Anyone Taking the JLPT 3 This Year? (in 2005)

[dc_johnson45]

Is anyone out there taking JLPT 3 this year? If so, how are you planning on studying?

I'm serious about taking it, and here's how I'm planning on going about it:

1. I'm taking ongoing Japanese language class at a local aikido dojo - We are using 'Japanese for Busy People', and cover 4 - 5 chapters per semester. I bought the kana version of the book to get away from romanji. I use the class mostly for listening and talking, as I find JfBP to be a terrible book. The sensei focuses on vocab & drills, making us, for example, do an auction in Japanese to drill numbers. She's real inventive & the class is def. a good thing. Plus, she answers my more difficult grammar/kanji questions before class.

2. Japanese for Everyone - I'm returning to Chapter 3 & covering EVERYTHING. As everyone knows, this book is extremely dense, and 2 weeks per chapter would not suprise me.

3. Japanese for Everyone tapes, Japanese movies and TV shows - I've got quite a few native Japanese language shows and movies. Watching them aids in learning the natural flow of the language. For example, I watched 'Ju-On' the other night and understood several parts. JfE tapes complement the book well, and I'll be using them on a chapter by chapter basis... I also have to digitize them so they can be put on my iPod... who uses a tape player anymore?

4. Kanji - Personally, I like learning kanji, so I'm not to worried about it. I usually learn vocab in kanji, as I find it easier to remember that way. I have the Heisig books, but I think I'm not going to use that method. I'll probably also pick up the White Rabbit Kanji flash cards.

4. Misc - I'll probably use Rosetta Stone & Kanji Gold to drill in my spare time. Linux (KDE) has some japanese vocab programs, so I'll also look into those.

How are others planning on tackling this?

[nemesae]

Um, I have no idea =_= I want to take tests 4 and 3 this year (if it's possible to take two in the same year, don't know much about that yet), I think I should be able to manage that. But I'd rather first have the official 'this is what you should know' lists first before I start buying a lot of courses. So far, I only have a kanji dictionary, a lot of online grammar explanation courses and a book course called Colloquial Japanese. Plus, I read Japanese manga and listen to Japanese music, translate lyrics and interviews, and um.. anime ^^; That's a lot of good practice material

[rajs20]

I'm thinking of taking JLPT 3 this year.

Well, what I'm doing is:

1. Textbooks:

-Japanese for Everyone: I like the book, like you said it's really dense but it keeps me busy, hehe. I found a place that sells the audio but it was a bit expensive for me. I also started out going really fast through this book but decided to back up and take my time (10-14 days per lesson).

-Genki: Overall pretty good although it goes at a much slower pace than J4E. I have all the audio for it on MP3 though, which helps.

2. Kanji: I use Kanji Pict-o-grafix (sweet book, I like it better than Heisig), 3 pages of it per week (~20 kanji). Anyways from what I've heard, the kanji part shouldn't be too bad.

3. Vocab: I use my own program to drill myself using flashcards. Other than that, just trying to "absorb" as many words as I can as I'm working through the textbooks.

4. Audio: Random online sources, anime (dunno if that counts)... "Let's learn Japanese" videos rock because they speak at full speed. Also I was looking at thejapanshop.net, and they have a book (w/ 2 tapes) entirely devoted to the JLPT3's listening section.

5. Grammar: I have a book called "Japanese particle workbook". It's pretty good, lots of exercises. Other than that, I think the textbooks cover grammar pretty well...

Btw, do you know how J4E chapters map to JLPT exam levels? I am guessing it's something like ch. 1-13 = JLPT 4, and then ch 14-26 = JLPT 3

[dc_johnson45]

Um, I have no idea =_= I want to take tests 4 and 3 this year (if it's possible to take two in the same year, don't know much about that yet), I think I should be able to manage that. But I'd rather first have the official 'this is what you should know' lists first before I start buying a lot of courses. So far, I only have a kanji dictionary, a lot of online grammar explanation courses and a book course called Colloquial Japanese. Plus, I read Japanese manga and listen to Japanese music, translate lyrics and interviews, and um.. anime ^^; That's a lot of good practice material
nemesae-san
The test is only offered once per year, and only in major cities here in the US, so you need to decide which one you are going to take :-)

I'm not sure there are 'official' lists as to whats on the test. Check out thejapanshop.net for study guides that will probably fill you in a little more.

[dc_johnson45]

5. Grammar: I have a book called "Japanese particle workbook". It's pretty good, lots of exercises. Other than that, I think the textbooks cover grammar pretty well...

Btw, do you know how J4E chapters map to JLPT exam levels? I am guessing it's something like ch. 1-13 = JLPT 4, and then ch 14-26 = JLPT 3
I have that book as well. Seems pretty good, esp. in combination with the particle dictionary.

I'm not sure if J4E 'maps' to the JLPT that well? I'm assuming that if I make it through a majority of the book, I'll be prepared for the Level 3 exam... I probably will pick up some of the study guides at thejapanshop, but not until the test draws closer... probably in the Fall.

[nemesae]

nemesae-san
The test is only offered once per year, and only in major cities here in the US, so you need to decide which one you are going to take :-)

I'm not sure there are 'official' lists as to whats on the test. Check out thejapanshop.net for study guides that will probably fill you in a little more.

