Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

Hi everyone,

so I haven't really been writing a lot, but thats mainly because I didn't have time to do anything fun, and also because I didn't really have the time to write. The reason for that was the very very very important Japanese Language Proficiency Test, that I took yesterday. For the last two weeks I have been preparing for this test, but really I started studying for it sometime in August.

The JLPT is the test if you want to officially prove a certain level of Japanese Language knowledge. It is split up in 5 Levels, N5 being the lowest, N1 the highest and most complicated. Each one of these tests is only twice a year and in every level there are parts that you need to pass. Like Vocabulary and Kanji, Grammar, Reading and Listening. I think it is very sad that there is neither a writing nor a speaking part, but as the Japanese say "shouganai" which basically means: It can't be helped. But like most words and phrases in Japanese language it implies much more than that. I am drifting of topic here.

Last year in December I took the JLPT N3 Level, it was relatively hard, you need to know about 650 Kanji and around 3000 Vocabulary. It was really hard for me, but I passed. Reading and Listening sections were really easy for me. One year later I thought I needed to prove myself that I had learned a lot, and also if you have N2 it is much easier to find a Japan related job. So I have been studying, and going to school, and doing my homework, and studied some more after that for good measure. But I have to say, yesterdays test was really hard. In N2 Level you need to know 1000 Kanji and 6000 Vocabulary terms. Listening was still easy for me, but Reading to really tricky because of the questions, it was hard for me to understand the nuances of the answers. The last problem with the test is the time. I am usually really fast at taking tests, always the first to hand it in, but the JLPT has so much to do and to read and so little time, that I didn't even manage to start reading the last text, and so I had to guess 3 questions completely (they weren't the only ones that i guessed).

I will know in February if I passed or not, and until then I will just not worry and enjoy my freedom. This week and also next week to a lesser extent are going to be really busy with things I really want to do and places I want to go before returning to Germany. So wait for my next post with exciting adventures and beautiful pictures.