For admission to Japanese universities, it is theoretically necessary to pass a special language exam - Ryugaku Shiken. But in most non-Japanese-speaking countries it is not carried out, and in Russia this exam can only be taken in Vladivostok. Therefore, many universities in Japan accept students who have received the Noreku Shiken certificate, or The Japanese Language Proficiency Test. T&P has collected useful information to help you cope with this challenge.

What it is

Nihongo Noreku Shiken is an international exam that determines the level of knowledge of the Japanese language of foreign students. The exam has been held since 1984 with the support of the Japan Association for International Education and remains the main and most popular exam for determining the level of Japanese proficiency. In Russia, the exam is administered by The Japan Foundation. More than 600,000 students take part in the exam annually.

Nihongo Noreku Shiken is taken for different purposes: the initial levels of the exam allow you to track your progress in learning the language and personally get acquainted with the structure of the exam. High-level JLPT is passed by people who intend to somehow connect their future life with Japan: find a job in a Japanese company or undergo a professional internship.

The exam is passed without the use of computers, but it is fully verified with its help. Upon successful delivery, the student is issued an unlimited international certificate, which has its own individual unique number.

How to take

The last time the exam was changed was in 2010. It is now a standardized test of five difficulty levels (from N5, which tests basic basic Japanese proficiency, to N1, which tests Japanese at a level comparable to that of a native speaker). The most popular exam level is N2.

Level N2 implies almost fluency in Japanese. A candidate for a certificate must have a good grasp of Japanese grammar and over 6,000 words that can support conversation on any general topic. This level can be taken after an average of 600 hours of language study.

An exam of any level consists of three sections: vocabulary + hieroglyphics, reading + grammar and listening. The tasks of each of the sections are presented exclusively in test form. The level depends only on the complexity of each of the sections and the time allotted for completing tasks. There are no JLPT conversational and writing tests.

At levels N1 and N2, the sections "vocabulary and hieroglyphics" and "reading and grammar" are combined into one block, and they allot 105-110 minutes. After the first block, a break is made for 30 minutes and listening is conducted for 50 minutes.

Vocabulary and hieroglyphics + reading and grammar (105 minutes)

The section contains up to 45 questions on the correct definition of hieroglyphs and synonyms for them. And also the skill of distinguishing the writing of hieroglyphs is tested: katakana and hiragana.

Reading and grammar

Contains 20 questions that test the ability to understand the meaning of the texts. The candidate is also asked to choose the correct word or phrase to fill in the semantic gaps in texts and dialogues.

Listening - 50 minutes

Unlike the easier exam levels, listening at the N2 level requires not only hearing and understanding the dialogues, but also getting an idea of \u200b\u200bthe logical connection within them. News is often used as listening material, and covers not only everyday topics, but also a wider range of topics. Recording with tasks is played only once.

What are the points

For each section, you can get up to 60 points, the maximum number of points for the entire exam is 180. For each section of the exam, a minimum passing score is set. The minimum percentage of correct answers in each section is 32%. If at least one section is solved correctly by less than 32%, then the entire exam will not be valid. The percentage of correct answers for passing the exam varies from 45% for N5 to 56% for N1.

How to register

Nihongo noreku shiken is held twice a year on the first Sunday in July and on the first Sunday in December. Registration for the JLPT is possible three months before the due date and only a few weeks (for information on the dates of delivery and registration it is best to follow the website of the Japanese embassies). The exam costs around 2300 rubles.

The results become available online two months after the exam.

Japanese bookstores offer a wide variety of Noreku Shiken preparation tutorials for all levels. Often, whole series are published, where each separate textbook is devoted to a specific topic: grammar, hieroglyphics and expressions that you need to know to successfully pass any level of JLPT. You can even arrange a mini-exam at home by purchasing a collection of assignments from past years or a collection of tests, where the assignments go in the same order as in the exam: from hieroglyphs to listening.

How to prepare

Many study guides are issued annually to prepare for the exam: there are textbooks that cover all sections of the exam as a whole, and there are textbooks devoted to a specific aspect of the exam.

Marina Shandra

student who took N2

To prepare for the JLPT, you definitely need to either be like the courses, or solve the exam options from previous years in order to get your hands on it. When passing the JLPT, the speed of completing tasks is extremely important, because one question on average takes from 30 seconds to 1 minute. You need to train yourself for speed and do time tests from the very beginning of preparation. The JLPT exam is just as time sensitive as it is on the HSK exam, so the key to successful exam success is effectively managing time, leaving tough questions for later, and focusing on those questions that feel easy and confident in the answer.

