Languages
JLPT N5 Listening Practice: Beginner Dialogues with Transcripts
Ten short Japanese conversations with audio, written at JLPT N5 level. Listen, answer the question, then open the transcript with kana, romaji and an English translation.
Many beginners can read N5 words but freeze when they hear them. Real speech has no spaces, and long vowels and small っ go by very fast. The only fix is a lot of short, clear listening practice at the right level.
The ten lessons below follow the four N5 listening question types. Every lesson has an audio clip, one question, and a hidden answer box with the full script, the reading, Hepburn romaji, an English translation and key vocabulary.
After the lessons, you will find a simple way to reuse each clip for dictation and shadowing, plus a two-week plan. When the clips feel easy, you can move on to real videos on Corodomo, where Japanese videos come with furigana subtitles and are split into sentences.
- How the N5 listening section works
- Lessons 1–3: Task-based questions (café, shop, classroom)
- Lessons 4–7: Key-point questions (station, directions, time)
- Lessons 8–10: What do you say? Quick replies
- Reuse each lesson for dictation and shadowing
- A 2-week N5 listening plan
- FAQ
- Conclusion
How the N5 listening section works
According to the official JLPT test sections page, the N5 listening section takes about 30 minutes and has four question types. The official scoring page says listening is scored from 0 to 60, and you need at least 19 points in it to pass.
| Question type | What you do | Lessons here |
|---|---|---|
| Task-based comprehension | Hear a conversation and decide what someone will buy, bring or do | 1–3 |
| Comprehension of key points | Listen for one detail: a time, a place, a reason | 4–7 |
| Verbal expressions | Look at a situation and choose what the person should say | 8 |
| Quick response | Hear one short line and choose the best reply | 9–10 |
In lessons 1–7, the question and options are printed, so you can read them before you listen. In the real test, the first two types usually show pictures or short text options. In lessons 8–10, the options are only in the audio, just like the real test. They are printed inside the answer box.
- Read the question first. Know what you are listening for: 何 (what), いくら (how much), 何時 (what time), どこ (where).
- Listen once, like the real test. If you are not sure, listen one more time, but no more before you check.
- Do not choose an option just because you heard a word from it. N5 questions often say a word and then change it.
- Watch for long vowels (コーヒー, kōhī) and small っ (まっすぐ, massugu). English speakers often skip them.
- The audio uses synthetic voices (TTS). The intonation may be a little flatter than a real speaker. The scripts are original practice material, not official test questions.
Lessons 1–3: Task-based questions (café, shop, classroom)
Task-based questions ask what someone will do, buy or bring. The trap is a change of plan. Someone asks for one thing, then hears it is not possible, then chooses something else.
Listen for words that signal a change: じゃあ (jā, "then, in that case"), いいえ (iie, "no"), それから (sorekara, "and also"). The answer often comes right after them.
Lesson 1 – Ordering at a café
Question: 男の人は何を買いますか。
おとこのひとはなにをかいますか。
Otoko no hito wa nani o kaimasu ka. – What does the man buy?
- コーヒーとケーキ (coffee and cake)
- コーヒーとチーズケーキ (coffee and cheesecake)
- コーヒーだけ (only coffee)
- チーズケーキだけ (only cheesecake)
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 3 – only coffee. The cake is sold out, and he politely refuses the cheesecake with ちょっと…. A = customer (man), B = café staff (woman).
A: すみません。コーヒーを一つと、このケーキを一つください。
すみません。コーヒーをひとつと、このケーキをひとつください。
Sumimasen. Kōhī o hitotsu to, kono kēki o hitotsu kudasai.
Excuse me. One coffee and one of these cakes, please.
B: すみません、そのケーキは今日はもうありません。チーズケーキはどうですか。
すみません、そのケーキはきょうはもうありません。チーズケーキはどうですか。
Sumimasen, sono kēki wa kyō wa mō arimasen. Chīzukēki wa dō desu ka.
Sorry, we have no more of that cake today. How about cheesecake?
A: チーズケーキはちょっと…。じゃあ、コーヒーだけください。
チーズケーキはちょっと…。じゃあ、コーヒーだけください。
Chīzukēki wa chotto... Jā, kōhī dake kudasai.
Cheesecake is... not for me. Then just coffee, please.
B: はい、コーヒーを一つですね。
はい、コーヒーをひとつですね。
Hai, kōhī o hitotsu desu ne.
OK, one coffee.
Key vocabulary: 一つ (ひとつ, hitotsu) – one (thing); もうありません (mō arimasen) – there is no more; だけ (dake) – only.
