Contemporary Life
What this unit covers
The topics below follow the published Japanese Lang course framework for Unit 5. Japanese Lang publishes no per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to chase here.
Lessons in this unit
- Counters (助数詞)13 min · 3 objectivesExplain why Japanese uses counters to count nouns · Choose the right counter for people, flat things, long things, and small animals · Handle the sound changes that occur with certain counter combinations
- Keigo: The Basics of Honorific Language14 min · 3 objectivesDistinguish the three branches of keigo: teineigo, sonkeigo, and kenjōgo · Recognize common honorific and humble verb substitutions · Choose respectful language appropriate to social hierarchy
What examiners penalize here
- You will not be tested on every rare counter, but people (〜人), flat things (〜枚), long things (〜本), small animals (〜匹), and the general 〜つ are essential. Drill each counter’s 1–10 series aloud so the sound changes come automatically under time pressure.
- AP does not expect flawless keigo, but recognizing and producing basic sonkeigo/kenjōgo raises your register on formal tasks like a business email or a speech to an audience. Memorize the handful of special verb pairs (いらっしゃる／参る, おっしゃる／申す, 召し上がる／いただく) — they carry most real-world keigo.
Practice Japanese Lang
Our practice bank is drawn from across the whole course rather than filtered to one unit, which is closer to how the exam asks anyway — it will not tell you which unit a question is testing.
Questions about this unit
How much of the AP Japanese Language & Culture exam is Unit 5?
The Japanese Lang course framework does not publish a per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to quote for Unit 5 and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Spread your time by where your own errors are instead.
What topics are covered in Japanese Lang Unit 5?
Contemporary Life covers School, Work, Food and Travel.
How should I study Japanese Lang Unit 5?
Read the 2 lessons below first — about 25 minutes — then work practice questions on these topics. Finish with practice questions and read the explanation for every one you get right by elimination as well as the ones you miss.
All 6 units of AP Japanese Language & Culture
Unit names, topics and exam weights follow the published College Board course framework for AP Japanese Language & Culture. AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which does not endorse this site.