NZC – Japanese – Novice

Receptive skills

Listening

• recognise and understand simple classroom language
• recognise everyday familiar words and very basic phrases.

• understand and respond to simple classroom instructions
• begin to understand longer or less familiar phrases in everyday contexts
• recognise and understand key words in longer or less familiar sentences.

Reading

• begin to read basic characters
• recognise and understand simple, familiar written words, phrases, and sentences.

• identify basic written language conventions such as simple punctuation
• understand short written texts consisting of familiar words, phrases, and sentences and some high-frequency characters
• begin to understand longer or less familiar phrases in everyday contexts 
• recognise and understand key words in longer or less familiar sentences.

Productive skills

Speaking

• imitate the pronunciation, intonation, stress, and rhythm of words, phrases, and sentences
• respond appropriately to simple, familiar instructions and simple questions.

• begin to use pronunciation, intonation, stress, and rhythm for emphasis and to clarify meaning
• produce simple phrases and simple sentences relating to familiar contexts.

Writing

• write simple, familiar words, phrases, and sentences to convey meaning
• use language tools ethically and responsibly (e.g. artificial intelligence (AI), dictionaries, glossaries) to experiment with some new language and writing and to check spelling.

• write simple phrases and short sentences with support
• write characters in slightly more complex structures with support
• write high-frequency characters with support.

Interacting

• exchange information in highly practised contexts related to themselves and their immediate environment
• use formulaic language and simple phrases to exchange information about themselves, their families, and their immediate surroundings
• use strategies when communicating, such as relying on a practised format, using facial expressions and gestures, asking others to repeat themselves, and utilising supporting visuals and prompts
• begin to interact/communicate in Japanese in a culturally appropriate way.

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

Language

examples

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach

Language

examples

Linguistic knowledge

• Japanese has five vowel sounds, which are also attached to consonants (except ん) to make up the 46 characters of the basic alphabet (s).
• It is based on a fixed set of sounds which correspond to certain characters that are organised in groups based on the five vowel sounds (あ,い,う,え,お).
• It has unique pronunciation (s), pitch, intonation, and rhythm.
• Japanese is almost entirely phonetic — the characters are pronounced as they appear in the alphabet, with only very few fine subtleties that do not impact communication.
• Japanese has three writing systems:
  • kanji (script) originated in China
  • hiragana was created by simplifying the form of kanji
  • katakana was formed using a part of kanji.
• ‘Kana’ refers to hiragana and katakana.
• Modern Japanese uses all three scripts.
• Each individual kanji represents a distinct meaning and can also correspond to one or more variable sounds (e.g. 日 is にち when by itself, but ひ or び when part of a word).
• Some hiragana can change their sound when we add small marks such as てんてん (゛) and まる (゜).
• Double consonants are written with a quarter-sized っ .
• Japanese has long vowel sounds.
• Contracted sound can be created by placing a quarter-sized ゃ ゅor ょ after certain consonants.
• Stroke order is important for all scripts, as it ensures correct balance and form in writing characters.
• Furigana is used to clarify readings.
• Japanese characters can be input using romaji on a western keyboard.
• Use of kana charts as a tool is a good way to support learning.

• Communicating using simple sentences appropriately when listening and speaking
• Imitating the pronunciation and rhythmic flow of Japanese words, phrases, and sentences
• Reading and writing familiar words with the support of the hiragana, katakana, and kanji charts
• Using furigana to clarify the reading of a given text when unsure