Lesson 2 – Buying a bag
Question: 女の人はいくらのかばんを買いますか。
おんなのひとはいくらのかばんをかいますか。
Onna no hito wa ikura no kaban o kaimasu ka. – How much is the bag the woman buys?
- 2,000円
- 2,500円
- 3,000円
- 3,500円
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 2 – 2,500 yen. The first bag (3,000 yen) is too expensive, so she buys the black one. A = customer (woman), B = shop staff (man).
A: すみません、このかばんはいくらですか。
すみません、このかばんはいくらですか。
Sumimasen, kono kaban wa ikura desu ka.
Excuse me, how much is this bag?
B: そちらは三千円です。
そちらはさんぜんえんです。
Sochira wa sanzen en desu.
That one is 3,000 yen.
A: うーん、ちょっと高いですね。あの黒いのはいくらですか。
うーん、ちょっとたかいですね。あのくろいのはいくらですか。
Ūn, chotto takai desu ne. Ano kuroi no wa ikura desu ka.
Hmm, that's a bit expensive. How much is that black one?
B: あの黒いかばんは二千五百円です。
あのくろいかばんはにせんごひゃくえんです。
Ano kuroi kaban wa nisen gohyaku en desu.
That black bag is 2,500 yen.
A: じゃあ、黒いのをください。
じゃあ、くろいのをください。
Jā, kuroi no o kudasai.
Then I'll take the black one, please.
Key vocabulary: いくら (ikura) – how much; 高い (たかい, takai) – expensive; 黒いの (くろいの, kuroi no) – the black one.
Lesson 3 – What to bring to the test
Question: 学生はあした何を持っていきますか。
がくせいはあしたなにをもっていきますか。
Gakusei wa ashita nani o motte ikimasu ka. – What will the students take tomorrow?
- えんぴつと消しゴム (pencil and eraser)
- えんぴつと消しゴムと辞書 (pencil, eraser and dictionary)
- えんぴつと消しゴムとノート (pencil, eraser and notebook)
- 辞書とノート (dictionary and notebook)
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 3. The dictionary is not needed (いりません). The notebook is added at the end with それから. A = teacher (woman), B = student (man).
A: みなさん、あしたはテストです。えんぴつと消しゴムを持ってきてください。
みなさん、あしたはテストです。えんぴつとけしゴムをもってきてください。
Minasan, ashita wa tesuto desu. Enpitsu to keshigomu o motte kite kudasai.
Everyone, tomorrow is the test. Please bring a pencil and an eraser.
B: 先生、辞書も持ってきますか。
せんせい、じしょももってきますか。
Sensei, jisho mo motte kimasu ka.
Teacher, do we bring a dictionary too?
A: いいえ、辞書はいりません。あ、それから、ノートも持ってきてください。
いいえ、じしょはいりません。あ、それから、ノートももってきてください。
Iie, jisho wa irimasen. A, sorekara, nōto mo motte kite kudasai.
No, you don't need a dictionary. Oh, and please bring a notebook too.
B: はい、わかりました。
はい、わかりました。
Hai, wakarimashita.
OK, I understand.
Key vocabulary: 持ってくる (もってくる, motte kuru) – to bring; いりません (irimasen) – not needed; それから (sorekara) – and also, after that.
Lessons 4–7: Key-point questions (station, directions, time)
Key-point questions ask for one detail. You will often hear two or three times or places. Only one of them is the answer.
Write down every number you hear, then cross out the ones that are denied. A simple note like "10:05 ×, 10:15 ○" is enough. Do not try to write full sentences.
- いいえ (iie) and ～じゃありません (ja arimasen) mean the option before them is wrong.
- ちょっと… (chotto...) with a falling voice is a polite "no".
- Japanese numbers with 時 (ji) and 分 (fun/pun) change sound: 四時 is よじ (yoji), 十五分 is じゅうごふん (jūgofun), 十分 is じゅっぷん (juppun).
Lesson 4 – Which train?
Question: 次の電車は何時ですか。
つぎのでんしゃはなんじですか。
Tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka. – What time is the next train?
- 10:00
- 10:05
- 10:10
- 10:15
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 4 – 10:15. The 10:05 train has already left (もう出ました). A = passenger (man), B = station staff (woman).
A: すみません、次の電車は十時五分ですか。
すみません、つぎのでんしゃはじゅうじごふんですか。
Sumimasen, tsugi no densha wa jūji gofun desu ka.
Excuse me, is the next train at 10:05?
B: いいえ、十時五分の電車はもう出ました。次は十時十五分です。
いいえ、じゅうじごふんのでんしゃはもうでました。つぎはじゅうじじゅうごふんです。
Iie, jūji gofun no densha wa mō demashita. Tsugi wa jūji jūgofun desu.
