The word for “play” in Japanese does not necessarily have the same context in Japanese as it does in English.

In English when we think play we think, in general, we think games or sports. From tennis and golf to video games or mind games.

The word 遊ぶ (あそぶ) can mean up to three main things.

• to play
• to spend time pleasantly
• to pay a social visit

To Play generally refers to the concept of playing not “actual” playing.

• こどものとき、よくともだちとあそびました
• When i was a hild, I often played with friends

To Spend Time Pleasantly refers to having a good time like going to a club or hanging out with friends.

• せんしゅうのしゅうまつはとうきょうにあそびにいきました
• I went to Tokyo to have fun last weekend

To Pay a Social Visit refers to when you visit someone as more a social obligation to be nice. Like if you had in-laws you hate and they invite you it is a social call to go visit them usually “playing” isn’t involved.

• わたしのうちにあそびにきてください
• Please come and see us again

The last one is the one that bugs me the most as it is so often mis-translated or purposely not changed in translation. I have seen a few j-drama where someone is invited to a house, party, or in one case a boat ride. Each of these they left play as the translated word and it is confusing if you don’t know the context from the Japanese langauge point of view.

If you want to say you are going to play a sport or video game you would use the verb する.

• テニスをする
• テレビゲームをする

There are other nuances to “playing” stuff, but this is the gist of it. I’ll come back down the road and expand more.

Update: Just Another Day in Japan posted a good compliment to this. Give it a read.Let’s enjoy Japanese: Playing around

Yesterday was JLPT day and I did fail it. Whether it is graded that way or not I am not sure. However, I failed it in my opinion. That being said I would not trade the experience for anything in the world. I am going to include some picture of the trip too so not so much reading all at once.

My World of Japanese
Lets look at my world of Japanese first. I take a class at local community college and am president of the Japanese Language Club there. On the side I go to our local city Japanese Language Club meetings once in a while. As for study I watch hours of J-Drama and anime along with trying to follow ajatt with SRS and generally having fun with learning. Also if you read here much you know I blog about the Japanese Language too, like grammar for example. I realize now how small my world is.

My JLPT Experience

Kanji Section
This I found was more of a misnomer because only about 2/3 of the section was actually kanji, which I rocked it hard, it was my best section. The last 1/3 of that section was more vocab than kanji, which is why I call it a misnomer. My biggest problem was I didn’t understand the instructions to well so I had to guess at what was going on. Since I sat in front of the classroom I could watch while they organized all the test answers sheets and saw I guessed mostly right on the instructions. Unfortunately my old nemesis vocabulary stepped in and struck me down, I have a huge problem remembering words. At the end this was my best section and I didn’t do so hot on it I think.

Listening Section
I utterly failed this section. I have a problem because of my ADD when I hear too many words in a conversation I get bored and my mind drifts. Well while that didn’t happen per se. The listening section had WAY to many words.

Essentially the listening section was a recording and the instructions before they started the CD said “We are now going to start the test”. Well to me that means staring at number one. It took me about 2 minutes to realize they were starting on example 1. All words on the CD where in Japanese and probably only half of the CD by the end pertained to actual questions. So 3/4 of the way through that section I had heard to many words and couldn’t concentrate anymore. I now know a new problem to overcome.

I think this was an important section because it really re-enforces that there is a lot of Japanese to pay attention to listening wise.

Grammar Section
Grammar part was the second hardest part for me. What I found quite interesting was the grammar that I knew I am 90% sure I got right. However, there was a LOT of grammar I had never even seen before so it left some to be desired on my ability to answer these questions. I had to go with the best educated guess I could make.

What I learned

As I said before I failed this the JLPT in my opinion. However, it doesn’t bother because I had a great experience taking it. In my post “The JLPT CAN be Used to Measure Proficiency” I mentioned that it is all about the approach. I went in and didn’t take the test to pass it because it needed passing. I took it to measure skill passing didn’t matter all that much to me, would be nice though.

The biggest thing I learned is what I have been trying to avoid admitting to myself for a year now. That is I am using my Japanese class as a crutch to learning Japanese. I should be using it to compliment my learning Japanese. Instead I am putting my efforts into the class as my primary study method. I need to get back to AJATT and have class be secondary, but still pass the class.

I now realize more that I have a LONG way to go. In my little world I have seen a lot of Japanese, but have had no real effective gauge of exactly how much there is to learn. The book I use isn’t exactly the best at helping to show how dumbed down it is. Taking the JLPT has provided me a way to breakout of the normal day life and into another world of the Japanese language and prove to me I have a long ways to go still yet.

