N4 or N5?

[ダラゴスちゃん]

I'm a beginner, and would very easily fail both.

However. What one should I choose? Say I complete genki I. Would I be able to pass N5? If so, would it be worth studying for N4? I've heard N5 is very easy, and not worth it. I do plan on passing N1 at some point, but I'm very far away from that goal.

Thanks,
ダラゴスちゃん

[SomeCallMeChris]

It's not 'worth taking' any JLPT test for the certification at levels less than N2, but it is quite possibly worth taking it for other reasons - namely, practice with the format so you're not going in blind to higher levels of the test, and for self-challenge to see where you're at in terms of a standardized test (with all the caveats of standardized testing and why they are flawed measurements, of course.)

If you make it your goal and study daily, you could probably have a decent shot at N4 in the summer session and certainly by next December. Or you could possibly take N5 in the summer session and N4 next december. (I'm not sure if they're going to offer the summer test in America next year though, or what country you're in.)

[ダラゴスちゃん]

It's my understanding that it's given 2 times a year at certain locations. One being boston, which is the closest to me.

Where would finishing genki I get me? Same for genki II?

[SomeCallMeChris]

I really can't say for two reasons - I haven't used Genki myself, but more importantly, it depends on what else you do. If you just study Genki for an hour a day, you'll have trouble passing any test. If you complete Genki and meanwhile spend hours a day watching (without subtitles) Japanese shows, reading manga, memorizing the lyrics to your favorite japanese songs, etc., you could pass N4 without having even properly completed a first year text.

(Of course, I've picked up an enormous amount of knowledge that's useless for passing a standardized test - a lot of casual speech appears in any form of dialogue or song lyrics that is simply never going to be tested. That kind of thing is more important to me than a lot of proper grammar, though, because it directly affects my ability to understand the things that I enjoy watching and reading!)

If you really want to pass the tests as your number 1 goal, then get one of the JLPT study guides and make sure that you can understand everything in it. Sou Matome is pretty much the standard one, but they have a couple of competitors. They are guides though, not textbooks - lots of examples, not explanations. There are free online resources as well that list JLPT vocabulary, kanji, and grammar points for the different levels, but they contain a certain number of inaccuracies. Doublecheck your definitions against a dictionary if you use those.

I'm pretty sure that genki 1+2 covers enough grammar to get you through JLPT N3, but I don't think it covers enough vocabulary and kanji. And of course, having not used them, that's a wild guess based on what I've heard from other people.

[ダラゴスちゃん]

I really can't say for two reasons - I haven't used Genki myself, but more importantly, it depends on what else you do. If you just study Genki for an hour a day, you'll have trouble passing any test. If you complete Genki and meanwhile spend hours a day watching (without subtitles) Japanese shows, reading manga, memorizing the lyrics to your favorite japanese songs, etc., you could pass N4 without having even properly completed a first year text.

(Of course, I've picked up an enormous amount of knowledge that's useless for passing a standardized test - a lot of casual speech appears in any form of dialogue or song lyrics that is simply never going to be tested. That kind of thing is more important to me than a lot of proper grammar, though, because it directly affects my ability to understand the things that I enjoy watching and reading!)

If you really want to pass the tests as your number 1 goal, then get one of the JLPT study guides and make sure that you can understand everything in it. Sou Matome is pretty much the standard one, but they have a couple of competitors. They are guides though, not textbooks - lots of examples, not explanations. There are free online resources as well that list JLPT vocabulary, kanji, and grammar points for the different levels, but they contain a certain number of inaccuracies. Doublecheck your definitions against a dictionary if you use those.

I'm pretty sure that genki 1+2 covers enough grammar to get you through JLPT N3, but I don't think it covers enough vocabulary and kanji. And of course, having not used them, that's a wild guess based on what I've heard from other people.

Thanks!

[pauro03]

あの、すみません。そのげんきのほんはいくらですか?おねがいします!

[Curry_Girl]

$50-$60 US

[pauro03]

えええええええええええええええええええええええええええええええ?!たかいなああああああ!(>.<)

[Shiroisan]

輸入だよね。それに、初級の最高のなので、実際の価値のほうが高いと信じている

That's not that expensive for an imported university textbook that's widely recognized as the best beginner textbook available to english speakers.

[Ongakuka]

Then again, you could just learn Japanese with online resources. Initiative will get you further than any textbook, no matter how genki it is.

[Shiroisan]

Initiative will get you further than any textbook, no matter how genki it is.

Have you seen the beginner resources floating around out there these days D:? There are terribly incorrect translations/ inconsistencies, lack of basic explanation of grammar and blatant skipping of the fundamentals. It's a scary online world Reminds me of my experience with Japanese For Busy People, even though that was a so-called textbook .

It's of my opinion that you could have all the initiative in the world but without any structure or the basics you will be grasping at straws.

[Curry_Girl]

Yeah, trying to study with online resources for almost ten years go me no where. Using Genki I went from nothing to being able to understand 20% of Japanese television in one week. And that's not me exaggerating.

[whizkid]

Yeah, trying to study with online resources for almost ten years go me no where. Using Genki I went from nothing to being able to understand 20% of Japanese television in one week. And that's not me exaggerating.

Dang you`re gifted. If its true then its not about the book. Its about your capability.

[pauro03]

Actually, I was looking for N3 level of Japanese lessons because I already had studied Japanese and my teacher who is a professional told me that my Japanese level is already that of N4 and N5. だからだいじょうぶだよ。でも、ありがとうねみんな!