No, the 10:05 train has already left. The next one is at 10:15.
A: そうですか。じゃあ、ここで待ちます。
そうですか。じゃあ、ここでまちます。
Sō desu ka. Jā, koko de machimasu.
I see. Then I'll wait here.
Key vocabulary: 次 (つぎ, tsugi) – next; もう出ました (もうでました, mō demashita) – has already left; 待つ (まつ, matsu) – to wait.
Lesson 5 – Where is the post office?
Question: 郵便局はどこにありますか。
ゆうびんきょくはどこにありますか。
Yūbinkyoku wa doko ni arimasu ka. – Where is the post office?
- 花屋の前 (in front of the flower shop)
- 花屋のとなり (next to the flower shop)
- 銀行の前 (in front of the bank)
- 銀行のとなり (next to the bank)
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 4 – next to the bank. You hear 前 (mae) twice, but the last line corrects it to となり (tonari). A = man asking, B = woman.
A: すみません、郵便局はどこですか。
すみません、ゆうびんきょくはどこですか。
Sumimasen, yūbinkyoku wa doko desu ka.
Excuse me, where is the post office?
B: この道をまっすぐ行ってください。花屋の前に銀行があります。
このみちをまっすぐいってください。はなやのまえにぎんこうがあります。
Kono michi o massugu itte kudasai. Hanaya no mae ni ginkō ga arimasu.
Go straight along this street. There is a bank in front of the flower shop.
A: 郵便局は銀行の前ですか。
ゆうびんきょくはぎんこうのまえですか。
Yūbinkyoku wa ginkō no mae desu ka.
Is the post office in front of the bank?
B: いいえ、銀行のとなりですよ。
いいえ、ぎんこうのとなりですよ。
Iie, ginkō no tonari desu yo.
No, it's next to the bank.
Key vocabulary: まっすぐ (massugu) – straight; 前 (まえ, mae) – in front of; となり (tonari) – next to.
Lesson 6 – Meeting before a movie
Question: 二人は何時に会いますか。
ふたりはなんじにあいますか。
Futari wa nanji ni aimasu ka. – What time will the two people meet?
- 1:30
- 1:45
- 2:00
- 2:15
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 2 – 1:45. The movie starts at 2:00. 1:30 is refused with ちょっと…, and they agree on 1:45. A = woman, B = man.
A: あしたの映画は何時からですか。
あしたのえいがはなんじからですか。
Ashita no eiga wa nanji kara desu ka.
What time does tomorrow's movie start?
B: 二時からです。一時半に駅で会いましょう。
にじからです。いちじはんにえきであいましょう。
Niji kara desu. Ichiji han ni eki de aimashō.
It starts at two. Let's meet at the station at 1:30.
A: すみません、一時半はちょっと…。一時四十五分はどうですか。
すみません、いちじはんはちょっと…。いちじよんじゅうごふんはどうですか。
Sumimasen, ichiji han wa chotto... Ichiji yonjūgofun wa dō desu ka.
Sorry, 1:30 is a little... How about 1:45?
B: いいですよ。じゃあ、一時四十五分に駅で会いましょう。
いいですよ。じゃあ、いちじよんじゅうごふんにえきであいましょう。
Ii desu yo. Jā, ichiji yonjūgofun ni eki de aimashō.
Sure. Then let's meet at the station at 1:45.
Key vocabulary: ～から (kara) – from, starting at; 半 (はん, han) – half past; ～ましょう (mashō) – let's.
Lesson 7 – What did you do on Sunday?
Question: 女の人は日曜日に何をしましたか。
おんなのひとはにちようびになにをしましたか。
Onna no hito wa nichiyōbi ni nani o shimashita ka. – What did the woman do on Sunday?
- 買い物をして、映画を見ました (went shopping and saw a movie)
- 買い物をして、晩ご飯を食べました (went shopping and ate dinner)
- 映画を見て、晩ご飯を食べました (saw a movie and ate dinner)
- 家で休みました (rested at home)
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 2. She wanted to see a movie (見たかったです) but had no time. A = man, B = Ms. Tanaka.
A: 田中さん、日曜日は何をしましたか。
たなかさん、にちようびはなにをしましたか。
Tanaka-san, nichiyōbi wa nani o shimashita ka.
Ms. Tanaka, what did you do on Sunday?
B: 友だちと買い物に行きました。それから、レストランで晩ご飯を食べました。
ともだちとかいものにいきました。それから、レストランでばんごはんをたべました。
Tomodachi to kaimono ni ikimashita. Sorekara, resutoran de bangohan o tabemashita.
