Japanese Language Proficiency Test: Crap or Not?

[madinhiroshima]

As the title suggests I am curious about the JLPT. I am thinking of taking level 3. I have never taken a J class, but have casually studied and have knowledge picked from neighbors and family. I am married to a Japanese woman and live in Hiroshima. My listening level is OK, but I am terrible at speaking.
I am interested in using studying for the test as a way to focus my studies so that I can improve my speaking abilities. I am not overly . Is the JLPT a useful way to focus my studies?
No matter what I do I will, and do, muddle through conversation with my neighbors.
Thanks for the replies

[GomiGirl]

There are some good JLPT grammar books and sample tests. Give them a go.

A good basic grammar series is Minna no Nihongo. It covers everything and the English book for grammar explanations are well written.


Studying just for a test is never a good plan but if you see it as complimenting your survival Japanese it will be useful as long as you use what you learn in daily life. The books explain the things that you have absorbed and if you a person who thinks logically it will click into place.

[madinhiroshima]

thank you for the advice. sorry that i did not respond more quickly than 2 weeks. i had the opportunity to be incomunicado and took it. i have the minanihongo book and will use to back up my daily use. i think that i will give the test a miss. cheers

[kamome]

There is a great thread here on FG containing a looong debate about the JLPT and its merits/demerits. Do a search for JLPT and see what you find. There are some interesting insights about the test and Japanese language in there.

[akatsuka]

the JLPT is good if you need to proove on paper that you can speak japanese, but in reality, i think you can pass without actually being able to 'speak' japanese.... for example, i passed level 3 in 2004. In 2005 I went to Japan and couldnt speak. I could write, listen and read, but the words wouldnt come out of my mouth. So I had the proove i could speak level 3, but in reality, i couldnt.

as you are married to a japanese woman, best bet is to practise with her for fun whilst doing minna no nihongo. as you are living there, just take a big gulp and talk rubbish to everyone.

...its what i did!

[Kurofune]

It certainly doesn't hurt to have the highest JLPT rating you can get. Opportunity that depends on it could always come knocking.

You could see if your wife would agree to a Japanese-only rule at home, or at least designate days for each language if she wants English practice. One caveat is that a lot of guys who get most of their practice with wives or girlfriends develop feminine Japanese. Joining something like a martial arts club or photography club would help you get exposure to masculine Japanese too.

[Pikoro]

Yes, exactly what has happened to me. When I speak japanese I sound either gay or like a little girl

Someday I will get some guy friends... but the girls are so darned cute....