N-No, it’s not enough vocab…
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At least you’re more likely to pass the N2 in a year than I am getting to level 38…
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You guys are pessimistic. it may not be enough for a full score, but to pass? Sure it is… pfffffft
How long did it take for you to pass N2?
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I got about 70% on my N4 reading section, with both WK and a good few years of reading experience (as well as textbooks such as genki 2). Trust me, even on that level of the JLPT there are plenty of non-WK vocab words, or WK vocab words with different meanings. Trying to pass even the vocab knowledge of the JLPT on WaniKani alone is like trying to… well I can’t think of an analogy, but it’s certainly challenging
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I took it in December 2016, and I started learning in June 2014, so 2 years and a half I guess? I was probably around level 40-ish in WaniKani and had no problem with vocab (but I had been learning a lot of words through exposure naturally, and I was going through a katakana-only deck in Memrise I think, but nothing more than the minimum effort outside of WK).
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How so? Do you happen to live in Japan and that’s how you got all the exposure?
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No, nothing as fancy as that. I was watching a lot of anime lol 
And I had classes with a native teacher twice a week. Through him I made a few Japanese friends too and went out occasionally so I had a lot of conversation practice.
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Well, according to @Namste 先輩 (assuming I didn’t misunderstand him)、he was able to get from absolute beginner to JLPT 1 in about a year… However, he was doing practically nothing but constant studying that year…
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I think this made a huuuge difference in your vocab because conversation practice burns the vocab into your memory way better than SRS can Also your listening skills got quite the boost as well.
Unless OP can have the same situation, I really don’t think WK is enough vocab alone 
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that sounds completely insane. i passed N2 after ~2 years of self-study and don’t know why i made it through the reading sections… probably dumb luck.
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That’s probably true, it’s why I recommended trying to find a conversation partner 
Honestly there are people who are naturally quick learners, if OP had the same disposition it should be a doable goal as long as they had a really well-structured and well planned studying schedule, as well as regular conversation practice.
However, for more realistic goal-setting, I’d suggest going for N3 first, that’s a lot more doable than going straight for N2.
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I’ve found that post
https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-moving-from-n4-to-n2-possible-in-a-year/15931/5?u=trunklayer
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wish i had unlimited time. i’d probably sleep and game a lot, but that’s details.
OP wrote she has only very limited time, i guess even @namste would need several years at that pace.
i miss him btw, his avatar is awesome.
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Since others are giving their timeline, I guess I can also join in.
- Never did N5
- N4 in 2 years
- N3 in 4 years total
- N2 in 5 years total
- N1 in 8 years total
- Now 11 years in
I’m slooowww, but I just keep going.
So, yeah, if OP or anyone else just doesn’t have a hard deadline, I’d recommend to just go at whatever pace works for you.
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What I’m hearing is that if I pass N3 I’m on @Naphthalene pace. That sounds pretty good to me!
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I’ll also throw my timeline in since I just passed N2 back in July (even if it was close). Worth noting that I have had full time teaching jobs ranging from 40-80 hours a week during this entire timeline, except for summers when I didn’t have class (but did still have prepping, training, and meetings). I also didn’t take any JLPT tests prior to N2, including practice tests.
-I started Japanese using Pimsleur CDs in July 2016 or so, and didn’t add much to my studies (a few apps here and there, but they weren’t great) until WaniKani. I completed the 4 phases they had at the time and then went through them all a second time.
-I started WaniKani in June 2017, but have gone at a rather modest pace (average level time of 15d14h, median of 11d9h) and was level 50 when I took N2 in July 2019. I had no other source of kanji study.
-Before Bunpro’s first redesign, I completed all of LingoDeer Japanese 1 in maybe a few months? I started in October 2017. Then jumped into Bunpro in June 2018, just before moving to Japan in August 2018. I blasted through the N5 and most of the N4 before leaving for Japan (N5 was almost entirely review thanks to LingoDeer, and with their Level 2 being out now I’d imagine it could get you well into N4), then completed N3 by December 2018, starting N2 in January 2019 leading to the July 2019 test. I had about 80% of the grammar points studied before the test (I fell off my timeline due to work), and that was enough for me to squeak out a pass.
I have to go to class now, but I’m open to answering any questions I can when I get back.
Edit: Meant to add total timeline, 0 to N2 in 3 years total, 2 years after starting WaniKani, and about a year and a half of grammar using LingoDeer and Bunpro.
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since you already know some kanji of WaniKani you don’t really have to learn kanji, I’m an exchange student right now (ofc in Japan) and wanted to do n2 in July 2020 but my parents wanted to surprise me with a vacation directly after my exchange, so no jlpt. also I’m not gonna be able to do it in winter, because I will have lots of stress because of school, so Yea my dream of having n2 after my exchange popped but, the real question is if you want to do it, the main point of n2 is learning vocabulary so I think you have to decide on your own if you have enough time to learn about 10 words a day. I would say it’s possible but, you definitely should get a native speaker to talk to because you will lose your motivation, you know it’s hard to see improvement, if you don’t get feedback. But I give it a yes it’s possible, but it depends on your motivation. Also I would recommend Anki for vocabulary you can download it on ios and android so there’s no problem, for gramma i would use Genki or minnanonihongo. I’ve only used Genki but I also know other exchange students who are happy with minnanonihongo.
Hope that helps you, just keep in mind there’s also n3, I myself just went with n2 because I haven’t found a good vocab list so if you want to do n3 and start from n5 you have to learn about 3000 words and 550 kanji, compared to 4200 and 900kanji also keep the gramma in mind, you should definitely get a jlpt gramma book if you just want to study for jlpt,
I’m sorry, just noticed that I repeated myself a bit also I have the feeling that I wrote it a bit to much from my Perspektive. Sorry still hope it will help you.
Never say never, but … unlikely, without immersion.
The only people I know of who have done it in that short a time from (basically) scratch, were very young and living in Japan. I went from basically foundational Japanese to N2 in 18 months, but that was with grammar foundations in place from a long-prior minor, living in Japan, and also like killing myself with my daily study routine building up to the N2.
Unless you have a dire need to pass the text in a year, I’d say you should focus more on determining what a reasonable daily study routine looks like for you, and once you’re in a rhythm, you can determine whether or not you want to push it a bit higher to meet test dates, etc.
Given you’ll be able to read enough kanji to make reading native texts accessibe (though slow), though, I’d absolutley say you should shoot for N3 within a year. Just keep reading and following the grammar course of your choice. Just note that if you’re going for any JLPT level N3 or higher, you’ll also want to have a way to routinely pick up vocab outside of WK (probably a combination of native reading/listening and a dedicated vocab resource).
Try for, like, 3-6 months: learning N4 material, then the following time on N3 for a pretty secure pass. You could conceivably hit N2 six months after that (tough but doable), or the following year depending on how often the tests are available for you. (You might be able to learn the stuff on the N4 even faster depending on your motivation; I actually have no idea what’s on that verus N5, since I came into JLPT-specific study for N3.)
If you get a comfortable study routine and it allows you to learn all of the N3 material pretty soldily with 4+ months to spare before the next JLPT, then, sure–aim for N2. I just wouldn’t make that a plan from the start.
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I’m somewhere between N2 and N3. Do you think Bunpro would be helpful for me? What all is it, really? Is it like an SRS for grammar points? What do you like about it?
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