I went shopping with a friend. After that, we ate dinner at a restaurant.
A: 映画は見ませんでしたか。
えいがはみませんでしたか。
Eiga wa mimasen deshita ka.
Didn't you see a movie?
B: 見たかったですが、時間がありませんでした。
みたかったですが、じかんがありませんでした。
Mitakatta desu ga, jikan ga arimasen deshita.
I wanted to, but I didn't have time.
Key vocabulary: 買い物 (かいもの, kaimono) – shopping; 晩ご飯 (ばんごはん, bangohan) – dinner; 見たかったです (mitakatta desu) – I wanted to see.
Lessons 8–10: What do you say? Quick replies
These two types are short, but they test whether you really know basic verb forms. In the audio, you hear a situation or one line, then three answers read one by one. Mark each answer ○ or × as you hear it. Do not wait until the end.
Cover the answer box and listen first. The options are not printed outside it, just like the real test.
- 貸す (kasu, "lend") and 借りる (kariru, "borrow") are a classic pair. Ask yourself who gives and who receives.
- ～ませんか (masen ka) is an invitation, not a negative question about the past.
- An answer that repeats a word from the question is often the trap.
Lesson 8 – Borrowing a pen (verbal expressions)
Situation (read in the audio): you want to borrow your friend's pen. What do you say? Choose 1, 2 or 3.
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 3. ～てもいいですか (te mo ii desu ka) asks for permission: "May I borrow...?" Option 1 offers to lend your own pen. Option 2 asks about the past. A = narrator, B = the three options.
A: 友だちのペンを借りたいです。何と言いますか。
ともだちのペンをかりたいです。なんといいますか。
Tomodachi no pen o karitai desu. Nan to iimasu ka.
You want to borrow your friend's pen. What do you say?
- B: ペンを貸しましょうか。
ペンをかしましょうか。
Pen o kashimashō ka.
Shall I lend you a pen? - B: ペンを借りましたか。
ペンをかりましたか。
Pen o karimashita ka.
Did you borrow a pen? - B: ペンを借りてもいいですか。
ペンをかりてもいいですか。
Pen o karite mo ii desu ka.
May I borrow your pen?
Key vocabulary: 借りる (かりる, kariru) – to borrow; 貸す (かす, kasu) – to lend; ～てもいいですか – may I...?
Lesson 9 – Where are you from? (quick response)
You hear one question and three replies. Choose the best reply.
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 2. お国はどちらですか is a polite way to ask "Which country are you from?" Option 1 answers どちら as "which direction". A = man, B = woman.
A: お国はどちらですか。
おくにはどちらですか。
Okuni wa dochira desu ka.
Where are you from?
- B: あちらにあります。
あちらにあります。
Achira ni arimasu.
It's over there. - B: アメリカから来ました。
アメリカからきました。
Amerika kara kimashita.
I'm from America. - B: 日本語を話します。
にほんごをはなします。
Nihongo o hanashimasu.
I speak Japanese.
Key vocabulary: お国 (おくに, okuni) – your country (polite); どちら (dochira) – which / where (polite); ～から来ました (kara kimashita) – I came from.
Lesson 10 – Lunch together? (quick response)
You hear one invitation and three replies. Choose the best reply.
Show transcript and answer
Answer: 2. ～ませんか invites someone: "Won't you...?" The natural yes is いいですね (sounds good) + ～ましょう (let's). Options 1 and 3 answer in the past tense. A = woman, B = man.
A: いっしょに昼ご飯を食べませんか。
いっしょにひるごはんをたべませんか。
Issho ni hirugohan o tabemasen ka.
Would you like to have lunch together?
- B: はい、食べませんでした。
はい、たべませんでした。
Hai, tabemasen deshita.
Yes, I didn't eat. - B: いいですね。食べましょう。
いいですね。たべましょう。
Ii desu ne. Tabemashō.
Sounds good. Let's eat. - B: はい、いっしょに食べました。
はい、いっしょにたべました。
Hai, issho ni tabemashita.
Yes, we ate together.
Key vocabulary: いっしょに (issho ni) – together; 昼ご飯 (ひるごはん, hirugohan) – lunch; ～ませんか (masen ka) – won't you...? (invitation).
Reuse each lesson for dictation and shadowing
Answering the question is only the first step. The real progress comes when you use the same clip two more times: once for dictation, once for shadowing. Each lesson is short, so this takes about 10–15 minutes.
Dictation: write what you hear
- Play the clip and pause after each line.
- Write the line in hiragana and katakana. Kanji is not needed at N5.
- Replay a line up to three times. Then leave a blank and move on.