Hiragana and kanji

あいうえお

かきくけこ

さしすせそ

たちつてと

なにぬねの

はひふへほ

まみむめも

や ゆ よ

らりるれろ

わ を

ん

日本

• The sounds of hiragana and katakana are identical even though the associated scripts are different (e.g. あいうえお and アイウエオ are all pronounced the same).
• Katakana is used for loan words, such as names, countries (e.g. ニュージーランド, New Zealand).
• Katakana words either come from English, such as アイスクリーム (ice cream), come from other languages, such as アルバイト or バイト (the word arbeit (work) comes from German), or were created in Japan, such as シャーペン (short for ‘sharp pencil).
• On-yomi (Chinese pronunciation) and kun-yomi (Japanese pronunciation) of kanji are used in different contexts. For example, the kanji 月 is read as ガツ (gatsu, on-yomi) in compounds such as 一月 (ichi-gatsu), which means January, and as つき (tsuki, kun-yomi) when it means the moon.
• Contracted sound can be created by placing a quarter-sized ゃ ゅor ょ after certain consonants or, in katakana, by placing vowels after some consonants. For example, きand small ゆ (きゅ) makes ‘kyu’, or ‘ti’ (in katakana), and is written ティ.
• The basic punctuation marks まる (。) and てん (、)
• Japanese has conventions and rules for non-verbal, spoken, and written communication.
• The rules of katakana are in constant flux to facilitate more accurate pronunciation of foreign words. In some instances, foreign words (still written in katakana) are considered part of regular Japanese vocabulary and are not adjusted to conform to the general rules of katakana (e.g. トンネル、イギリス).

• Using the pronunciation, pitch, intonation, and rhythm of Japanese words, phrases, and sentences
• Reading and writing all hiragana, all katakana, and some basic kanji
• Writing short sentences, using basic alphabets and kanji where appropriate

Katakana and kanji

アイウエオ

カキクケコ

サシスセソ

タチツテト

ナニヌネノ

ハヒフヘホ

マミムメモ

ヤ ユ ヨ

ワ ヲ

ン

一二三四五六七八九十  

月火水木金土日 何人

Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge

• Japanese has different levels of politeness and appropriate behaviours. 
• Japanese language relates to culture and reflects different levels of respect. 

• Using greetings and farewells for a range of different contexts 

• おはようございます (good morning)  
• こんにちは  (hello/good afternoon)  
• こんばんは  (good evening)  
• さようなら (goodbye)  
• じゃ、また (see you later). 

• Terms of address and honorific forms are important societal conventions. 
• The respectful form for addressing people outside of one’s family. 

• Using greetings and farewells in formal contexts 

• ～さん (Mr/Mrs/Master/Miss) 
• せんせい、～せんせい (teacher sensei/sensei) 
• せんぱい、～せんぱい senpai (literally means senior) 
• ～くんkun — suffix for boy or young man 
• ～ちゃん chan — affectionate suffix for a baby, small child, or girl 
• たなかせんせい、しつれいします (Mr Tanaka, please excuse me).  

Linguistic knowledge

• Showing respect in Japanese culture can include: 
  • pronouncing words correctly 
  • listening attentively 
  • bowing appropriately.  
• There are different greetings and forms of reference used in formal and informal situations. 
• こんにちは can be used at any time. 

• Suffixes for names to denote titles such as Mr, Miss, and teacher. 
• ～さん is used as a general title for people of all ages. 
• ～せんせい is used for teachers, doctors, and some other professionals. 
• ～せんぱい is used for older students or more experienced colleagues in the same group. 
• ～くん is used for boys. 
• ～ちゃん is used for small children, babies, and close friends, often females.  

Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge

• There is specific language used for basic introductions. 
• Introducing yourself in Japanese is known as a じこしょうかい 
• There are cultural norms, formulaic phrases, and gestures (bowing) for introducing yourself and others. 
• The family name (surname) comes first, followed by the given name, because the group (family) is more important than the individual. 
• The use of honorifics in Japanese culture is deeply rooted in respect for age and social hierarchy. 

• Introducing themselves and others and responding to introductions appropriately 

Self-introductions 

• はじめまして (hello — for the first time) 
• わたしはジョンです (I am John) 
• どうぞよろしくおねがいします (Nice to meet you) 

Asking somebody’s name 

• おなまえは？ (What’s your name?) 
• わたしはジョンです。 (I am John) 

Asking how somebody is feeling 

• げんきですか (Are you well?) 
• はい、げんきです (Yes, I am well) 
• いいえ、つかれています (No, I’m tired). 

