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School: from 小学校 to 大学

小学校shōgakkōprimary · ages 6 to 12 · 6 years中学校chūgakkōjunior high · ages 12 to 15 · 3 years高校kōkōhigh school · ages 15 to 18 · 3 years大学daigakuuniversity · ages 18 to 22 · 4 yearsThe Japanese school ladder. The first nine years are compulsory; almost everyone goes on to high school.The school year starts in April, with cherry blossom, and ends in March.
Students are called 生徒 seito at school and 学生 gakusei at university; 学生 is also the general word for “student”.

Short answer: Japanese schooling runs 6 years of 小学校 (primary), 3 of 中学校 (junior high), 3 of 高校 (high school) and usually 4 of 大学 (university). The year starts in April. For a learner, the most useful school words are the classroom phrases: 分かりません (I don’t understand), もう一度お願いします (once more, please) and 質問があります (I have a question).

School subjects

国語 (“national language”) is Japanese as a school subject.

Classroom phrases for learners

Useful in any Japanese class, and in any conversation where you get lost.

School life

Clubs, uniforms and exams shape Japanese school life.

Clubs
Uniform
Exams
Homework

University life

Words for university courses and campus life.

Stationery

Japanese stationery is famous, and the words are useful in any class.

Exams and results

Talking about tests and how they went.

試験しけんshikenexamにni(goal)合格しましたごうかくしましたgōkaku shimashitapassed
Shiken ni gōkaku shimashita.“I passed the exam.”Why: 〜に合格する.
数学すうがくsūgakumathsのno’s点数てんすうtensūscoreがga(subject)悪かったわるかったwarukattawas bad
Sūgaku no tensū ga warukatta.“My maths score was bad.”Why:
来週らいしゅうraishūnext weekのno’sテストtesutotestのnoforためにtame niin order to勉強していますべんきょうしていますbenkyō shite imasuam studying
Raishū no tesuto no tame ni benkyō shite imasu.“I’m studying for next week’s test.”Why: のために: for the sake of.

Check yourself

Say each one in Japanese, then open the answer to check and hear it.

  1. I have a question.
    Show answer
    Shitsumon ga arimasu.
  2. Once more, please.
    Show answer
    Mō ichido onegai shimasu.
  3. What does this mean?
    Show answer
    Kore wa dō iu imi desu ka.
  4. I study economics at university.
    Show answer
    Daigaku de keizai o benkyō shite imasu.
  5. I passed the exam.
    Show answer
    Shiken ni gōkaku shimashita.
  6. homework
    Show answer
    shukudai

Talking about studies

Use 勉強しています for what you are studying and 年生 for your year.

大学だいがくdaigakuuniversityでdeat経済けいざいkeizaieconomicsをo(object)勉強していますべんきょうしていますbenkyō shite imasuam studying
Daigaku de keizai o benkyō shite imasu.“I study economics at university.”Why: ている for what you are studying now.
高校こうこうkōkōhigh school二年生にねんせいninenseisecond-year studentですdesuam
Kōkō ninensei desu.“I’m in my second year of high school.”Why: 〜年生: year of study, restarting at each stage.
テニス部テニスぶtenisu-butennis clubにniin入っていますはいっていますhaitte imasuam a member
Tenisu-bu ni haitte imasu.“I’m in the tennis club.”Why: 入る (enter) + ている: “have joined and am in”.

Related guides

Next guideQuestionsAsking what something means.Next guideThe ている form勉強しています and 入っています.Next guideKanji basicsThe kanji Japanese schools teach first.Next guideHobbies and free timeClubs and after-school life.