Learning Japanese Through the JLPT N5: Reading a Simple School Schedule

Introduction

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) has five levels, from N5 to N1. The N5 is designed for beginners who know very little Japanese. A great way to start learning is by practicing reading simple texts – and what’s simpler than a school schedule? This article will guide you through understanding a basic Japanese school schedule, focusing on vocabulary, common phrases, and how to approach the text.

Understanding the Basics

Japanese writing uses three main scripts: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. For N5, you’ll primarily focus on Hiragana and some Katakana. Don’t worry about Kanji yet – we’ll use Romaji (Roman letters) to represent words in this exercise.

The School Schedule Text

Let’s read a sample school schedule:

学校のスケジュール
(Gakkou no Sekyuru)
---
月曜日 (Getsuyoubi) - Monday
火曜日 (Kayoubi) - Tuesday
水曜日 (Suyoubi) - Wednesday
木曜日 (Koyoubi) - Thursday
金曜日 (Kinoubi) - Friday
土曜日 (Doyoubi) - Saturday
日曜日 (Nittyoubi) - Sunday

授業時間 (Jugyou Jikan) - Class Time
8:30 - 9:15  - Math (算数 - Sannsaku)
9:30 - 10:15 - Japanese (日本語 - Nihongo)
10:30 - 11:15 - English (英語 - Eigo)
13:00 - 13:45 - Gym (体育 - Taiiku)

This schedule lists the days of the week and the times for different classes. Let’s break down some important phrases:

• 月曜日 (Getsuyoubi): Monday
• 火曜日 (Kayoubi): Tuesday
• 水曜日 (Syouyoubi): Wednesday
• 木曜日 (Koyoubi): Thursday
• 金曜日 (Kinoubi): Friday
• 土曜日 (Do youbi): Saturday
• 日曜日 (Nittyoubi): Sunday
• 授業時間 (Jugyou Jikan): Class Time
• 数学 (Sannsaku): Math
• 日本語 (Nihongo): Japanese
• 英語 (Eigo): English
• 体育 (Taiiku): Gym/Physical Education

Common Phrases for Talking About Schedules

Here are some phrases you might hear when talking about schedules:

• 〜は何曜日ですか？ (~wa nan yoyobi desu ka?): What day is…? (e.g., “日本語は木曜日ですか？” – Nihongo wa koyoubi desu ka? – “Is Japanese on Thursday?”)
• 〜に〜があります (~ni ~ ga arimasu): …is at … (e.g., “数学が8時半にあります。” – Sannsaku ga hachi-ban ni arimasu. – “Math is at 8:30.”)
• 〜を〜にします (~o ~ ni shimasu): I will attend … at … (e.g., “日本語を月曜日にします。” – Nihongo o getsuyoubi ni shimasu. – “I’ll go to Japanese class on Monday.”)

A Small Mistake & Correction

Let’s say you read “水曜日 (Syouyoubi) – Wednesday” and thought it was “周り曜日 (Sukoyoubi)”. That would mean “surrounding day,” which is incorrect. Always double-check your pronunciation, especially with similar-sounding words like Shoukanyoubi(Thursday).

Practice Reading

Try translating these short phrases into English:

• 金曜日 (Kinoubi)
• 体育 (Taiiku)
• 数学 (Sannsaku)

Answer: Friday, Gym, Math

Conclusion

Reading simple texts like a school schedule is a fantastic way to build your Japanese language skills. Focus on understanding the key vocabulary and common phrases. With practice, you’ll be able to read more complex materials and understand Japanese conversations with confidence!