In the remaining time, try to finish the difficult questions, but if there is no time left, then answer at random, not a single question should be left unanswered - the probability of guessing the correct answer is 25–33% (in tests there are 3-4 answer options).

When preparing for the exam, special attention should be paid to hieroglyphs. To memorize hieroglyphs requires persistent training of memory, hands and associative thinking.

The ability to quickly grasp and analyze a large body of text is critical to a successful JLPT. It is especially useful in listening, when, before turning on the audio recording, you need to immediately look and remember all the possible answers, so that you can then listen to the recording, keeping them in your head.

For the JLPT exam, there are minimum word lists that you need to know in order to successfully pass the exam at any of the levels. It would be a big mistake to start teaching them from there. They should be studied in context, so it is worth reading more all kinds of stories, articles, texts. These lists can only be used to identify gaps in the knowledge of certain words.

The main advice is to buy a separate textbook on hieroglyphics and words of one level or another and a separate textbook on grammar. A trained ear will help you to pass listening - listen to Japanese radio more, watch films and programs, and communicate with Japanese as much as possible.

Marina Bondarchuk

student

The main and most elementary advice: don't worry! I myself know many examples when qualified translators took the 1st level, but did not pass, but there are guys who do not speak the language perfectly and successfully pass this exam.

Difficulties with the grammar tasks should not arise if you first solve several test variants and are sure of the correctness of the level you have chosen for passing the exam. Choosing a level is really responsible: after all, you need to be able to soberly assess your own abilities. If you make the right choice, there will be no problems with completing tasks. Preparing for JLPT, in principle, can be done in just one month, having a good basic level of the language and only hone the format.

Subtitle

If you are studying Japanese or are just planning to embark on this difficult path, then most likely you have heard that there is an exam to determine the level of Japanese language proficiency Nihongo noryoku shiken.

In 1984, the need for official confirmation of knowledge of the Japanese language increased among foreigners when studying and hiring in Japanese companies, and it was decided to create a single exam that could do this. This is how Nihongo noryoku shiken appeared ( 日本語能力試験 | nihongo nouryoku shiken) is an exam aimed at determining the level of Japanese language proficiency among non-native Japanese speakers.

It is noteworthy that this exam can be taken in almost any country, not necessarily in Japan, and the certificate will be valid around the world. Usually Nihongo noryoku shiken is rented 2 times a year, on the first Sunday of June and December, but depending on the country or city of residence, it can be held only in summer or only in winter.

To sign up for the exam, you need to choose a level that suits you a few months before it takes place, submit documents to the Japan Foundation (in Moscow, this is the department of Japanese literature at the All-Russian State Library of Literature), pay a small fee and wait for the exam to start. For more information about the exam location in your city, you can find out on the relevant websites for your place of residence.

The exam tests the level of Japanese proficiency in several categories:

Vocabulary and hieroglyphics - on average 40 tasks, where the examinee needs to choose the correct hieroglyph from the proposed ones, determine the correct spelling of hiragana or katakana, and also arrange the parts of the sentence in the correct order.

Reading and grammar - in this part of the text, the examinee needs to answer 20-30 grammar questions, read several texts, after which you need to answer the questions correctly or insert missing words into sentences. Requires an almost complete understanding of what is written, therefore, in my opinion, is the most difficult part of the exam.

Listening - in some tasks it is necessary to listen to the recording and select the correct image or text answer, in other tasks you need to perceive everything only by ear, answering the questions asked or choosing the correct information from the text heard.

It is worth noting that the exam is a test, so in all tasks you need to choose either the correct answer or arrange the words in the correct order. Even if you do not know the answer 100%, you can find it out by elimination, which simplifies the exam a little.

Grading system:

For each part of the exam, you can score from 0 to 60 points (at some levels, parts of the exam are combined and you can score from 0 to 120 points). In total, for the entire exam, you can score up to 180 points, 60 in each of the parts. For each level of the Japanese language, a certain minimum score must be achieved in order for the exam to be considered successful. For example, at level 4, you need to score at least 90/180 points, i.e. at least half. However, there is an important condition that in each of the three parts of the exam you need to score at least 19 points. In other words, if you have an overall score of 120, but only 10 points for listening, then the exam will fail. You need to try to score the maximum points in all three parts.

The Nihongo noryoku shiken exam has 5 difficulty levels:

Level 5 (N5):

This is the simplest level of Japanese language proficiency and includes only the very basics. You need to know only 105 hieroglyphs, about 800 words and several dozen simple grammatical constructions.

You need to dial 80/180 points.

Level 4 (N4):

The fourth level is a more detailed deepening into the Japanese language, which implies an acquaintance with 敬語 (Keigo) polite Japanese, knowledge of at least 300 characters and 1500 words. Grammar constructions allow you to build complex sentences with turnovers.

