Study plans and JLPT
Practical guides on speaking, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and study planning, written for learners who want to use Japanese in real life.
Study plans and JLPT · Page 4
JLPTA Three-Month JLPT Study Plan That Actually Fits
Most three-month plans are written for someone with empty evenings. This one assumes a job, a commute, and at least one week that goes badly wrong.
15 min read
JLPTJLPT Reading Strategy: Beating the Clock
Most candidates who fall short on the JLPT do not fail because the passages were impossible. They fail because the clock ran out while they were still translating.
14 min read
JLPTJLPT Exam Day: What to Expect and How to Pace
The JLPT rewards candidates who have already lived the day once in their head. Knowing the order of events and the pacing cues leaves your attention free for the Japanese.
15 min read
JLPTHow to Use JLPT Mock Tests Properly
Most learners take mock tests. Far fewer use them. The score is the least useful thing a practice paper gives you, and the error log is the most useful.
12 min read
JLPTIs the JLPT Worth It for Getting a Job in Japan?
The JLPT is worth having and it is not enough on its own. It gets your application read; the interview is still a conversation, and the certificate cannot hold that conversation for you.
12 min read
JLPTThe Gap Between JLPT N3 and N2, and How to Cross It
N2 is not simply N3 with more vocabulary. It asks you to do different work with Japanese, and knowing which five things change makes the gap crossable.
13 min read
JLPTJLPT Vocabulary Strategy for Every Level
The JLPT vocabulary section does not reward the size of your word list. It rewards knowing what each word does inside a sentence.
13 min read
JLPTWhat to Study After Passing JLPT N1
N1 is the top of the exam ladder, not the top of the language. The useful question is which of the three remaining directions you need most, and what your first project in it will be.
13 min read
JLPTJLPT Level Versus Real Japanese Ability
A certificate and a conversation are two different achievements. Knowing exactly which parts of your Japanese the exam measured, and which it never looked at, tells you what to practise next.
12 min read
Learning strategyHow to Learn Japanese from Manga Without Bad Habits
Manga lets you read Japanese above your grammar level because the pictures carry half the meaning and many titles print furigana over the kanji. The risk is copying speech that no one would use with a stranger.
11 min read
Learning strategyLearning Japanese with Japanese Drama and Film
Live-action drama is the closest thing to a recording of the conversations you are training for. The trick is to study two minutes of it properly rather than watching ten hours of it hopefully.
11 min read
Learning strategyHow to Learn Japanese with Music and Song Lyrics
A song can give you hours of willing listening practice and a chorus you will never forget. It can also teach you sentence habits that sound strange the moment you speak them.
14 min readPractical guides
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