The CEFR describes six levels of language ability, A1 to C2, and the Japan Foundation's JF Standard applies the same six to Japanese. The JLPT uses its own five, N5 to N1. Since December 2025 it prints a CEFR level on passing score reports, for reference only: an N5 pass shows A1, while N3 can show A2 or B1.
- CEFR levels
- Six, A1 to C2
- JF Standard (Japan Foundation)
- The same six levels, with Can-do statements
- JLPT levels
- Five, N5 (easiest) to N1
- JLPT CEFR reference
- From the December 2025 test; A1 to C1, passing candidates only
- What the JLPT tests
- Vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening; no speaking or writing
- Contos Japanese stories
- A1 to B2
What can you do at each level in Japanese?
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the Council of Europe's scale for any language. The Japan Foundation's JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education uses the same six levels and writes its goals as Can-do statements ("I can…"). It puts the weight on what you can actually do in Japanese rather than how much vocabulary or grammar you know. Here are the four levels Contos covers, with what they look like in its Japanese stories.
| Level | CEFR description (summarised) | In Contos Japanese stories | Contos moves you up at |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Familiar everyday expressions; introducing yourself; simple exchanges if the other person speaks slowly and helps | Short sentences, mostly in the polite -masu form; about a quarter of the characters are kanji | Start here |
| A2 | Sentences about immediate needs: family, shopping, local area, work; simple routine exchanges | Plain forms start to narrate; relative clauses; about 31% kanji | 500 known words |
| B1 | Main points of clear input on familiar matters; coping while travelling; describing experiences and plans | Narrated in the plain past; longer, linked sentences; about 32% kanji | 1,500 known words |
| B2 | Main ideas of complex text; regular interaction with native speakers without strain; clear, detailed writing | Longer chapters, chains of verbs, descriptive writing; about 34% kanji | 4,000 known words |
Above B2 come C1, using the language flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes, and C2, understanding virtually everything with ease. For the framework itself, see CEFR levels explained.
How does the JLPT relate to the CEFR?
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) has five levels, from N5, which the JLPT describes as reading typical expressions and sentences in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, to N1, logically complex and abstract writing. It was not built on the CEFR, and for years there was no official link between the two.
That changed with the December 2025 test. After a standard-setting exercise held at the Japan Foundation in October 2024, in which experts judged the CEFR level of JLPT reading and listening questions, the JLPT now prints a CEFR level on the score reports of candidates who pass. It depends on the total score, not just the level:
| JLPT level | Pass mark (out of 180) | CEFR level shown on the score report |
|---|---|---|
| N5 | 80 | A1 (80 or more) |
| N4 | 90 | A2 (90 or more) |
| N3 | 95 | A2 (95–103), B1 (104 or more) |
| N2 | 90 | B1 (90–111), B2 (112 or more) |
| N1 | 100 | B2 (100–141), C1 (142 or more) |
So there is no one-to-one match. The JLPT is careful about what the label means:
- It is for reference only. The CEFR level plays no part in whether you pass.
- It stops at C1. The JLPT says its linking found nothing corresponding to C2, and it doesn't show Pre-A1 or plus levels such as B1+.
- It covers reception only. Vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening map to the CEFR's linguistic and reception skills. Speaking, writing and interaction aren't tested.
- Two levels straddle a boundary. A bare N3 pass shows A2; a strong one, B1. N2 and N1 split the same way. "N3 = B1" is only true for some candidates.
Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has also published a CEFR-based reference framework for Japanese-language education, which the JLPT cites as one reason for adding the reference level.
What does each level look like on the page?
The Contos flagship series, The Secrets of Sakura House, is written separately at each level: the same old share house, the same new tenant, Yui, and the same locked trunk. Here is that trunk at each level.
ユイ は 大きい トランク を 持っています。Yui wa ōkii toranku o motte imasu.
彼女 は 鍵 の かかった 大きな トランク を ひとつ だけ 持っている。Kanojo wa kagi no kakatta ōkina toranku o hitotsu dake motte iru.
茶色い 古い トランク で、 鍵 が かかって いた。Chairoi furui toranku de, kagi ga kakatte ita.
ユイ は 大きな トランク を ひきずって 入って きた。Yui wa ōkina toranku o hikizutte haitte kita.
Notice what changes. A1 is one polite present-tense sentence. A2 drops to the plain form (持っている) and puts a whole clause in front of the noun: 鍵 の かかった トランク, a trunk that a lock is on. B1 moves into the plain past and joins two facts with で. B2 chains verbs to show manner and direction: dragging, entering, coming in.
Across the free chapters, the average chapter grows from 303 characters at A1 to 438 at A2, 534 at B1 and 660 at B2. Polite narration fades just as clearly: 22 of the 24 free A1 chapters are told mainly in the -masu form, 8 at A2, none at B1 or B2.
How do you find your Japanese level?
The formal answer is an exam: the JLPT, with its new CEFR reference, or a test built on the JF Standard. For reading, a practical check works too. Read a chapter written for a level and notice how often you stop.
- Hardly ever, and you enjoy it: a good level for building speed.
- A few times a paragraph, but you follow the story: the right level for learning new words.
- You lose the thread: go down a level. If the kana themselves slow you down, practise them before any story.
Contos doesn't test you: you choose a level when you start, and it moves you up as your known words grow. How many Japanese words and kanji you need shows what each step involves, and is Japanese hard? explains why the polite and plain forms matter so much.
Read chapter 1 of The Secrets of Sakura House at A1. If it feels easy, try the same chapter at A2.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
Is JLPT N5 the same as CEFR A1?
A pass at N5 is shown as A1 on score reports from December 2025, but only for reference, and only for the skills the JLPT tests: vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening. It says nothing about speaking or writing.
What CEFR level is JLPT N3?
It depends on the score. The JLPT shows A2 for a total of 95–103 out of 180 and B1 for 104 or more. So an N3 certificate alone doesn't tell you whether someone reads at A2 or B1.
Is JLPT N1 the same as C2?
No. The JLPT's reference stops at C1: an N1 total of 142 or more shows C1, and 100–141 shows B2. The JLPT says its linking study found no level corresponding to C2.
Do Contos levels match the JLPT?
Contos labels its stories on the CEFR scale, A1 to B2, and doesn't map them to JLPT levels. Use the JLPT's own reference table if you need to compare a certificate with a CEFR level.
Which Japanese level should I start at?
A1, if you can read hiragana and katakana but know few words. If you have finished a beginner course and can read polite sentences comfortably, try an A2 chapter of a story you already know.