How Long to Reach JLPT N4?

~589hours

of immersion to reach N4

Based on your settings below. Adjust the calculator to customize.

N5
Yearly Journey91% Complete

By Dec 31, 2026, you'll have immersed for 536 hrs at this pace.

Language & Levels

N5

N5 (Basic)

N4

N4 (Elementary)

Study Parameters

How closely related is this to languages you already know?

1.5 hrs
0.5 hr8 hrs

Method & Goals

Reading-While-Listening boosts input efficiency (1.4x speed).

Active Fluency requires +25% time for output/speaking drills.

Expert NoteKanji acquisition is a marathon. Grammar is distinct (SOV) and highly agglutinative.
YouTube: 177 hoursTV Shows: 147 hoursPodcasts: 88 hoursFilms: 88 hoursReading/Books: 88 hours589HOURS
Est. CompletionFebruary 2027

Media Breakdown

~1,062 videos
~368 episodes
~118 episodes
~53 movies
~18 books
Efficiency Savings
-236 hrs

* Average Lengths: YT (10m) • TV (24m) • Podcast (45m) • Film (100m) • Book (300m)

How Long to Reach JLPT N4?

Completing the "Basic" phase. Equivalent to finishing the Genki textbook series.

💡 Key Insight: N4 takes another ~300-500 hours after N5. Total time from zero: ~600-900 hours.

Key Numbers

Genki I & II
Textbook Milestone

N4 roughly corresponds to finishing the first two intro textbooks.

Source: Standard Curriculum
1,500
Vocabulary Count

Enough for simple daily conversations.

Source: JLPT Requirements
~300
Kanji Count

Expands into verbs and adjectives.

Source: JLPT Requirements

The End of the "Textbook" Phase

N4 represents the completion of basic Japanese grammar. If you finish Genki I and II (or Minna no Nihongo I and II), you are roughly N4 level.

At this stage, you know enough to start reading "real" content like Yotsuba&! manga or watching clear slice-of-life anime like Shirokuma Cafe.

Strategy: Start transitioning from 100% textbook study to 70% study / 30% easy immersion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is N4 useful for work?

Generally no. N4 is a stepping stone. Most jobs require N2 or N1.

How long if I study 1 hour a day?

From zero to N4 at 1 hour/day takes about 2 years. Consistency is key.

The Science Behind the Math

This calculator isn't a random guess. It's built on 70+ years of linguistic research from the U.S. FSI, academic studies on vocabulary acquisition, and modern immersion efficiency data. Read the full deep dive.

Base Hours: FSI Standard

We use the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) difficulty rankings as our baseline. The FSI has trained US diplomats for decades, gathering precise data on class hours required for proficiency.

  • Category I (e.g. Spanish): ~600-750 hours
  • Category V (e.g. Japanese): ~2200 hours
Note: FSI figures assume "classroom hours" + equal self-study. We adjust this base to reflect total immersion time required for an independent learner.

Efficiency: Reading-While-Listening

Dr. Paul Nation's research (Victoria University of Wellington) on the "Four Strands" of language learning highlights the power of bi-modal input.

Combining audio with matching text (RWL) creates a 1.4x efficiency boost in vocabulary retention compared to listening alone. It bridges the gap between the high retention of reading and the natural flow of listening.

Why the "Active Fluency" Penalty?

The "Silent Period" Reality

Linguistic research consistently shows that receptive fluency (understanding) always precedes active fluency (speaking). Children understand language months before they speak.

Our Calculation (+25%)

Bridging the gap from "Input Only" to "Active Fluency" requires output drills (speaking/writing). We add a conservative 25% time surcharge to account for this necessary activation energy.

Key Research Sources: