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Japanese reading practice: free graded material and JLPT reading questions
Reading practice for the JLPT (日本語能力試験, Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) means two things: reading you do to build skill, and practice on the kind of questions the Reading section asks. This page lists real, free material for both and says what each source claims about its level.
On this page
What the JLPT Reading section asks, by level
Reading is tested at every level. The official descriptions move from typical everyday sentences at N5 to complex, abstract writing at N1.
| Level | What the reading covers | Section it sits in and its time |
|---|---|---|
| N5 | Typical expressions and sentences in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji. | Grammar and reading, 40 minutes. |
| N4 | Familiar daily topics in basic vocabulary and kanji. | Grammar and reading, 55 minutes. |
| N3 | Everyday written material with specific content, and summary information such as newspaper headlines. | Grammar and reading, 70 minutes. |
| N2 | Clearly written articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines. | Vocabulary, grammar and reading together, 105 minutes. |
| N1 | Complex and abstract writing such as newspaper editorials and critiques. | Vocabulary, grammar and reading together, 110 minutes. |
No level times reading on its own. N1, N2 and N3 have three scoring sections (Language Knowledge, Reading, Listening) of 0-60 each, total 0-180. N4 and N5 have two scoring sections: Language Knowledge and Reading combined (0-120) and Listening (0-60). Section times may change and listening length varies slightly with the recordings. The full pass marks are on JLPT results and scoring.
Sources: jlpt.jp: summary of each level, jlpt.jp: test sections and times, jlpt.jp: scoring and pass marks
Free JLPT reading practice for N5, N4, N3, N2 and N1
The Official Practice Workbooks on jlpt.jp have reading questions for every level, chosen from tests since the 2010 revision. Each link opens a PDF.
| Level | Reading, Vol. 2 (2018) | Reading, 2012 workbook | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | N1 reading questions | N1 reading questions | Vol. 2 2012 |
| N2 | N2 reading questions | N2 reading questions | Vol. 2 2012 |
| N3 | N3 reading questions | N3 reading questions | Vol. 2 2012 |
| N4 | N4 reading questions | N4 reading questions | Vol. 2 2012 |
| N5 | N5 reading questions | N5 reading questions | Vol. 2 2012 |
The same page has the vocabulary and grammar PDFs, the listening files and the answer sheets; see JLPT practice tests. The workbook page says some N1 and N2 grammar and reading questions and all of the listening audio contain works by third-party authors, and reprinting or reproducing them without permission is prohibited. Read the copyright note on the official workbook page before you copy or share any questions.
How to practice the JLPT Reading section
These steps are our suggestion, not an official method.
- Use the real section timeReading is not timed alone, so time it with what it sits with: grammar and reading together at N3, N4 and N5, and vocabulary, grammar and reading together at N1 and N2.
- Answer first, look up words afterDo the questions in one sitting without a dictionary, then check the answers PDF for your level.
- Read the passage again with a dictionaryNote the words and grammar that made you guess. Those are your study list, because the organizers publish no list of their own.
- Keep graded reading for the days betweenUse the sources further down this page for reading at a comfortable level. Use the official questions to check where you stand.
Sources: jlpt.jp: test sections and times, jlpt.jp: FAQ
Books made for the JLPT reading section
Publishers sell reading books by JLPT level. The level on each is the publisher's claim, and we have not used these books. Prices are for the paper edition, in yen, tax included.
| Level | Book | Publisher | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | Nihongo So-matome N5: kanji, words, grammar, reading and listening in one book | ASK Publishing | 1,760 |
| N4 | Shin Kanzen Master N4 Reading Comprehension | 3A Corporation | 1,320 |
| N4 | Nihongo So-matome N4: grammar, reading, listening | ASK Publishing | 1,760 |
| N3 | Shin Kanzen Master N3 Reading Comprehension | 3A Corporation | 1,540 |
| N3 | Nihongo So-matome N3 Reading | ASK Publishing | 1,430 |
| N2 | Shin Kanzen Master N2 Reading Comprehension | 3A Corporation | 1,540 |
| N2 | Nihongo So-matome N2 Reading | ASK Publishing | 1,430 |
| N1 | Shin Kanzen Master N1 Reading Comprehension | 3A Corporation | 1,540 |
| N1 | Nihongo So-matome N1 Reading | ASK Publishing | 1,430 |
3A says its N2 reading book matches N2 test takers and also works for general intermediate and advanced reading. So-matome N1 to N3 reading books come in English, Chinese and Korean editions, with JLPT-style questions. 3A's N3 grammar book page says that, unlike the N1 and N2 books, it comes with a translation in English and Chinese, so check the language of the Shin Kanzen Master N1 and N2 reading books before you buy. More on books by level: JLPT study guide.
