JLPT N5 Speaking: Talk About Classes and Teachers

The JLPT N5 speaking test is all about simple, everyday conversations. A common scenario is talking about your Japanese classes – who you study with, what you like about the teacher, or any problems you might have.

Key Phrases & Vocabulary

• はじめまして (Hajimemashite): Nice to meet you.
• 〜について (～ni tsuite): About…
• 先生 (Sensei): Teacher/Professor
• クラス (Kurasu): Class
• いいですね (Ii desu ne): That’s good! / It’s nice!
• ちょっと難しい (Chotto muzukashii): A little difficult.
• わかりやすい (Wakarunai sui): Easy to understand.
• 〜を教えてください (～o oshiete kudasai): Please teach me…
• ありがとう (Arigato): Thank you.

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Introducing Your Class

Person A: こんにちは。はじめまして、田中です。(Konnichiwa. Hajimemashite, Tanaka desu.) – Hello, nice to meet you, I’m Tanaka.

Person B: こんにちは！〇〇さん、いいですね！日本語のクラスは楽しいですか？(Konnichiwa! 〇〇-san, ii desu ne! Nihongo no kurasu wa tanoshii desu ka?) – Hello! 〇〇-san, that’s good! Is your Japanese class fun?

Person A: ええ、楽しいです。週に二回勉強します。(Ee, tanoshii desu. Shuu ni ni kai benkyou shimasu.) – Yes, it’s fun. I study twice a week.

Dialogue 2: Talking About Your Teacher

Person A: 先生はとても親切です。(Sensei wa totemo shinsetsu desu.) – My teacher is very kind.

Person B: 本当ですか？ (Hontou desu ka?) – Really?

Person A: はい、漢字を教えてくれます。(Hai, kanji o oshiete kuremasu.) – Yes, they teach me kanji.

Dialogue 3: Addressing a Difficulty

Person A: 今日、文法について少し難しいと思いました。(Kyou, bunpou ni tsuite sukoshi muzukashii to omoimashita.) – Today, I thought the grammar was a little difficult.

Person B: わかりやすいように、先生が説明してくれますか？ (Wakarunai sui you ni, sensei ga setsumei shite kuremasu ka?) – Will the teacher explain it so it’s easy to understand?

Person A: ええ、ありがとうございます。(Ee, arigato gozaimasu.) – Yes, thank you.

Common Mistakes & Corrections

• Mistake: “私は先生を好きです。” (Watashi wa sensei o suki desu.) – I like the teacher.
• Correction: “先生はいい人です。” (Sensei wa ii hito desu.) – The teacher is a good person. (You can’t directly say you “like” a teacher in this context; it sounds overly personal and might be seen as disrespectful).
• Mistake: Using overly complex grammar. Stick to simple sentences!
• Correction: Simplify your sentence structure – “〜です” (～desu) is your friend!

Practice Tips for the N5 Speaking Test

• Record yourself speaking: Practice saying the phrases above repeatedly.
• Role-play conversations: Imagine scenarios and practice responding with the vocabulary you’ve learned.
• Focus on pronunciation: Japanese pronunciation is important!
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!: Mistakes are part of learning – learn from them!

Good luck with your N5 speaking test!