JLPT N5 is the entry-level Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and verbs are its backbone. The full N5 verb list contains 112 essential verbs — from daily actions like 食べる (eat) and 飲む (drink) to grammar-critical verbs like いる/ある (to exist) and できる (to be able to). This guide covers the most important verbs by category, with readings and example sentences.

This article is part of our JLPT N5 Complete Vocabulary Guide. To practice all 112 verbs with spaced repetition, import the N5 Verbs deck into Onigiri Anki.

Core Daily Actions (15)

Master these 15 verbs first — they cover the most common N5 exam scenarios.

eat食べるtaberu

毎朝朝食を食べます。 — I eat breakfast every morning.

drink飲むnomu

毎日牛乳を飲みます。 — I drink milk every day.

go行くiku

電車で仕事に行きます。 — I go to work by train.

come来るkuru

友達が私の家に来ます。 — My friend comes to my house.

see / watch見るmiru

毎晩テレビを見ます。 — I watch TV every evening.

sleep寝るneru

午後11時に寝ます。 — I sleep at 11 PM.

wake up起きるokiru

午前7時に起きます。 — I wake up at 7 AM.

listen聞くkiku

音楽を聞きます。 — I listen to music.

speak話すhanasu

日本語を話します。 — I speak Japanese.

read読むyomu

毎日新聞を読みます。 — I read the newspaper every day.

write書くkaku

ここに名前を書いてください。 — Please write your name here.

buy買うkau

パンを買いました。 — I bought bread.

doするsuru

宿題をします。 — I do my homework.

study勉強するbenkyou suru

毎日日本語を勉強します。 — I study Japanese every day.

understand分かるwakaru

この言葉が分かります。 — I understand this word.

Movement & Transport Verbs (10)

Essential for N5 listening passages about commuting, travel, and directions.

walk歩くaruku

こうえんまであるきます。 — I walk to the park.

run走るhashiru

かれは公園で走ります。 — He runs in the park.

ride / get on乗るnoru

電車に乗ります。 — I ride the train.

enter入るhairu

へやに入ります。 — I enter the room.

exit / leave出るderu

しちじにいえを出ます。 — I leave the house at seven.

go home帰るkaeru

七時に家に帰ります。 — I go home at seven.

arrive着くtsuku

でんしゃはえきに着きます。 — The train arrives at the station.

go out出かけるdekakeru

日曜日に出かけます。 — I go out on Sundays.

get off降りるoriru

次の駅で降ります。 — I get off at the next station.

climb登るnoboru

やまに登ります。 — I climb the mountain.

Communication Verbs (8)

These verbs appear constantly in N5 dialogues and short reading passages.

say言うiu

彼はそう言います。 — He says that.

teach / tell教えるoshieru

母は私に日本語を教えます。 — My mother teaches me Japanese.

answer答えるkotaeru

先生の質問に答えます。 — I answer the teacher's question.

know知るshiru

私はあの人を知っています。 — I know that man.

meet会うau

明日友達に会います。 — I will meet my friend tomorrow.

call (phone)かけるkakeru

母に電話をかけます。 — I will call my mother.

show見せるmiseru

ノートを見せてください。 — Please show me your notebook.

forget忘れるwasureru

宿題を忘れます。 — I forget my homework.

Household & Routine Verbs (8)

Daily life actions that come up in N5 reading passages about home and schedules.

make作るtsukuru

晩ご飯を作ります。 — I make dinner.

wash洗うarau

手を洗います。 — I wash my hands.

clean掃除するsouji suru

へやを掃除します。 — I clean my room.

work働くhataraku

父は病院ではたらきます。 — My father works at a hospital.

rest休むyasumu

日曜日に休みます。 — I rest on Sunday.

use使うtsukau

このペンを使います。 — I use this pen.

open開けるakeru

窓を開けてください。 — Please open the window.

close閉めるshimeru

窓を閉めてください。 — Please close the window.

Grammar-Critical Verbs (8)

These verbs form the foundation of N5 grammar — especially いる/ある and できる.

exist (people/animals)いるiru

公園に猫がいます。 — A cat is in the park.

exist (things)あるaru

机の上に本があります。 — There is a book on the table.

becomeなるnaru

先生になりたいです。 — I want to become a teacher.

be able toできるdekiru

日本語ができます。 — I can speak Japanese.

wait待つmatsu

駅で待ちます。 — I wait at the station.

memorize覚えるoboeru

この言葉を覚えます。 — I memorize this word.

live (reside)住むsumu

東京に住んでいます。 — I live in Tokyo.

be different違うchigau

この絵は違います。 — This picture is different.

5 Tips for Memorizing JLPT N5 Verbs

Learn verb groups early. Group 1 (u-verbs: 書く, 飲む), Group 2 (ru-verbs: 食べる, 見る), and irregulars (する, くる) conjugate differently. Knowing the group lets you conjugate any N5 verb.
Study transitive/intransitive pairs. N5 pairs like 開ける/開く and 閉める/閉まる appear together in test questions — learn them as a unit.
Use example sentences. Seeing 食べる in "毎朝ご飯を食べます" cements both meaning and particle pattern (を + verb).
Focus on て-form. N5 grammar uses て-form constantly: ～ています (continuous), ～てください (request), ～てもいい (permission).
Spaced repetition beats cramming. Review new verbs after 1 day, 3 days, then 1 week. Onigiri Anki handles this automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many verbs are on the JLPT N5?

The N5 vocabulary list includes around 800 words total, with approximately 100–120 verbs. Our N5 Verbs deck covers all 112 essential verbs with example sentences.

What is the difference between する and やる?

Both mean "to do," but する (suru) is neutral and formal while やる (yaru) is casual speech. On the N5 exam, する appears far more often.

Do I need to know all N5 verbs before taking the test?

Yes — the N5 vocabulary section tests recognition in context. You need to recognize all N5 verbs including their kanji forms (食べる, not just たべる).

Practice All 112 N5 Verbs

Import the complete 112-verb N5 deck into Onigiri Anki and let spaced repetition lock them in for exam day.

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JLPT N5 Verbs List: All 112 Essential Verbs (2026)