JLPT N5 places and transport vocabulary covers 66 essential words about buildings, directions, and getting around. These words appear constantly in N5 listening scenarios — asking for directions, talking about commuting, and describing locations. This guide organizes them into four practical categories.

This article is part of our JLPT N5 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 66 words with the N5 Places & Transport deck in Onigiri Anki.

Buildings & Services (12)

These location words appear in N5 listening questions like "where does the person go?" and "where does she work?"

house家ie

これは私の家です。 — This is my house.

school学校gakkou

バスで学校に行きます。 — I go to school by bus.

station駅eki

駅はあそこです。 — The station is over there.

hospital病院byouin

母は病院で働いています。 — My mother works at a hospital.

store店mise

店は午後9時まで開いています。 — The store is open until 9 PM.

bank銀行ginkou

銀行へ行きます。 — I go to the bank.

post office郵便局yuubinkyoku

郵便局で手紙を出します。 — I send a letter at the post office.

library図書館toshokan

図書館で勉強します。 — I study at the library.

restaurantレストランresutoran

レストランで夕ごはんを食べました。 — I ate dinner at the restaurant.

hotelホテルhoteru

ホテルに泊まりました。 — I stayed at a hotel.

park公園kouen

日曜日に公園へ行きます。 — I go to the park on Sunday.

department storeデパートdepaato

デパートでシャツを買いました。 — I bought a shirt at the department store.

At Home & Around Town (8)

Indoor locations and facilities commonly described in N5 reading passages.

room部屋heya

部屋はきれいです。 — My room is clean.

kitchen台所daidokoro

台所でお皿をあらいます。 — I wash dishes in the kitchen.

bathお風呂ofuro

夜にお風呂に入ります。 — I take a bath at night.

toiletトイレtoire

トイレはあそこです。 — The toilet is over there.

entrance (house)玄関genkan

玄関をあけます。 — I open the entrance.

garden / yard庭niwa

庭に花があります。 — There are flowers in the yard.

coffee shop喫茶店kissaten

喫茶店でお茶を飲みます。 — I drink tea at the coffee shop.

university大学daigaku

大学で勉強します。 — I study at university.

Directions & Positions (10)

Position words are critical for N5 grammar: に (location marker), の前に (in front of), の中に (inside).

front / before前mae

駅の前に銀行があります。 — There is a bank in front of the station.

behind後ろushiro

弟はわたしの後ろです。 — My brother is behind me.

up / above上ue

ほんはつくえの上です。 — The book is on the table.

down / below下shita

くつはイスの下です。 — The shoes are under the chair.

inside中naka

いぬはへやの中にいます。 — The dog is in the room.

outside外soto

はなは外にあります。 — There are flowers outside.

right右migi

えきは右です。 — The station is to the right.

left左hidari

えきは左です。 — The station is on the left.

next to隣tonari

隣のへやは静かです。 — The room next door is quiet.

nearby近くchikaku

駅は近くです。 — The station is nearby.

Transport & Getting Around (10)

Transport vocabulary is tested in N5 listening — "how does the person get there?" is a classic question type.

train電車densha

電車で会社に行きます。 — I go to the office by train.

car車kuruma

新しい車がほしいです。 — I want a new car.

busバスbasu

学校へバスで行きます。 — I take the bus to school.

taxiタクシーtakushii

タクシーでうちへ帰ります。 — I go home by taxi.

bicycle自転車jitensha

自転車で学校へ行きます。 — I go to school by bicycle.

subway地下鉄chikatetsu

地下鉄でしごとへ行きます。 — I take the subway to work.

airplane飛行機hikouki

ひこうきで行きます。 — I will go by airplane.

ticket切符kippu

切符を買いました。 — I bought a ticket.

road / street道michi

この道は長いです。 — This road is long.

intersection交差点kousaten

駅は交差点の近くにあります。 — The station is near the intersection.

Key Grammar: Location Patterns

で (at/by) vs に (to/in). 学校で勉強します (study at school) vs 学校に行きます (go to school). Using the wrong particle is a common N5 error.
〜の前/後ろ/上/下/中/外. Position nouns always attach with の: 駅の前 (in front of the station), 机の上 (on top of the desk).
〜で行きます vs 〜に乗ります. 電車で行きます (go by train) vs 電車に乗ります (ride the train) — both patterns appear on the N5.
方向 (direction) words. 右に曲がります (turn right), まっすぐ行きます (go straight) — direction-giving is a N5 listening staple.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are direction words (前, 後ろ, 上, 下) tested on N5?

Yes, these are core N5 vocabulary. They appear in grammar questions (の上に), listening (where is the bag?), and reading passages describing locations.

What transport vocabulary is most important for N5?

電車 (train), バス (bus), 自転車 (bicycle), and 車 (car) appear most frequently. The particle で (電車で行く) is equally important to remember.

Practice All 66 N5 Places & Transport Words

Import the N5 Places & Transport deck into Onigiri Anki and master all 66 words with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N5 Places & Transport Vocabulary: 66 Essential Words (2026)