Are you one of those foreign nationals who are aspiring for employment in Japan? The JLPT or the Japanese Language Proficiency Test is your key to jump in the Japanese world who are increasingly hiring the non-natives as the companies expand globally. Moreover, passing JLPT is also required for university admissions.
This standardized test, which evaluates the proficiency of foreign nationals in the Japanese language, comprises of five levels. N5 is the most straightforward version of this test, and N1 is the hardest of all. Each level assesses your skills in ‘Reading’ and ‘Listening’ aspects. The total score of each level ranges between 0 to 180. The knowledge of Vocabulary and Grammar is also a crucial part of the test. The levels N1 to N3 have three scoring sections while N4 and N5 have only two of them. The aim of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test or JLPT is to attain the knowledge of Japanese vocabulary and successfully use it for the conversation.
JLPT N5 is the perfect platform for you to lay a stable and solid foundation of the Japanese language, which is needed by everyone who desires to work in Japan. Once you pass the N5 level of JLPT, you certify yourself as being able to read and understand some basic hiragana, katakana, and Kanji. In the ‘Reading’ section, the applicant is expected to read and understand the customary sentences in the three writing systems, namely, Hiragana, Katakana, and simple Kanji. A point to be noted here is that Kanji is quite complex in comparison to its other two counterparts. Thus, simple Kanji knowledge is tested in N5. When it comes to the ‘Listening’ section, the test taker should be able to listen and comprehend the fundamental conversations pertaining to daily life situations. N5 is the most initial test; the conversations are played very slowly so that the applicant understands and judges it better.
Even when the N5 is the first level of JLPT, passing it is a considerable achievement. This is because of the fact that Kanji is the most perplexing language to be learned and that you should be comfortable in pronouncing the alphabets of Hiragana and Katakana. The overall pass marks in JLPT N5 IS approximately 80. So here is a simplified study guide that will help you in clearing JLPT N5.
1. Create a plan
Create a stable study routine. This is the first essential step that needs to be taken while preparing for any examination. Make five flashcards each day; this will not only help you learn new Japanese words but will also make you improve your pronunciation. Creating a plan is the only way of achieving success in JLPT. Practicing for both the reading and listening sections can be quite stressful. Still, with a set routine, you can achieve your goal.
2. Practice Listening skills
The listening section of JLPT N5 pays equal importance as the reading section of the test does. Practice listening to different videos whenever you find yourself a free period. You can use YouTube during your practice sessions. Tons of videos are available on the “JLPT N5 Listening” topic on YouTube. Don’t think of it as an easy section of JLPT N5 and ignore it. Good Listening skill demands a lot of practice. Japanese Pod 101 and NHK News Easy are the two useful resources for practicing listening and speaking skills.
3. Make sure you don’t lose any points in the Grammar section
The grammar section becomes a lot easier once you learn the vocabulary of JLPT N5. A simple way is to select one word per day and frame multiple sentences with it. Do this continuously until you are confident enough. Once you reach a sustainable level, you can move on for practicing Kanji.
4. Master “some” basic Kanji
Kanji has two different types of reading- Onyomi and Kunyomi; This is because it originated with the Chinese hanzi characters, which was then adopted by the Japanese. The knowledge of around 200 characters is more than enough for the preparation purpose. As per the description of N5, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test or JLPT expects you to know about 100 Kanji characters to pass. The test anticipates that the test takers should know 100 most commonly used Kanji for time, places, people, numbers, adjectives, verbs, and directions. Therefore, it is quite beneficial to know the rudimentary Kanji radicals to frame the composite vocabulary. Along with this, the applicant should also learn the stroke order regarding the formation of characters. As a matter of fact, the intricacy of the glyphs associated with Kanji calls for extra vigilance.
5. Practice your reading skills thoroughly
The reading section is where most people experience downfall because of the time pressure. Make it a habit of practicing reading articles within a set period. This will help you in handling the time pressure and will improve your reading skills. Be extremely careful with the Katakana alphabets and words. Silly mistakes while reading ends up in you losing a mark. The questions asked in the reading section of JLPT N5 are quite straightforward, and you can score a good point in this once you start paying heed on your small mistakes.
If you are determined enough, then time won’t prove to be a hindrance. Staying in line with your framed schedule and working in respect of time, clearing the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, or JLPT N5 won’t prove to be spine- breaking. Reading the said ideas is one thing while practicing the other. Consistency is the sheer entity. As every one of you might agree that learning a foreign language, one especially likes Japanese demands courage. Further working over it for improvement is also equally important.
Irrespective of how hard it gets, stay calm, and stick to your goal.