I know, I have to travel all the way to Germany (I live in Holland, I heard that place in Germany is the closest) and I knew that it was only once a year, but I had hoped each test was on a different time, so it'd be possible to do more than one. I was just too late for last year's test, so I want to do two this time. But I don't think it's possible then :(

[RockLee]

Um, I have no idea =_= I want to take tests 4 and 3 this year (if it's possible to take two in the same year, don't know much about that yet), I think I should be able to manage that. But I'd rather first have the official 'this is what you should know' lists first before I start buying a lot of courses. So far, I only have a kanji dictionary, a lot of online grammar explanation courses and a book course called Colloquial Japanese. Plus, I read Japanese manga and listen to Japanese music, translate lyrics and interviews, and um.. anime ^^; That's a lot of good practice material
Yep only once, and u will have to move to Paris,for taking the test as there are no institutes in Holland or Belgium :) dunno about Germany tho :?

[Stutz]

Nope. I don't plan on taking the JLPT until I'm ready for the 2nd kyuu. It's a waste of my money anytime before that.

[Glenn]

I almost agree with you. I'm not taking it until it's required for me to get a job in Japan, if that day ever comes.

[Bucko]

I'm also going for level 3 this year. Here's what I'm doing so far:

- learning Kanji the Heisig way. I plan to have this book completed by around July, then I will start on Vol. 2

- currently taking two beginner lessons a week which focuses a lot on grammar very very basic grammar

- just started taking one or two private lessons a week with a Japanese friend, this is mostly so I can ask questions and practice conversational Japanese

- downloaded the Japanese Basic TV series, I and II. Total of 50 or so 30min episodes in there, so far I'm only up to episode 6. I'm going really slowly through these ones.

- flash cards for remembering vocab

In the next few months, once I get my vocab up to scratch, I want to dive deeply into grammar. I have a heap of Japanese text books here which I picked up second hand, including Japanese for Busy People. Also will (hopefully) be living in Japan by July so that should help greatly.

[Index]

This site (http://mlcjapanese.co.jp/Download.htm) was put up on another thread somewhere. There is a lot of stuff specifically related to the JLPT 1-4, includng questions and vocab from past tests as well as lots of quizzes.

[-Rudel-]

I can only wish I was that advanced now! I'm just now entering the "Japanese For Busy People" book 2 (Kana Edition). I'm very busy and have very little time for actual classes. I think I can passes JLPT 4 as soon as I know some more Kanji.

The link Index posted is a site I go to often to practice.

がんばります！

[nhk9]

I know, I have to travel all the way to Germany (I live in Holland, I heard that place in Germany is the closest) and I knew that it was only once a year, but I had hoped each test was on a different time, so it'd be possible to do more than one. I was just too late for last year's test, so I want to do two this time. But I don't think it's possible then :(

I don't know about the regulations of the Germany JLPT test, but here in Vancouver Canada, one could take either 2 and 3, 3 and 4, and 2 and 4 on the same day, but not 1 and 2. You should try asking them before hand to see if they allow you to take two tests on the same date. Last year I took the 2 and 3 on December 5, and there was absolutely no time conflicts.

[McCrutch67]

I'd like to take the JLPT 3 this year if possible. I've seen that site Index mentioned and for a while have used the vocabulary lists they have to focus my attention. Also I found a site that has printable flash cards for the words in JLPT levels.
http://www.coling.de/markus/index.php?content=cards&t=jp-en
The cards are for the JLPT 4 list I think and in japanese to german they have all levels.
I'm not going out and buying anything. Actually I don't think I've ever bought anything for learning japanese. I use the internet :-) . I discovered that the jlpt existed either after the last one or around the time of it I think so I don't know. I don't really have much of a plan but to keep learning.

[Index]

I make my own flashcards using MS Word; print double sided and then get a printing place to laminate them for me.

[dc_johnson45]

A little information about the test. From http://www.thejapanesepage.com/kanji/kanji/jlpt.htm

-------------------------------------------

San kyuu - Level 3

About: The next level. For upper beginners who understand the basics of grammar, can make everyday simple conversations and can read easy written Japanese.

# of Kanji: 300
# of words needed to know: 1500
# of hours needed to study:300

PARTS OF THE TEST TIME ALLOTTED SCORE

文字 moji ・語彙 goi
characters (hiragana, katakana, kanji) & vocabulary 35 minutes 100 points

聴解 chou kai
listening comprehension 35 minutes 100 points

読解 dokkai ・ 文法 bun pou
reading comprehension & grammar 70 minutes 200 points

total 140 minutes total 400 points total

You need 60% of the 400 points to pass

[nemesae]

A little information about the test. From http://www.thejapanesepage.com/kanji/kanji/jlpt.htm

-------------------------------------------

San kyuu - Level 3

About: The next level. For upper beginners who understand the basics of grammar, can make everyday simple conversations and can read easy written Japanese.

# of Kanji: 300
# of words needed to know: 1500
# of hours needed to study:300

PARTS OF THE TEST TIME ALLOTTED SCORE

文字 moji ・語彙 goi
characters (hiragana, katakana, kanji) & vocabulary 35 minutes 100 points

聴解 chou kai
listening comprehension 35 minutes 100 points

読解 dokkai ・ 文法 bun pou
reading comprehension & grammar 70 minutes 200 points

total 140 minutes total 400 points total

You need 60% of the 400 points to pass
Oh... that seems quite manageable, 60%. I'm really glad I focused everything on my reading now, then at least I'm further at the 200 points subject already ^^;

[dc_johnson45]

Oh... that seems quite manageable, 60%. I'm really glad I focused everything on my reading now, then at least I'm further at the 200 points subject already ^^;
Yup.. it looks 'do-able' at least, given the time frame. Personally, I'll be concentrating a lot on listening comprehension, since I'm weak in that area.

I think I've worked out a pretty good study schedule & I'll post it up here later. I'll be kicking off my 'formal' studying on April 1st (no joke!) :win: