Japanese for caregivers
and skilled workers

Caregivers and skilled workers in Japan use Japanese for: greeting and helping residents politely; assisting with meals, bathing, toileting and mobility; describing body parts, symptoms and care equipment; reporting changes to supervisors; following safety signs and rules on falls, infection and privacy; and daily life — registering at the city office, sorting rubbish, using transport and shopping. Politeness levels (keigo) matter, especially with older residents.

Japan sets clear language rules for its Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) programme. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that for SSW (i) status you must pass the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) or hold JLPT N4, and that for nursing care, applicants also need to pass the nursing care Japanese language evaluation test.¹ The programme covers 16 industrial fields since April 2024.¹ JFT-Basic measures the Japanese "needed to communicate in daily life situations in Japan" and gives results immediately;² the JLPT describes N4 as "the ability to understand basic Japanese".³ Japanese skills are valued in India too: AmbitionBox lists Japanese language experts at a typical ₹7.7–8.5 lakh.⁴

Japanese tests for SSW (i) (MOFA)

JFT-Basic / N4

Extra nursing care Japanese test for caregivers (MOFA)

+1

SSW industrial fields since April 2024 (MOFA)

16

Typical Japanese language expert pay in India (AmbitionBox)

₹7.7–8.5 lakh

Table: How Japanese is assessed for caregivers (editorial summary; check official SSW guidance)

Table: Kaigo phrases (illustrative)

Table: Safety vocabulary (editorial)

• JFT-Basic or JLPT N4 result
• Nursing care Japanese test preparation
• A list of kaigo phrases you can say naturally
• Body and symptom vocabulary
• Daily-life Japanese for city tasks
• A verified Japanese for Caregivers practice certificate

Japanese employers often use a standard resume format (rirekisho). Include your care experience, Japanese test results, training and motivation. Agencies usually help with formatting.

"Jikoshōkai o onegaishimasu." (Please introduce yourself.)

Name, country, experience and why you want to work in Japan — politely.

"Naze Nihon de hatarakitai desu ka?"

Interest in Japan, care work and growth.

"Riyōsha-san ga korondara dō shimasu ka?" (If a resident falls?)

Check safety, call a senior, don't move them if injured, report.

"Nihongo wa dono kurai dekimasu ka?"

State your test level honestly.

"Yakin wa daijōbu desu ka?" (Night shifts?)

Answer honestly about availability.

• "Kenshū wa arimasu ka?" — Is there training?
• "Nihongo kyōiku no shien wa?" — Japanese study support?
• "Ryō wa arimasu ka?" — Is housing provided?
• "Shigoto no naiyō wa?" — What are the duties?

Table: JLPT levels at work (based on JLPT level summaries; editorial interpretation)

1. Months 1–2: Kana and basics — Hiragana, katakana, greetings.
2. Months 3–4: N4 / JFT-Basic — Grammar, listening, exam practice.
3. Months 5–6: Kaigo Japanese — Care phrases and the care Japanese test.
4. Then: Check — Take the Japanese for Caregivers Test.

Related: Japanese Level Test, Japanese for IT Professionals and English for Nurses. Guides: Japanese for IT, English for nurses and German for nurses.

• Morning — greetings and getting ready.
• Meals — assisting and observing.
• Bathing — careful, respectful talk.
• Recreation — conversation and activities.
• Records — simple reports.
• Handover — to the next shift.

"Keigo wa wakarimasu ka?"

Basic polite forms, improving daily.

"Gomi no dashikata o shitte imasu ka?" (Do you know how to sort rubbish?)

Yes — by type and day, following local rules.

Table: A first-90-days plan (editorial guidance)

Learn care routines and phrases first. Then practise reporting to supervisors. By the third month, build warm relationships with residents through polite conversation.

Japanese care homes use translation devices, care-record apps and sensors. Translation tools help with unfamiliar words, but residents value warm, direct Japanese, and records must be accurate. Use tools to learn, while building your own spoken Japanese.

Study general N4 Japanese alongside care-specific vocabulary by topic: meals, bathing, toileting, mobility, health. Role-play with classmates and watch care training videos in Japanese.

Use desu/masu forms, honorific expressions like "-san", and phrases like "shitsurei shimasu" before physical care. Speak slowly and gently, at eye level.

Register at the city office, sort rubbish by local rules, learn train and bus systems, and keep important documents safe. Ask your support organisation for help.

Use licensed agencies and official information, never pay for a "guaranteed" visa, get contracts in writing in a language you understand, and check that your employer is a registered SSW accepting organisation. Ask the embassy or official support centres if anything seems wrong. Safe recruitment protects your money, your rights and your future in Japan.

"Visa first, Japanese later." Official tests come first.

"Basic Japanese is enough for care." Care vocabulary is essential.

"Politeness is optional." It's central to care culture.

Speak slowly and gently, use short sentences and give one instruction at a time. Kneel or sit at eye level and use a calm, warm tone. Repeat information patiently and use gestures and objects to support words. Avoid correcting or arguing; instead, respond to feelings and guide gently. These skills matter as much as vocabulary in Japanese care homes.

Care records note meals, fluids, toileting, mood, sleep and any changes. Use short, factual sentences and standard terms your facility uses. Record times accurately and report anything unusual to your supervisor immediately. Many facilities use apps or templates; learn them early and ask colleagues to check your first records.

Study official sample questions and textbooks for the nursing care skills evaluation and the nursing care Japanese language test. Focus on care procedures, safety, body vocabulary and polite expressions. Practise with classmates and timed mock tests. Combining language study with care practice makes both easier to remember.

Be punctual, follow rules carefully, greet colleagues every day and thank them for help. Ask questions politely when unsure. Join workplace events when invited. Showing reliability and respect builds trust and makes daily work smoother.

Use a short, clear structure: who, what changed, when and what you did. For example, a resident's temperature, a fall or a change in appetite.

Bow slightly when greeting, move calmly, kneel to eye level and always ask permission before touching a resident.

• Skipping the care Japanese test.
• Not learning kana properly.
• Ignoring polite forms.
• Trusting unofficial agents.
• Not preparing for daily life.

SSW language requirements come from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; JFT-Basic details from the Japan Foundation; JLPT level descriptions from the JLPT official site; and India pay from AmbitionBox (read October 2026). The Osaka scene, phrases and plans are editorial and illustrative; rules change, so always check official SSW guidance. Science of Apps publishes the free practice test linked here; it isn't accepted for visas. Last reviewed October 2026.

• SSW — Specified Skilled Worker status.
• JFT-Basic — Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese.
• JLPT — Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
• Kaigo — nursing care.
• Keigo — polite/honorific Japanese.