JLPT 2023 thread (Dec results out now !)

Sorry I wasn’t suggesting Bunpro as a study tool but just as a way to see how some given textbook content is mapped into a JLPT level. For example: 込む appears in Tobira lesson 12, copying and pasting it on all grammar, we see that it corresponds to JLPT N3.

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Oh I didn’t know you could do that! Thanks for the tip, I’ll sign up for another free trial haha

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So, last night I had a big epiphany about my life direction (partially inspired by another thread here where someone asks for advice on getting into programming)
And I think I’m going to try and get a gap year, make some stuff in python + apply to a lot of places looking for work, and if I succeed, not go back to uni (which is sort of causing me Very Bad mental health but I don’t need to get into that here)

Anyway, I was thinking that to look a bit better on my rather sparce CV, I could go for N5 as a way of suggesting ‘look I self studied for this, I’m good at learning languages (possibly even of the programming variety), doesn’t that make me look hirable?’

(for clarity: I’m not trying to get hired in Japan or a position that needs Japanese, this is just to look good to people reading through applicants)

So I was thinking, with my current amount of knowledge
would it be feasible to take the 2023 Winter N5?

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You didn’t mention how far along you are with your studies, so I’ll just make a general statement.

WaniKani level 8 should be enough for kanji, covering the grammar within Genki 1 as well as studying a couple hundred extra words should be enough for the rest.
The JLPT isn’t particularly difficult, the early levels don’t yet test complicated nuances, so simply being familiar with the material is plenty. Do some practice tests on top to familiarize yourself with the test format and maybe spot some weak points and you should be fine.

Considering you are already WK level 9 and have a year left, passing the N5 should be fairly easy for you. Depending on how much time you can dedicate to Japanese per day, even N4 shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

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Ah thank you

TBH I wasn’t sure how to describe where I’m at solidly
I’ve kept up with WaniKani but while I learn new grammar stuff, because I’ve been busy with uni, it’s all sort of slowed down

Is there any specific resource that explains what kind of stuff will be on the test? like what each section wants from you?

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There are lists for kanji, vocabulary and grammar floating around, as well as most JLPT prep books having their own lists. Nothing up-to-date and official though. Those lists are accurate enough, but unless you are specifically trying to go for a safe pass on the highest level you can manage I wouldn’t worry about those too much. Perhaps you’d need targeted study if you went for N3 or N4 within a year, but as long as you continue your studies in a balanced fashion you should be pretty much a guaranteed pass on the N5.

A bit of unsolicited advice, but I think people (me included) have a tendency to take the JLPT a bit too far. They have figured out how they want to learn Japanese, have a clear goal in mind for why they are learning the language, and then they throw all that out the window and instead focus on passing the highest JLPT level they can in a given timeframe. Imo it makes more sense to continue studying how you deem best, working towards your goals for learning the language, and picking up the JLPT along the way.

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@Student-Bunny just make sure you specifically study grammar. Meaning actually do some drills on what particle/conjugation goes where.

For some reason I didn’t do this even though i knew this would be in the test (I did some practice tests).

Also, when practicing listening don’t just listen to N5 material like I did. Actually mark yourself in the test, analyse the ones you got wrong and translate them to get a handle on what they’re saying.

For some reason I didn’t do that either. I think I passed. But I’m catching up on this sort of stuff now.

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Thank you, that makes sense
If I get my gap year plan sorted then I’ll be able to comfortably study more than I am now anyway since I won’t have to worry about school assignments

@PeterRoss That’s good advice, thank you

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???
I’m not dropping out because I think it’s easier than doing a degree
I’m already failing university and academia as a whole is just a big drain on my emotions…
My parents already didn’t believe I was going to find a job in my feild after getting a degree

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You do you. I deleted my comment because it was off-topic and thought you weren’t really seeking advice on the matter. Best of luck!

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I’m sorry, I just didn’t know how to take it because everything feels so uncertain to me right now
thank you for the luck!

I mean everyone finds their way eventually. I tried college 3 separate times and all those times something got in the way. I probably only need like a handful of credits to get some sort of degree at this point. Now I live in Japan so getting that done is pretty much impossible now xD

I don’t know anyone that planned to be in the field they ended up in. All my family was like “I studied this and somehow ended up in a totally different sector.” I never in a million years thought I would be in Japan, let alone learning Japanese when I was even 25, so life happens.

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100% this though. I basically spent the past six months cramming grammar and Kanzen Master books instead of the immersion/WK/Bunpro approach I was doing before. I learned a lot, but now that the test is over, I sort of feel like at what cost? Did I really learn more because I was studying hard, or did I just put well-rounded learning on hold for a while? :smiling_face_with_tear: If you can take a balanced approach, or a more organic approach to the test, I think that it so much better.

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The true JLPT dilemma. It is SO easy to get caught up in passing the test but forgetting the why.

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I found JLPT Bootcamp really helpful for N5 prepping, and they have practice tests as well. I used the physical book written by the guy who runs the site, but the site has a lot of free material to start with.

This might have changed - the last N5 kanji (書) is on level 16 now. Still plenty of time to get there before next December, though.

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What is ‘winter’ for you, July or December?

I used this book: The Best Practice Tests for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test N5 - ジャパンタイムズ出版 BOOKCLUB
I felt as prepared as I could have been, not to wait and see if my brain remembered enough things under pressure.

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I think with lvl 8 you know 95% of the N5 kanji list, on top of knowing way more kanji than is expected of you. That is plenty for a safe pass. If one wanted to complete the list for peace of mind, they could just learn the 3(?) kanji they are missing outside of WaniKani.
On top of that, kanji is arguably the least important for the JLPT. Best to take that time and focus on vocab/grammar, people tend to be missing way more than just three of those :b

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Honestly once you get going on WK I feel like you’re already too good for the N5. Looking back prepping for the N5 was kind of silly because you study for words in a format you wont see in everyday Japan unless you’re like 6 or 7 years old. Even then, those kids have way more than 800 vocab words under their belt and can converse. N5 is a weird level to me.

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Oh december is winter to me

Sorry for my forgetfulness Southern hemisphere :pensive:

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Do not forget this.

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