Sources: ASK Publishing: So-matome N5, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N4 Reading, ASK Publishing: So-matome N4, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N3 Reading, ASK Publishing: So-matome N3 Reading, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N2 Reading, ASK Publishing: So-matome N2 Reading, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N1 Reading, ASK Publishing: So-matome N1 Reading, ASK Publishing: So-matome N2 Kanji, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N3 Grammar
Free graded Japanese reading practice
These sources are not official JLPT material. The last column is what each says about its own level. We read their pages on October 5, 2026 and have not worked through the content.
| Source | Cost | What it says about its level |
|---|---|---|
| Tadoku (graded readers) | Free to read online, download as a PDF, print or watch on YouTube. Paid readers are sold in packs. | Seven levels, Start and 0 to 5. Some are labeled with JLPT levels. See the Tadoku table below. |
| Satori Reader (graded stories) | Free tier with selected episodes that never expires. Pro is 9 US dollars a month or 89 a year. | Designed for intermediate learners, with grammar explanations, word definitions and a choice of kanji, kana or furigana. Its home page names no JLPT level. |
| Bunpro (grammar app with reading passages) | Free tier with limited access that includes reading passages. Premium is 5 US dollars a month or 50 a year. | Lists 120+ graded reading passages. Its pricing page gives no level for them. |
| NHK News Web Easy (news) | See the note below the table. | News written in simple Japanese for foreign residents and children. It gives no level. |
| Marugoto (Japan Foundation coursebooks) | The Japan Foundation's 2020 offer of free online viewing has ended. | Starter A1, Elementary 1 and 2 A2, Pre-Intermediate A2/B1, Intermediate 1 and 2 B1, on the Japan Foundation's own scale. The Starter companion book Rikai sets a goal of reading 65 words written in kanji. |
| IRODORI (Japan Foundation coursebooks) | Free coursebook PDFs and audio. | Starter A1, Elementary 1 and 2 A2, Pre-Intermediate A2/B1. |
A1, A2 and B1 are CEFR levels, a European scale. The Japan Foundation does not map these courses to JLPT levels in the pages we read.
Sources: Tadoku: free books, Tadoku: graded readers, Satori Reader: pricing, Satori Reader: official site, Bunpro: pricing, NHK News Web Easy, Japan Foundation: Marugoto site, Japan Foundation: Marugoto course details, Japan Foundation: IRODORI notice, Japan Foundation: IRODORI levels
The site opens on a terms screen first. NHK News Web Easy opens on a terms screen: to view the site you confirm the terms and tick a checkbox. The NHK News Web Easy terms screen says NHK ONE is open to anyone, households with a reception contract need no extra contract, and households without one need a contract under the Broadcast Act. We did not accept the terms, so we cannot tell you what reading it costs you. Open it and read the terms yourself: NHK News Web Easy.