- Open the transcript and compare. Mark each mistake by type.
English speakers make the same few mistakes again and again. Check this list after every dictation:
| Mistake | Example from these lessons | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Missing long vowel | コーヒー (kōhī), not "kohi" | The vowel lasts two beats |
| Missing small っ | まっすぐ (massugu), いっしょに (issho ni) | A short silent beat before the consonant |
| Missing particle | ノートも (nōto mo), 駅で (eki de) | Short sounds after nouns carry meaning |
| Wrong tense | 食べませんか vs 食べませんでした | The very end of the sentence |
| Katakana heard as English | チーズケーキ (chīzukēki) | Japanese vowels after every consonant |
Shadowing: speak with the audio
Shadowing means speaking at the same time as the audio, like an echo. It trains your ear and your mouth together. Use the transcript at first, then try without it.
- Round 1: listen and read the transcript silently.
- Round 2: whisper along with the audio.
- Round 3: speak at full volume with the transcript.
- Round 4: speak without the transcript.
- Role-play: shadow only speaker A, then only speaker B. Pause the clip to "answer" in your own voice.
For English speakers, the hardest part is rhythm. Japanese gives each beat (mora) about the same length. Do not stress one syllable and shorten the rest. Keep vowels pure. The u in です and ます is often whispered, but most other vowels stay clear.
After these ten clips, you can do the same with real videos. On Corodomo's video lessons, you paste a YouTube link or upload a video, and it is split into sentences with bilingual subtitles and furigana. Each sentence has dictation and shadowing practice. AI pronunciation scoring is in the Plus plan; the Free plan lets you try a limited number of videos. There is also a dedicated Japanese shadowing page with adjustable speed.
A 2-week N5 listening plan
This plan needs about 20 minutes a day. It uses the ten lessons in week 1, then adds real practice tests and real videos in week 2. If you are still learning kana, start with the JLPT N5 3-month plan first.
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lessons 1–2: answer, check, dictation of lesson 1 |
| 2 | Lessons 3–4: answer, check, dictation of lesson 3 |
| 3 | Lessons 5–6: answer, check, dictation of lesson 5 |
| 4 | Lesson 7: answer, check, dictation; shadow lessons 1–2 |
| 5 | Lessons 8–10: answer, check; shadow every option sentence |
| 6 | Redo all ten lessons, one listen each, no transcript. Count your score. |
| 7 | Rest, or watch one short Japanese video you enjoy |
| 8 | Dictation of lessons 2, 4 and 6 |
| 9 | Shadowing role-play: lessons 3, 5 and 7 |
| 10 | One N5 listening practice test on Corodomo JLPT practice |
| 11 | Review the mistakes from day 10; replay those questions |
| 12 | One short real video: dictation of five sentences |
| 13 | Shadow the same video sentence by sentence |
| 14 | Play all ten clips in a row without pausing. Note any line you still cannot follow. |
Keep a small mistake log. Write the date, the lesson and the mistake type from the table above. After two weeks, you will see which sounds you still miss. That is what you practise next.
For the bigger picture of what comes after N5, see the JLPT N5 to N1 roadmap.
Related reading: Free Japanese Listening Practice: 20 Exercises with Audio
FAQ
How long is the JLPT N5 listening section?
About 30 minutes, according to the official JLPT test sections page. The time can differ slightly depending on the length of the recordings. Listening is scored from 0 to 60, and you need at least 19 points in it, plus an overall score of 80 out of 180, to pass N5.
How many times is the audio played in the real test?
Only once. That is why this post asks you to listen once on your first try. Replay as much as you like later, when you do dictation and shadowing.
Should I use romaji for listening practice?
Use romaji only to check sounds, for example long vowels like ō and ū. Write your dictation in kana. When you read romaji, it is easy to skip long vowels and small っ, and the real test uses Japanese script only.
How can I practise N5 listening every day?
Do one or two short clips a day with the four-step routine: answer, check, dictation, shadowing. Fifteen focused minutes every day usually works better than two hours once a week. When these clips feel easy, move to N5 practice tests and short real videos.
Are these the same as real JLPT questions?
No. They are original practice dialogues written in the style of N5 question types, with synthetic voices. For the official format, see the sample questions on the JLPT website. For full practice tests with automatic scoring, use JLPT practice on Corodomo.
Conclusion
- Know the four types. Task-based, key points, verbal expressions and quick response each need a different way of listening.
- Listen once, then reuse. Answer first, then turn every clip into dictation and shadowing practice.
- Track your mistakes. Long vowels, small っ, particles and tense endings are where most points are lost.
Practice with Corodomo: Learn Japanese · Learn with videos · JLPT practice