Jplt roundup, January 2010
Posted: January 31, 2010 | Author: Doug | Filed under: Japanese, JLPT | 4 Comments »This is part of a monthly series I’ll post summarizing my efforts thus far to prepare for this year’s JLPT certification test. Hopefully this will guide other, future test-takers.
So, for January, I have been working on the following:
- Evaluating whether I should try for the new N3 test this year or continue onward and risk taking the N2.
- Importing vocabulary into Anki as well as learning new kanji.
- Practicing listening more regularly using podcasts.
For the first item, evaluating which test to take, I decided recently to try the sample tests online for N2 and N3. For N3, I found it was reasonably easy, but the N2 by comparison was quite hard. I might have guessed a couple questions right. So, I feel with some continued preparation, I might have good odds for passing the new N3 test, but what about the N2? Based on the huge amount of vocabulary I have yet to learn, as well as grammar which I haven’t started on, and with other things going on this year, I may not have enough time to prepare for the N2. On the other hand, I still want to work towards the N2, so I may take the safe route and take the N3 this year, but study as if taking the N2.
On the other, I hesitated last year between the JLPT3 (N4) and JLPT4 (N5) and took a chance and took the harder test, N4. I am reasonably certain I passed, so there’s something to be said about taking a risk too. The question is is if I have time to prepare, and if there’s a reasonable chance this year of passing. If not, I think I’d be ready in any case by 2011. So, for now, I continue to work towards the N2. Depending on my progress in the next few months, I think I will be able to make a decision between which one I’ll actually take in December.
As for vocabulary, the active study and importation of vocabulary for the N2 is taking far longer than expected. The old vocabulary list posted here (now potentially out of date, due to new specifications) is almost 5,000 words! A few nights ago, I asked my wife about a couple words and if Japanese people really use them, and she snorted and said, “yeah, those are common words. You really should know them.” This made me realize how limited my vocabulary is, and how much work I need to invest in order to reach even a basic conversational level.
The trouble is with the online lists is that in addition to being long, the definitions of words and the contexts are not always clear. I’ve said weird things to native speakers in the past because I misunderstood the context of a word. So, while I will ultimately learn all the words on the list above, I plan to rely on other sources first, especially the White Rabbit Press flashcards for JLPT3/4 (N4, N5) and JLPT2 (N3, N2). I found that learning vocabulary through the flashcards was useful for a few reasons:
- Memorizing kanji by themselves has limitations, but if you learn enough vocabulary words that use that kanji, it becomes easier and more natural to remember. The flashcards above all include sample vocab words for each kanji relating to the test.
- This also solves the issue of learning vocab words for the N2, since words shown on the flashcards were selected from the previous test specification, and I’ve seen these words on other preparation books I have. I went back to the easier flashcard deck first, since they post some N2/JLPT2 vocab words on there as well.
- I also prefer the flashcards’ definitions of some words as it seems less technical and more practical in how it is used. The online dictionaries are the definitive source, but sometimes I don’t need quite that level of detail.
Thus, I am sort of working on both kanji and vocabulary sections at the same time, thus conserving effort. It’s still taking a very long time to enter everything into Anki, but the work is paying off already as I learn new words I wish I had known previously. If I don’t complete this by March though, I may be forced to consider taking the N3 as the rest of the year will be too busy to keep this up.
Practicing listening is the other skill that is taking a long time to master. As explained on the JLPT prep page, I continue to listen to new and podcasts almost daily, and after almost a year of doing this, I can see small, small progress, but I am glad to see at least that. Also, we now have Japanese TV at home on cable through TV Japan, so that allows more practice that way.
So that’s January. One month down, 11 to go. :-p
That’s what I am doing: studying for N2, but if in the summer I decide I won’t be able to pass, I’ll sign up for N3
. I think vocab list for N2 will still be valid, because they didn’t really change 2kyuu, they just put in one more level between 2kyuu and 3kyuu.
I am using White Rabbit cards + Anki. I am also using Unicom’s 2kyuu kanji and vocab book (found mine in Kinokuniya): http://www.thejapanshop.com/product.php?productid=17415&cat=268&page=1. It gives you vocab and sample sentences.
Hi Ellie!
Yeah, I got a copy of the Unicom book, but haven’t looked at it yet, other than admiring the little red-film thing that hides the kanji readings. Very cool. I may want to crack into that sooner than later.
As for the vocab, it sounds like they’re going more for demonstration of actual language skill and not rote memorization, so when I prepared for the JLPT3, I found I studied actually way too much vocab that wasn’t on the test, but will likely help for N3/N2. But more importantly, there’s so many words that memorization alone isn’t helpful if you don’t know the context, so it’s good to see them in print or hear them on TV since they’ll likely put more emphasis on listening this year, I bet, and that’s good.
But it’s still a mystery until Dec. comes.
It’s also easier to remember words if you’ve seen them used somewhere. I try to study vocab together with sentences, which is why I think the Unicom book is pretty neat. I also supplement my studies with Japanese dramas and manga.
Amen to that, sister! My wife got me to start memorizing less and read more, and she’s right. It helps a ton. I’ve started looking into the Unicom book now that you got me more interested, thank you.
Yes, I started getting into manga now. I am avoiding the image of a manga ‘otaku’, but who knows what tomorrow may bring?