Learn Japanese: JLPT N5 – Talk About Weekend Plans

This article will help you start learning conversational Japanese geared towards the JLPT N5 level. We’ll focus on common phrases and vocabulary for discussing your weekend plans. Don’t worry about complex grammar rules right now; we want to get you comfortable speaking!

Key Phrases & Vocabulary

Here’s a list of essential phrases you’ll need:

• 週末 (shuumatsu) – Weekend
• 過ごす (sugosu) – To spend / to pass time
• ～に行きます (– ni ikimasu) – I will go to…
• ～をします (– o shimasu) – I will do…
• 予定です (yotei desu) – It’s planned / scheduled
• たのしいです (tanoshii desu) – It’s fun!
• ゆっくり (yukkuri) – Slowly, leisurely
• お金 (okane) – Money
• 食事 (shokuji) – Meal/Food

Common Dialogues

Example 1: Simple Weekend Plans

Person A: こんにちは！(Konnichiwa! – Hello!)

Person B: こんにちは！週末は何をしますか？(Konnichiwa! Shuumatsu wa nani o shimasu ka? – Hello! What will you do on the weekend?)

Person A: 映画を見ます。 (Eiga o mimasu. – I will watch a movie.)

Person B: え、映画！たのしいですね！(Ee, eiga! tanoshii desu ne! – Oh, a movie! That’s fun!)

Translation: Hello! What are you going to do on the weekend?

Explanation: Notice how we use “– ni ikimasu” and “– o shimasu.” This is a very common way to express future plans.

Example 2: Talking About Going Somewhere

Person A: 週末、どこに行きますか？(Shuumatsu, doko ni ikimasu ka? – Where are you going on the weekend?)

Person B: 友達と公園に行きます。 (Tomodachi to kouen ni ikimasu. – I will go to a park with my friend.)

Person A: 公園ですか！いいですね！(Kouen desu ka! ii desu ne! – To a park! That’s good!)

Translation: Where are you going on the weekend?

Mistake & Correction: Imagine Person B said, “公園で食べます” (Kouen de tabemasu – I will eat in the park). While grammatically correct at a higher level, it’s less natural for this conversation. It implies eating in the park.

Example 3: Talking About Spending Money

Person A: 週末、何か計画がありますか？ (Shuumatsu, nani ka keikaku ga arimasu ka? – Do you have any plans for the weekend?)

Person B: 少しお金を使います。 (Sukoshi okane o tsukemasu. – I will spend a little money.)

Person A: 何を買いますか？ (Nani o kaimasu ka? – What will you buy?)

Person B: お菓子をします。(Okashi o shimasu. – I will buy sweets.)

Translation: Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Practice & Further Learning

• Try creating your own simple dialogues using the phrases above.
• Listen to Japanese conversations (even short clips) – try YouTube or language learning apps.
• Start a small notebook to write down new vocabulary and phrases you learn.

Good luck with your Japanese studies! Remember, communication is key. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes—that’s how you learn!