• A self-introduction is known as a じこしょうかい、 and is commonly announced as an activity people will do in situations where they are meeting somebody for the first time. 
• In Japan, the educational system is structured into elementary school (6 years), junior high school (3 years), high school (3 years), and university (4 years), forming a 6–3–3–4 system. 
• In Japanese schools, students clean their classrooms and schools after their lessons finish. 
• In Japanese schools, students join club activities after school. 

• Communicating more personal information about themselves and others, including adding nationality, where they live, and the country they come from to their self-introductions 

Extended self-introduction 

• わたしのなまえはジョンです (My name is John) 
• ニュージーランド人（じん）です (I am a New Zealander) 
• 十四さいです (I am 14 years old) 
• ちゅうがく二ねんせいです (I am a second-year middle school student) 
• フィティアンガにすんでいます (I live in Whitianga) 
• ラグビーやどうぶつがすきです (I like rugby, animals, and other things) 
• どうぞよろしくおねがいします (Nice to meet you) 

Introduce others 

• どなたですか (Who is this?) 
• こちらはたなかさんです (This is Mr Tanaka).  

Linguistic knowledge

• When asking about someone else’s name, use the お to be polite. This is a way of showing respect to others. 
• Honorifics are never used for oneself. 
• は is pronounced ‘wa’ when used as a particle. 
• 「です」is the simplest way to qualify something in Japanese (it loosely equates to ‘is). 
• Adding か to です or ～ますcreates a question.  

• Japanese includes formulaic expressions to give information about: 
  • nationality 
  • age and year level (using counter suffix 人) 
  • where you live and what you like are also often added. 
• There are set phrases for beginning and ending a self-introduction appropriately. 
• Country names of foreign origin are written in katakana. Japan, China, and Korea are written in Chinese characters. 

Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge

• The use of honorifics in Japanese culture is deeply rooted in respect for age and social hierarchy. 

• Communicating about their family members 

Family terms 

• おとうさんはせんせいです (My father is a teacher) 

Polite forms for family 

• おとうさん (Dad) rather than ちち (my father). 

• Japanese family life has unique features and language. 
• There are humble forms for family members, and they are used to describe one’s own family in other situations as a sign of modesty. 

• Communicating about family members in more detail. This might include their hometown or place of family origin, where they live, pets, number of people in the family, and the relationship between people. 

Asking how many people 

• かぞくはなんにんです か。 (How many people in your family?) 
• 四人（よにん）です (There are four people) 
• ちちとははとあにといもうとです (There is Dad, Mum, my older brother and younger sister) 

Age for family members  

• おかあさんはなんさいですか (How old is your mother?) 
• 四十さいです (She is 40 years old).  

Linguistic knowledge

• In Japanese, there are different ways of addressing family members depending on who you are talking to. 
• There is a distinction between terms for one’s own family and others’ families. 
• Young people use polite language for their family members.  

• Japanese uses humble terms for family members when talking about them to other people (e.g. ちち).  
• To address your own father directly or ask about another person’s father, you use polite forms such as お父さん (Otoosan). 

Cultural and sociolinguistic language

• Shichi-Go-San is an annual event in November. Children aged 3, 5, and 7 visit a shrine with their families to celebrate their growth and pray for good health.  
• There are set phrases for congratulating, praising, complimenting, and encouraging others. 

• Communicating about their age and the age of others 

Numbers 

• 1 = いち 
• 2 = に 
• 3 = さん 
• 4 = よん or し 
• 5 = ご 
• 6 = ろく 
• 7 = なな or しち 
• 8 = はち 
• 9 = きゅう or く 
• 10 = じゅう 
• 11 = じゅういち  
• 12 = じゅうに 
• 20 = にじゅう 

Counter 

• ～さい (counter for age) 
• なんさいですか (How old are you?) 
• 14（じゅうよん）さいです (I am 14 years old) 

Birthdays 

• たんじょうびはなんがつですか 
  (What month is your birthday?) 
• さんがつです (In March) 
• おたんじょうびおめでとうございます (Happy birthday). 

• In writing, the 24-hour clock is often used.  
• In conversation, people often say あさの9じ, ひるの3じ, or よるの6じ, as well as ごぜん or ごご.  