Tadoku levels and the JLPT levels it names
Tadoku sorts free graded readers into seven levels. Its levels page puts JLPT labels on five of them.
| Tadoku level | What its page says | Words per book | Sample vocabulary range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Designed for absolute beginners, with no grammar worries. | 0 to 200 | 200 |
| 0 | A starter level printed left to right, where the pictures carry the story. | 200 to 400 | 350 |
| 1 | Labeled Level 5 of the JLPT, with the same vocabulary and grammar as Level 0 but longer stories. | 400 to 1,500 | 350 |
| 2 | Labeled Level 4 of the JLPT. | 1,500 to 3,000 | 500 |
| 3 | Labeled Level 3 of the JLPT. | 2,500 to 6,000 | 800 |
| 4 | Labeled Levels 3 and 2 of the JLPT. | 5,000 to 15,000 | 1,300 |
| 5 | Labeled Levels 2 and 1 of the JLPT, with more abstract vocabulary and idioms. | 8,000 to 25,000 | 2,000 |
The word counts and vocabulary ranges are Tadoku's figures for its seven levels, Start to 5. Treat the JLPT labels as rough. Tadoku builds its vocabulary levels on a 2002 word list from before the current test, and the organizers published no lists after that.
Sources: Tadoku: levels, jlpt.jp: FAQ
How to tell whether a text is at your level
No official list of words by JLPT level exists, so a level label on a book or website is that publisher's claim.
- JLPT publishes no official vocabulary, kanji or grammar list, so word and kanji counts you see online are estimates.
- JLPT tags on Jisho come from a third-party list, not from the test organizers.
- Try the official reading questions for your level and for the one above it. If you cannot follow a passage after you look up the words, graded material at that level is too hard for now. This is our suggestion, not a measured rule.
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ, Jisho: about
More JLPT preparation
Practice tests
Past papers are not published. What is free instead: official workbooks, sample questions and mock tests.
Study guide
Hours by source, textbooks by level, app prices and lessons, each with its source named.
Results and pass marks
When results arrive, how to check them, the pass mark at each level, certificates and what to do if you fail.
Test day
What to bring, the timetable for each level and the rules that can end your test.
A teacher to read hard passages with you
Free texts are plentiful; a person who can explain the grammar is not.
italki
- One-to-one lessons by video with a teacher you choose
- Up to 3 trial lessons, one per teacher
- Pay per lesson, no subscription needed
- Fits you if you cannot parse a passage alone and want a teacher to go through it with you.
- Not for you if you already read comfortably and only need more texts: the free sources above are enough.
Find a Japanese teacher for the JLPT on italki
Opens italki's site (Japanese; English version too)
JLPT questions
What is the best free Japanese reading practice?
For the JLPT, the official reading questions on jlpt.jp, because they come with answers and cover every level. For graded stories, Tadoku's free readers and the free tier of Satori Reader. We have not tested them.
Where can I find JLPT N3 reading practice?
The N3 reading PDFs are in the official reading table on this page, with answers. N3 reading covers everyday written material with specific content. Paid N3 reading books are in the books table.
Is there free N5 reading practice?
Yes. The official N5 reading questions are free to download. Tadoku's Level 1 is labeled Level 5 of the JLPT on its page. N5 reading is typical expressions and sentences in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji.
Where can I practice N2 and N1 reading?
The official N2 and N1 reading PDFs are free. N2 reading is articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines, and N1 is complex, abstract writing such as editorials and critiques.
Is NHK News Web Easy free?
We could not confirm it. When we opened it on October 5, 2026 it showed a terms screen about NHK contracts, and we did not accept it. Read the terms yourself first.
Are Tadoku levels the same as JLPT levels?
No. Tadoku has its own seven levels and puts rough JLPT labels on five of them. It bases its vocabulary levels on a 2002 word list.
Is there an official JLPT vocabulary list?
No. The test organizers say they chose not to publish the word, kanji and grammar lists after 2010. Word and kanji counts you see online are estimates.
How long is the JLPT Reading section?
No level times reading alone. It shares a section with grammar at N3, N4 and N5 and with vocabulary and grammar at N1 and N2. See the table at the top of this page for the minutes.
How we checked
Every fact on this page links to the page it was read from, and our data keeps the quote. We read jlpt.jp (the official JLPT site), the publishers' book pages, Tadoku, Satori Reader, Bunpro and the Japan Foundation pages on October 5, 2026, and opened NHK News Web Easy without accepting its terms. We have not used any of the books or sites listed here. We do not run the JLPT and are not affiliated with it.
The italki button on this page is an A8.net affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up through it. It does not change what we write. Read our editorial policy.