Jlpt 3, 2009: 合格!

I had to push out another post planned today1 to post my results for the 2009 JLPT certification test. I passed level 3 (N4 as of 2010)! 合格しました (gōkaku shimashita)! :D

As long-time readers know, I started very early in 2009 and just studied and practiced like hell,2 which was critical as the last months were spent repatriating back in the US and had lots of interruptions. The test was a little different than I expected, and more difficult probably because I knew this was the real thing, and I was nervous. My final score for JLPT3 was the following:

  • Kanji/vocab: 97/100. This is the relatively easier section, so I wasn’t too surprised here.
  • Listening: 91/100. Listening is hard to develop when you don’t live in Japan, so listening to podcasts and online TV helped. I thought I would get a worse score.
  • Grammar/Reading: 91/100. Ouch, I thought I would do better here. Maybe I was tired, but I did have some issues with the reading comprehension questions which were harder than I expected. Guess I need to practice reading a lot more. Grammar also is still not my forté.

The good news is that I am certified as a JLPT3/N4 now. The bad news is that JLPT3/N4 is considered beginner level. So even after a year of work, I am a certified “beginner” of Japanese. Much work is needed to get to N3 or even N2 where I can finally have some bragging rights. That will not be a trivial challenge though.

Congrats to everyone who passed this year and for those who didn’t pass some advice:

  • Exposure to Japanese language in as much variety as you can muster, is key.
  • Consistent practice is key.
  • Stretch yourself and delve into things beyond your comfort level and keep doing it until it becomes mundane.
  • Invest in plenty of study material and resources.

Language is among the most difficult things to learn due to its real-life challenges, and the amount of patience and dedication required, but the results, and the ability to communicate with people from other cultures, is well worth the effort. Hang in there! :)

1 Wasn’t ready anyway. Busy week. :p

2 HUGE thanks to Robert at Shiawase.co.uk for some sagely advice which I took to heart. :)

About Doug

A Buddhist, father and Japanophile / Koreaphile.
This entry was posted in Japanese, JLPT. Bookmark the permalink.

8 Responses to Jlpt 3, 2009: 合格!

  1. Stephen says:

    Congratulations!
    You have a certification in Japanese, that is something I don’t have.
    Just as a tool that helped me a lot: even living in Japan I found myself in a setting where I didn’t hear a lot of Japanese everyday. I think everyone nearby thinks I was listening to music while I raked the front and stood on the train: I was listening to books by Akutogawa and Soseki recorded for the blind and elderly. I did not understand at all what I was listening to at first, but after listening to a story hundreds of times without trying to understand the meaning, over time became understanding.
    I hate studying, and for me this was a way that a silent trainride turned into a lesson without any effort, just a modern day device and classic Japanese literature as BGM.
    From what I know, you probably don’t have the spare time I had, but just listening is profitable by my experience, the same I stand by for the Nembutsu and Sutra’s, hear it enough and makes a difference.
    Anyway, I know you took the hard route, and you nailed it.
    Congratulions Doug!
    Stephen

  2. Congratulations good friend!!!

  3. Ellie says:

    Congratulations!

  4. Jeff Wilson says:

    Congratulations! Your hard work really paid off.

  5. Adam says:

    Congrats! I missed passing level 2 by about 10% but that’s what I expected so it’s no big deal. It was my first time taking the test and I’m glad I did it. Now I know how better to prepare, and pace myself during the test. Congrats again, that’s a major achievement.

  6. Doug says:

    Wow, thank you everyone for the good wishes. :)

    @Stephen: You’re story about the audio stories really hit home. I’ve been doing the same thing with online podcasts. I am going to write about that in an upcoming post. Arunlikhati, another reader, got me turned on the idea, and I took her advice to heart. I think that helped the listening section, but as the next level is much harder, I have to really expose myself to Japanese a lot more now, and with more native-speed.

    Your story gives me confidence that if I keep listening daily, it will get easier. I know it should be logically, but it’s nice to hear from others who’ve been in the same experience. Thanks!

  7. Robert says:

    合格おめでとう〜♪

    those are pretty high scores. definitely to the right of the bell curve. Much higher than mine (especially in listening). I reckon you already have an achievement to be proud of.
    Onwards and upwards!

  8. Doug says:

    Thanks Robert!

    Once again, I have to thank you for your advice on the subject on your blog. When I started I really had no clue where to begin, what books to get etc, so your posts were a big help. :)

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