• Communicating about time 

Numbers 

• 21 = にじゅういち 
• 22 = にじゅうに 
• 99 = きゅうじゅうきゅう 

Time 

• なんじです か (What is the time?) 
• さんじはんです (3:30) 
• ごぜん・ごご～じ～ふん (am/pm hour:minute).  

Linguistic knowledge

• Japanese numbers combine when counting from 11 to 20. 
• 4, 7, and 9 each have two readings in Japanese, and which one is used depends on what is being counted. 
• Japanese uses different hand gestures to count from 1 to 10. 
• There are formulaic expressions to communicate about your birthday. 
• 20 years old in Japanese is irregular: はたち. 

• Japanese numbers 21–99. 
• There are appropriate counters/suffixes for different contexts including time words. 
• Japanese forms numbers by combining units of ten. For example, 20 is literally ‘two ten’ (にじゅう, 二十) and 30 is ‘three ten’ (さんじゅう, 三十). The number 45 is said as ‘four ten five’. When written in kanji, it is written 四十五, which literally means ‘four ten five’. 
• The format is # (hour) # (minute). 
• ごぜん (am) or ごご (pm) goes before the time. 

Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge

• There are various festivals and seasonal activities in Japan of cultural significance (e.g. Setsubun and Tanabata). 
• There are historical and spiritual origins of Japanese festivals. 

• Communicating about the days of the week and months of the year 

Days of the week 

• きょうはなんようびですか (What day is it today?) 
• きょうはげつようびです (Today is Monday) 
• 2025 ねん8がつ13にち   (13/8/2025) 

Japanese festivals through the year 

• おしょうがつ（1がつ） (New Year) 
• ひなまつり（3がつ） (Doll Festival) 
• こどものひ（5がつ） (Children’s Day) 
• たなばた（6がつ） (Star Festival) 
• おぼん（8がつ） (Festival of the Dead) 
• しちごさん（11がつ） (Seven-Five-Three Festival). 

• あいづち are short responses, such as nodding or saying そうですか and はい, used in conversation to show that you are listening. 

• Communicating about activities and desires in the here and now 

Ask and answer questions about activities 

• なに をしますか (What do you do?) 
• やきゅうをします (I play baseball) 
• あさごはんになにをたべますか (What do you eat for breakfast?) 
• シリアルをたべます。パンをたべません (I eat cereal. I don’t eat bread.) 

Replies 

• そうですか (I see / Is that so?) 
• いいですね (That is good!) 

Want to do 

• どこにいきたいですか。 (Where do you want to go?) 
• とうきょうにいきたいです。 (I want to go to Tokyo).  

Linguistic knowledge

• Months are referred to in numerical order. For example: 
  • January is 1がつ (いちがつ) 
  • February is 2 がつ (にがつ). 
• The date format in Japanese is year–month–date. 
• There are different words for the first ten days of a month, as well as the 20th. 
• Japanese use digits as well as Chinese characters to record numbers.

•  
• There are simple verbs in the polite form to describe activities. 
• The negative form of ます is ません. 
• There are various particles which communicate meaning in Japanese. 
• The meaning of そうですか changes with the intonation — a falling tone means simple understanding (I see), while a rising tone expresses surprise or a question (Is that so?). 
• Sentence-ending particle ね expresses confirmation. 
• ～たい is used to show desire to do.  
•  

Cultural and Sociolinguistic knowledge 

• There are polite ways to talk about what they like and don’t like in Japanese. 
• Indirect responses are more polite than direct responses. 

• Communicating about likes and dislikes, including colours, things, and food 

Likes and dislikes 

• なにがすきですか (What do you like?) 
• すしがだいすきです (I really like sushi) 
• すしがすきです (I like sushi) 
• すしとラーメンがすきです (I like sushi and ramen noodles) 
• すしはすきじゃないです (I don’t like sushi) 
• すしがきらいです (I dislike sushi)

• Dislikes are often expressed indirectly to show politeness and avoid offence (e.g. あまり).

• Communicating reasons, they like something using adjectives and giving the negative for what they don’t like 

• おもしろいですから、すき です (It is interesting, so I like it) 
• かんたんですから (Because it is easy) 
• あまりすきじゃないです (I don’t like it (very) much).  