You need to dial 90/180 points.

Level 3 (N3):

With the third level, you can already get a part-time job in Japan. It is understood that a person can already communicate on everyday topics, write essays and read simple books. At this level, you need to know about 670 hieroglyphs and 3500 words.

You need to dial 95/180 points.

Level 2 (N2):

The second level of Nihongo noryoku shiken allows you to enter some Japanese universities and colleges, as well as get some jobs in Japan. This implies a good command of the Japanese language and communication on almost any topic. For this level, you need to know at least 1000 hieroglyphs, more than 6000 words and almost all grammar used in everyday life and books.

You need to dial 90/180 points.

Level 1 (N1):

In order to find a job in a Japanese company and work on an equal footing with the Japanese, as well as to enter good universities in Japan, you must have a Nihongo noryoku shiken level 1 certificate. The holder of such a certificate must have a good command of polite Japanese, conduct business correspondence, read books in the original, and know a lot of rarely used grammar. You need to know at least 2,000 hieroglyphs and more than 10,000 words. This is the highest level of Nihongo noryoku shiken. When hiring a foreigner, they will most likely ask for a Level 1 certificate.

You need to dial 100/180 points.

From the outside it seems not easy, but in fact, not everything is so scary. If you want to learn Japanese, you can do it and get level 1. Also, please note that the exam does not test spoken Japanese, which greatly simplifies the task.

A few months after passing the Nihongo noryoku shiken, each participant receives the exam results, which indicate the total score, points scored in each of the categories and the test status. If written 合格 (goukaku), then you can celebrate - the exam is passed. If the inscription 不合格 (fugoukaku), it means that the exam has failed and you will need to try next time.

Do not rush to immediately pass to a high level, but test your strength. I am sure you will succeed.

If you want to start learning Japanese or find out what you won't find in regular textbooks, then you can go completely and subscribe to ours. All lessons are based on our own unique methodology, and all dialogues are voiced by a native Japanese speaker.

Never be afraid to learn something new.

See you in class and good luck on your exams!

The Japanese lessons in this section will be useful for those who plan to learn the basics of the Japanese language on their own. If you have already sufficiently mastered the Japanese writing systems and phonetics presented in the sectionIntroduction to linguistics - you can proceed to get acquainted with the materials of this section.

The course "Fundamentals of Linguistics" includes basic lessons (block 1,2 and block 3), designed for 6-8 academic hours of independent study each, as well as a number of additional exercises on the main topics of the course - block 4 (6 more additional lessons, calculated for 24-30 academic hours). These materials will provide a general understanding of the structure of the Japanese language. Each lesson includes several paragraphs: vocabulary, grammar, exercises and tasks with answers, hieroglyphics, and listening ("listening"). To learn more about the structure of the lessons, go to the area of \u200b\u200bblock 1 at the end of the page. The final stage of the "Fundamentals of Linguistics" section is an on-line (interactive) test. With its help, the user will be able to assess how successfully he has mastered this or that volume of material. The procedure for opening access to site materials is described in detail in the Help section. Lesson materials are posted on the site in blocks, in accordance with the curriculum.

Materials available for study:

Lesson block number 1. Fundamentals of linguistics. Part # 1.

Lesson description:
Working with a flash simulator as one of the options for the successful mastering of lexical material and hieroglyphics

Lesson description:
Nouns. Nominative. Personal pronouns. A simple sentence with a nominal predicate. Affirmation and denial. Interrogative sentence. General concepts of hieroglyphs, rules for their writing. Information table with prescriptions - the main features of hieroglyphic signs.

Lesson description:
Demonstrative pronouns. Genitive nouns. Possessive pronouns Interrogative sentences Readings of hieroglyphs Information table with words for hieroglyphs 人 、 水 、 上 、 一 、 二.

Lesson block number 2. Fundamentals of linguistics. Part number 2.

Lesson description:
Japanese verbs. Simple sentences with a verb predicate. Interrogative sentences with a verb as predicate. Accusative case of nouns. Common sentences with a verb predicate. Graphic elements of hieroglyphs Concept of hieroglyphic key Table of key characters Information table with words for hieroglyphs 日 、 月 、 女 、 子 、 木.

Lesson description:
Numerals in Japanese. Counting system. Initial and limiting cases of nouns. Conjoint case. Information table with prescriptions for hieroglyphs 三 、 四 、 五 、 十 、 百.

Lesson description:
The most common cases of nouns Common sentences with a verb predicate Information table with prescriptions for hieroglyphs 六 、 七 、 八 、 九 、 万.