Japanese Language Proficiency Level 2?

[Eucharistadorer227]

Hi, I'm new to the forum.

My question has to do with the JLPT. I want to be fluent in Japanese, but the college I am going to only offers enough education to pass JLPT lvl 2. Is level 2 sufficient enough to live and work in Japan? And can I be fluent with just level 2? Thank you.

Ricky

 

[Ewok85]

JLPT2 will give you enough fluency to work and live in Japan if you study hard, but ideally you would continue studying far past that level.

 

[Gentleman10]

I took level 2 this year. I'd say these test are more SAT like more than anything... if you study what they tell you, then you'll do fine. I think fluency is far from simply passing lv 2 though...

 

[Ewok85]

Depends on how you take it - if you study for the pure goal of getting the JLPT, you will be severely lacking in speaking and listening skills.

 

[Mike Cash]

I live and work in Japan and I only have level 2.

 

[Ewok85]

I'm sure your Japanese would be above level 2, not "just scraping in on a pass" for level 2.

Plus speaking is not required to pass

 

[Mike Cash]

I actually did very respectably on level 2. The only reason I took it was to placate a coworker who didn't want to go take it alone. While I have never done a great deal of what anyone would call studying, and did no preparation for the JLPT other than buying a pencil at a station kiosk on the way to the testing center, I did have the benefit of having spent several years working in a 100% Japanese environment.

 

[Thunderthief]

I'll have to retake 4, I failed it last time.

Im gonna enroll in a university next year because I suck at the whole self learning thing, im not disiplined enough.

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

So fluency can be obtained with the training involved for level 2? Just making sure.

What about in terms of reading things in Japan,like the kanji? Is the level 2 kanji enough? Thanks again

 

[Thunderthief]

From what ive gathered 2 is about at the level of an average japanese national.

 

[ET_Fukuoka]

Level 2 is not an easy test to pass!! With level 2 you can goto Universities in Japan (most) and find jobs. I know people that are very fluent speakers of Japanese that can't pass level 2 to save their lives!! LOL

So, I guess it depends on your focus. I went through 4 semesters of Japanese at the University of Hawaii and learned a lot but my conversational ability was crap(before I moved to Japan).

Study your butt off and find some Japanese people to practice speaking with as much as possible, watch Japanese programs, listen to Japanese, read and write Japanese.

Good Luck!!

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

Thanks again for the replies, they have been very helpful!

So what about the kanji? Reading a newspaper, etc....

 

[Gentleman10]

I think you can find this out on yourself now, there's plenty of sites out there that tell you what kanji you need to know

 

[leonmarino]

So anyone taking level 1 this year?

I made a decision to take and pass level 1 this year. I basically have the months from August to December off, so I plan to cram up all the necessary Kanji's and grammer thingies during these months.

I don't know a lot about the JLPT, except for the fact that it is compulsary for some job offers I saw on the internet. Anyone else going for level 1?

 

[JimmySeal]

The real question is: what kind of work are you hoping to do? If you're looking to teach English for a few years, then level 2 is more than enough. Many English instructors come here knowing no Japanese at all, and a few leave in the end without having learned much.

If you're looking to work in a Japanese corporation or something like that, then level 2 is probably quite short of the mark. I'm not sure what Thunderthief meant by this:

From what ive gathered 2 is about at the level of an average japanese national.

but it isn't remotely true, kanji-wise or otherwise.

Level 2 would be enough to be fairly well experienced with kanji, and read a lot of the things around you, but it's not enough to read a newspaper or adult-level book.

Level 2 is not an extremely high level of proficiency, but you'd be well on your way.

 

[Elizabeth]

Level 2 is not an easy test to pass!! With level 2 you can goto Universities in Japan (most) and find jobs.

I thought a level 1 pass is necessary to qualify for Japanese university entrance. I've also heard most employers judge a foreign worker's language credibility from talking with them in the interview process so any test or certification is sort of beside the point. There may be another exam that schools use to measure actual speaking skills, though..I personally study the language by listening and reading all day which you'd never know through my test taking abilities.

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

So what's your response to my question Elizabeth?

 

[Ewok85]

Having JLPT2 on my resume peaked the interest of everyone I talked to, which showed that I had sat a test and they had a mental benchmark that they could expect from me.

The JLPT does not need or test your speaking ability and lets face it, that's the single most important skill. Studying for and getting the JLPT simply means your reading comprehension and to a degree listening comprehension is at a certain level. Because you are not required to write, nor speak, means that potentially your Japanese is not exactly fantastic.

So fluency can be obtained with the training involved for level 2? Just making sure.
What about in terms of reading things in Japan,like the kanji? Is the level 2 kanji enough? Thanks again

Fluency is not a set standard, what is fluent for me might not be fluent for you.

From what ive gathered 2 is about at the level of an average japanese national.

A low scoring JLPT1 would be the same as the average Japanese national, JLPT2 is approximately the reading level of a 16yr old Japanese.

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

Than if the JLPT doesn't do those things, why do a lot of employers only take people who have passed JLPT 1? I looked at Japanese job listingings online, and most if not all needed the JLPT lv 1 in order to work there.

I really wish I could get a job with just level 2, because I really want to go to this college.

 

[Ewok85]

Than if the JLPT doesn't do those things, why do a lot of employers only take people who have passed JLPT 1? I looked at Japanese job listingings online, and most if not all needed the JLPT lv 1 in order to work there.
I really wish I could get a job with just level 2, because I really want to go to this college.

Because JLPT is a benchmark. Its similar to in my line of work where many employers will say that a certain certification is required to be considered, while having the equivalent experience will get you the job as anyone can study for a test - it doesn't mean they understand or can use it

 

[JimmySeal]

Than if the JLPT doesn't do those things, why do a lot of employers only take people who have passed JLPT 1? I looked at Japanese job listingings online, and most if not all needed the JLPT lv 1 in order to work there.

I really wish I could get a job with just level 2, because I really want to go to this college.

Are you already attending this university, and are you studying Japanese for your degree, or as an elective? There's no real force stopping you from achieving level 1 by the time you graduate, if you are motivated to work outside of your curriculum. Many people pass level 1 without ever setting foot in a classroom.

But the problem is that reaching level 1 in 4 years in an institution outside of Japan is very difficult, and there are probably few universities that can claim to do that for you. I think level 2 in 4 years is actually pretty good. So if you want to reach level 1 by the time you graduate, the answer is not to switch schools, but just to work really hard.

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

And that's exactly what I'll do! lol

Thank's for the reply.

 

[nice gaijin]

passing a test doesn't necessarily equal applicable real-world skills. JLPT completely ignores the most important aspect of Japanese when it comes to actually living in Japan, speaking. Studying for the test will acquire you a level of literacy, but not necessarily fluency. It's always good to have a goal to work towards, just don't think that passing a test means anything more than passing a test.

 

[Eucharistadorer227]

I agree with you on that one.

 

[Sukotto]

Isn't there samples of previous years tests for sale some where, like from those that put on the test themselves,
so one can sort of test themselves.

I wouldn't mind being literate in another language even if I never make it to Japan again.