The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most common language examination for assessing people’s understanding of the Japanese language. This test comes in 5 different levels – N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5. It is worthwhile to note that N5 is the lowest and easiest level of the exam while N4 is the second lowest and second easiest level of this test.
If you are just starting to learn Japanese, you may start thinking whether you should first take JLPT N5 or take a leap to write N4 instead. My advices to consider as below :
1.The number of kanji characters you know
2.The duration of your study
3.Your performance in a JLPT practice test
4.The motivation for taking the test
5.Your previous performance in the test
Notably, the choice is all yours as there are no specific requirements for writing any levels of this test. In fact, as a beginner, you can decide to take JLPT N1 without taking any of the lower levels of the exam. However, this may be a recipe for failing the exam woefully.
Again, you can decide to take any of the JPLT N5 or N4 without any issue. Nonetheless, you must realize that you have to pay for any of these tests. Hence, it is important to ensure you take the JLPT level that you are capable of passing to reduce the chances of wasting money, time, and other resources on the test.
What differentiates JLPT N5 and N4?
As suggested earlier, the JLPT N5 and N4 are two different levels of the test. So, these levels of JLPT are explained below:
- N4
At this level, you are expected to have a basic understanding of the Japanese language. It requires 1500 vocabularies, 300 kanji characters, reading, and listening. With this level, you should be able to hold day-to-day conversations in Japanese.
- N5
This is the least level of the test and can only be good for a few, short conservations in daily life. Before passing N5, you need 100 kanji characters and 800 vocabularies. It also features listening and reading like the other levels of the JLPT.
Which one should you take between JLPT N5 and N4?
Before deciding the right level of the JLPT to take, you should consider the following points.
- The number of kanji characters you know
Although kanji forms a crucial part of all JLPTs, the required number of kanji characters for each level differs. If you know at least 300 kanjis before the time of the test, then the JLPT N4 is what you should take. But if you don’t know up to 300 kanji characters, you should consider settling for N5.
- The duration of your study
How many hours have you spent studying various subjects that you need to pass the JLPT? Do you have enough time to prepare and cover all curriculums for passing the JLPT N5 or N4? You should note that the higher the level of JLPT you want to take, the more hours you need to dedicate to studying.
If you have not been studying and only have a few months to prepare for the test, you are advised to go for N5 as your chances of passing N4 are quite low. Otherwise, if you have been studying the Japanese language for months or even years and have covered all necessary resources that can help you pass JLPT N4, then you should have enough confidence to take N4 and perform well.
In other words, if you know your preparation is enough to help you pass N4, go ahead and take the test. If not, study a little more and take N5.
- Your performance in a JLPT practice test
Before deciding whether you should take the JLPT N4 or N5, you have to first take a JLPT practice test. The essence of this practice test is to prepare you for the real test. It can give you an idea of what your real performance will be in the test. For this, you should check online to find the practice tests for N4 and N5.
You must make sure that the conditions of taking the practice test mimic the real test conditions. This means the test should be timed and done in a quiet room with limited breaks. Also, you must make sure you don’t check the answers until the test has ended. Without a doubt, creating this condition gives you a chance to know whether you are ready for the JLPT or not. This doesn’t only help you concentrate, but it also ensures that you feel great about the whole test.
You should take both N4 and N5, and then compare your results in these two tests. These results will definitely give you a clear idea of the test you are likely going to pass.
- The motivation for taking the test
Why are you taking the JLPT? Although there are various reasons for taking this test, the two main reasons are to improve your resume or just measure your understanding of the Japanese language. If you are learning to boost the look of your resume, you may want to consider taking N4. This is because most recruiters prefer employing individuals with a good understanding of Japanese. Hence, your chances of being employed are higher with N4 than N5.
Nonetheless, if you want to take the test to measure your knowledge of Japanese, don’t rush to N4. You should first take N5 and then move to N4. By doing this, you can move from one level to another until you reach N1.
- Your previous performance in the test
Have you taken any level of the JLPT before? If yes, your performance in the test can show you whether you should take N5 or N4. For instance, if you have taken and failed N4 two or more times, you don’t need anyone to tell you that you must take N5.
In a nutshell, it is entirely your choice to decide whether you want to take N4 or N5. However, most learners fail the JLPT before they are not patient enough to do the right thing. So, you should realize that you don’t have to rush to N4. There is no shame in admitting that you are not good enough for a particular level.
Be patient, prepare, and take the JLPT level that you are ready for.