JLPT N5 with only Duolingo?

Possibly, but it's risky. Duolingo doesn't teach to the JLPT format, so add kanji-word drills, numbers and dates, and an official practice test.

How far will Duolingo Japanese get you?

Duolingo says its Japanese course now teaches up to CEFR level B2, as of April 2026. That's a CEFR level, not a JLPT level: Duolingo gives no JLPT equivalent. The JLPT shows an N5 pass as A1 and an N4 pass (90 points or more) as A2, for reference only.

Is Duolingo actually effective for Japanese?

Duolingo is good for a daily habit, for the kana, and for listening and speaking practice. It isn't a full JLPT plan on its own, because the test has its own format and question types.

How many words do you need for JLPT N5?

There's no official number, because the JLPT stopped publishing word lists in 2010. Unofficial lists differ: ours has 668 words. See how many kanji and words you need for JLPT N5.

How long does it take to prepare for JLPT N5?

It depends on how much you already know and how much you study each week. Our guide to how long to study for JLPT N5 gives the estimates and their sources.

Is Duolingo free for Japanese?

Yes, you can learn with Duolingo for free, with limits. Free learners have hearts or, since Duolingo started testing it in July 2025, Energy, which recharges in about a day. Super Duolingo is the paid option.

Sources

Duolingo (all on Duolingo's own blog; checked 1 October 2026):

• 6 ways Duolingo has improved its courses (10 April 2025): CEFR redesign including Japanese; new speaking and listening lessons.
• Go further with Duolingo: Our top courses now teach advanced content (22 April 2026): nine courses including Japanese now up to B2; previously most learners up to A2.
• Duolingo Score (23 October 2024): Score bands and their CEFR levels; visible in Spanish, French and English.
• A new tool for learning to read Japanese on Duolingo (6 September 2023): order of hiragana, katakana and kanji; character exercises.
• DuoRadio (2 November 2023): available in the Japanese course for English speakers.
• Energy (3 July 2025): Energy replacing hearts for free learners; recharge in about a day; ads and gems; only a small number of users at launch.
• Super Duolingo (8 June 2022): the paid subscription, with no ads and unlimited hearts.
• Why is Japanese so popular on Duolingo? (14 March 2024): a learner using Duolingo to prepare for the JLPT.

JLPT (jlpt.jp; checked 1 October 2026):

• N1-N5: Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level
• Composition of test sections and items (section times since December 2020)
• N5: purposes of test items (question types; the section times printed there are the pre-2020 ones)
• Scoring sections, score ranges and pass marks
• Indication of the CEFR level for reference
• FAQ (multiple choice; no speaking or writing; no published lists)
• Official practice workbooks (downloads on the site; printed copies sold by Bonjinsha)

Other: our N5 list is based on Jonathan Waller's JLPT lists (tanos.co.uk, CC BY); readings from JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0). See our attributions page.

Reviewed by two independent reviews. The points about irregular date and counter readings, the N5 listening format and how Duolingo's Japanese course works today are waiting for a native speaker's or teacher's check.