N4 extends N5 with longer sentences, more particles in play, and a larger core of vocabulary and kanji. Think daily‑life Japanese with modest complexity. At this level, consistency and breadth matter more than tricks.

What N4 expects

  • Everyday topics, slightly longer texts
  • Clear grasp of past/negative/te‑forms, particles, and common clauses
  • A few hundred kanji and ~1,500–2,000 words (approximate)

The three sections (Language Knowledge, Reading, Listening) scale up from N5: you’ll see more clause chaining, polite/casual variation, and questions that test whether you can connect information across two lines.

12–14 week roadmap

Work in 60–90 minute weekdays or split into two shorter blocks.

  1. Grammar expansion (weeks 1–8)
    • 2–3 new points/day; write 3–5 original sentences each.
    • Group points by function (giving reasons, contrast, suggestions).
  2. Vocabulary via SRS (weeks 1–14)
    • 20–30 words/day. Prefer example‑rich cards over isolated glosses.
  3. Kanji: recognition + writing (weeks 1–14)
    • 10–15/day. Practice stroke order for form memory.
  4. Reading for stamina (weeks 3–14)
    • Short articles, notices, graded readers; read aloud for rhythm.
  5. Listening and shadowing (weeks 1–14)
    • 15–20 min/day. Loop short clips until words “pop.”

Weekend: one timed section, one untimed deep‑dive to fix errors.

Week‑by‑week outline (sample)

  • Week 1: Review N5 and add N4 particles (までに、とか、しか、だけ), adjective/noun modifications.
  • Week 2: Te‑form functions beyond chaining (～ておく、～てみる、～てしまう), invitations/permission.
  • Week 3: Casual vs polite switching, requests, suggestions (～たほうがいい、～ほしい、～ましょう).
  • Week 4: Relative clauses, nominalization (の／こと), simple conditional (～たら、～と).
  • Week 5: Reasons and contrast (から／ので、けど／が), quantities (過ぎる／すぎない、もう／まだ).
  • Week 6: Purpose/result (ために、ように), ability/potential (～られる) at N4 scope.
  • Week 7: Focused review week + first full mock sections.
  • Week 8–12: Rotate grammar “families,” increase reading length, stabilize listening.
  • Week 13–14: Consolidate, revisit weak families, increase speed on timed sets.

Daily mini‑loop (60–90 minutes or 2 x 35 minutes)

  • Reviews → grammar → vocab → kanji → listening
  • Output requirement: speak 4–6 original sentences using today’s grammar.
  • Micro‑writing: one 60–90 word journal entry every other day.

Grammar families to master (N4 scope)

  • Conditionals: ～たら, ～と (basic predictive use), ～なら (given that)
  • Purpose: ～ために, ～ように (goal vs ability framing)
  • Reason/contrast: から／ので, けど／が
  • Requests/suggestions: ～てください, ～たほうがいい, ～ましょう
  • Ability/potential: ～られる (basic forms)

Kanji that stay distinct

Group by component/phonetic hints and write each 2–3 times with stroke order.

  • 手 → 持, 払, 打 (hand radical)
  • 言 → 話, 計, 記 (speech radical)
  • 貝 → 買, 費, 負 (shell/money related)

Recognize readings that repeat across a phonetic series; build compound examples you actually see in reading.

Reading: from sentences to short passages

  • Read aloud to stabilize rhythm and chunking.
  • Before reading, skim questions to prime what to look for.
  • After reading, summarize each paragraph in one simple Japanese sentence.

Listening patterns

  • Anticipate endings from the question stem.
  • Note signpost words (でも、だから、そして、それで). They signal what comes next.
  • Shadow one sentence at a time; aim for smooth rhythm over perfect speed.

Mock practice and error repair

  • Timed section every weekend. Track wrong answers by reason: grammar gap, vocab unknown, kanji confusion, speed.
  • Fix: write one new example or flashcard per error. Verify the fix on a similar item mid‑week.

Resources

  • Official JLPT sample items (Reading/Listening)
  • N4 grammar lists grouped by function; short example banks
  • N4 kanji by component groups; stroke‑order references
  • Graded readers (N4) and short audio with transcripts

Metrics

  • Unknown words per 1,000; review time/day; timed‑set accuracy
  • Paragraph‑summary quality (1 sentence that captures the point)
  • Kanji recognition accuracy by component group

How Kanji Koi helps at N4

  • Guided stroke‑order animations keep similar shapes apart (言 vs 話, 買 vs 貝).
  • Component/phonetic groupings accelerate recognition of families.
  • Adaptive SRS supports 20–30/day without review spikes.
  • Interactive drawing for a handful of kanji/day anchors form memory.
  • Offline mode keeps your streak alive on commute‑length sessions.

Pair today’s grammar with Kanji Koi vocabulary/kanji cards so your practice sentences reuse the words you are actually learning. This tight loop speeds recall on test day.

FAQ

  • Q: Words or phrases?
    • A: Prefer phrase‑level where possible; it helps at N4 and beyond.
  • Q: Do I need to handwrite everything?
    • A: No—just a few per day with stroke order for recognition strength.
  • Q: How long are listening clips?
    • A: Short. The challenge is attention and prediction, not native speed.

For kanji specifically, structured stroke‑order practice keeps shapes distinct and speeds recognition.