Linguistic knowledge 

• In Japanese, すき is used to talk about likes, and the negative is formed with じゃない and です. 
• The particle が indicates a changeable state. 
• と can be used to list things and is equivalent to ‘and’.

• There are two types of adjectives in Japanese, referred to as ‘i’ and ‘na’ adjectives. 
• The word order for giving reasons is the opposite of English — ‘reason から result’, as opposed to ‘result because reason’ (e.g. It is interesting, so I like it (Japanese), I like it because it is interesting (English). 

Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge

• Japanese is a language with different levels of politeness and appropriate behaviours. 
• There are set ways they should greet their teacher at the beginning of class. 
• They can show respect by bowing. This is led by a student.  

• Understanding and responding to simple classroom language, politeness conventions, and formulaic expressions  

Ask for something 

• … ください (Please [can I have] …) 
• えんぴつとかみをください (Please [give me] pencil and paper) 

Ask someone to do something 

• おねがいします (Please [do/give me]) 
• もういちどおねがいします (Please repeat) 

Ask someone what the word is in either Japanese or English 

• やきゅうはえいごでなんですか (What is ‘baseball’ in English?) 
• やきゅうはえいごで baseball です  (In English, it is baseball) 

Asking permission 

• トイレにいってもいいですか (Is it okay to go to the toilet?) 

Classroom expressions 

• しずかにしてください (Please be quiet) 
• よくきいてください (Please listen well) 
• てをあげてください (Please raise your hand) 
• 本／ノートの5ページをあけてください (Open your book/exercise book at page five) 
• すごい (amazing/awesome) 
• わかりません (I don’t understand) 
• どうぞ (go ahead/here you are/please) 

Classroom routines 

• きりつ、れい、ちゃくせき (stand up, bow, sit down) 
• ジョンさん、いますか (Is John here?) 
• はい、います (Yes, I am here) 

Thanking someone 

• ありがとうございます (Thank you very much) 
• すみません (excuse me, sorry, thank you). 

• There is appropriate language and behaviour when giving and receiving classroom objects and for other interactions in the classroom. 
• There are various words for ‘please’ used when asking for something (ください), offering something (どうぞ), and requesting someone do something (おねがいします). 
• It is common to repeat what the speaker has said to show understanding 
• これ, それ, あれ mean ‘this’, ‘that (near you)’, and ‘that (over there)’ respectively. 

• Understanding and using a range of formulaic expressions to support interactions 

Asking to borrow something 

• ・えんぴつがあります か。かしてください (Do you have a pencil? Please lend it [to me].) 

Apologising for lateness 

• おそくなってすみません (Sorry for being late) 

Thanking someone 

• どうもありがとうございます (Thank you very, very much) 
• どういたしまして (You are welcome) 
• どうもすみません (Thanks [sorry] for excusing me) 

Eating language 

• いただきます (said before eating) 
• ごちそうさまでした (said after eating) 
• いらっしゃいませ (Welcome) 
• すみません、メニューをください (Excuse me, [could I have a] menu please) 
• これ、いくらですか (How much is this?) 
• それは 三十ドルです (That is $30)  

Shopping language 

• エル）サイズ、ありますか (Do you have size L?) 
• あかいの、ありますか (Do you have a red one?) 
• はい。これです。どうぞ (Yes, here it is)

Linguistic knowledge

• There are formulaic expressions, set phrases, and appropriate gestures for classroom routines. 
• There are formulaic phrases and gestures (bowing) for apologising and thanking others. 
• The particle を indicates verbs of action. 
• Verbs suffixes and conjugation indicate tense and polarity. 
• か is a sentence-ending particle used as a question marker. 
• When answering a question, interrogatives are directly replaced with the appropriate information. 
• There are set ways to ask about the translation of words. 

• When answering a question, interrogatives are directly replaced with the appropriate information. 
• There are set phrases to communicate gratitude and appreciation. 
• There are set phrases said before and after eating and for asking for food. 
• There are set phrases for shopping in Japanese.