Final Thoughts and the Future

One thing I really enjoyed about the trip was getting to meet other people, in person, outside of my area that are learning Japanese too. It was a lot of fun to hear about there experiences, study techniques, and backgrounds. It was really cool to hear how many people were excited about Japanese, and to see how many nerds were there too, I include myself in that one.

I recommend everyone take the JLPT if you are learning no matter what level you take, just remember how you approach it. I’ll take the JLPT next year too, except i’ll go up one or 2 levels. My study habits need to change and will. And overall that is why the JLPT was a win for me because now I know how low on the skill level I really am where and what I need to improve. All is not lost and there is a bright future ahead in learning I am actually more energized after yesterday than anything else.

Have you taken the JLPT before and what was your experience like?

It is JLPT season and emotions are running high as people cram at the last minute and trolls come out in droves to tell JLPT takers how pointless it is. I have seen no less than 15 tweets on how pointless the JLPT is to measure Japanese ability.

As noted in the comments of “What is the JLPT” post there is the j.test that does test actual proficiency of a persons knowledge of Japanese for day to day use. However, it is only available to take in Japan and China. So that leaves the rest of the world with the JLPT.

So then it comes down to how can a test that has tons of books over passing strategies actually test proficiency?

That is easy. Its all about the approach.

There are 3 keys to approach the JLPT to test your proficiency in Japanese.

1. Don’t look at the test go in as cold as possible. Maybe look up what will be on the test, but avoid doing example test.
2. Learn Japanese organically and not specifically for the JLPT.
3. Work hard for an A on it following the 2 key points above.

The key to all this is if you don’t look at the test then you don’t know what is on it or how it is worded so you can’t get any preconceived strategy tips on how to pass. In fact don’t look them up at all. Use the knowledge you have to take the test. The test should be there for you to test ability to to test if you can pass a test.

If you avoid studying the test and instead focus on your regular learning habits of japanese, which should not include just JLPT stuff, you will be amazed at how much of the JLPT stuff you have actually learned. For, example in club we printed off a bunch of example JLPT questions and handed them out to the club members. Most are 3rd semster students and have no desire int he world to take the JLPT. However, by doing normal study things since the first Semester I would say everyone would have passed the test based on how quickly we moved through it. This shows actual knowledge and that club members do have some proficiency in Japanese even if only a little compared to fluent speakers.

Just remember to work hard studying Japanese with the JLPT only in your mind about when test day is. After all learning Japanese is more important than passing the JLPT. The JLPT is just a gauge for you to measure where you are at and where you need to improve.

Remember it is all in the approach. If you are taking it to pass it then why take it? If you are taking it to challenge yourself to learn Japanese and to know where you stand then you are testing knowledge to testing ability.

The JLPT, Japanese Language Proficiency Test, is a standardized test for those people that do not speak Japanese natively to give them a gauge of there level of competency in Japanese. It can be used to help companies see how much you know. It is a great way to see where you are at because of what it takes to pass. The tests have a standard format for all levels so that you have consistency in level of tests.

Thanks http://www.furuanimepanikku.com/ for this awesome image

Before reading on note this is the last year they will have 4 – 1 next year they are going to have a 5 – 1.  However, they are made up basically as 4, 3, 2.5, 2, 1; roughly is how you can look at the new format..

Overview

Here is a general idea of what to expect, and what you need to know to pass. All approximations as actual numbers seem to change in reading about it.

Level 4:

• 100 kanji
• 800 vocabulary
• Beginner Listening
• 150 hours of study
• 60% to pass
• 100 minutes

Level 3:

• 300 Kanji
• 1500 Vocabulary
• Basic Listening
• 300 Hours of Study
• 60% to pass
• 140 minutes

Level 2:

• 1000 Kanji
• 6000 Vocabulary
• Intermediate Listening
• 600 Hours of Study
• 70% to pass
• 145 minutes

Level 1:

• 2000 Kanji
• 10,000 Vocabulary
• Advanced Listening
• 900 Hours of Study
• 70% to Pass
• 180 minutes

Test Sections

There are 3 key sections to the whole test.

Characters and Vocabulary (100 Points, Level 4 – 25 min, Level 3 – 35 min, Level 2 – 35 min, Level 1 – 45 min)

• Identify correct kanji for given situation
• Select hirigana readings for kanji
• Appropriate term for sentences, appropriate
• Usage of words

Listening Comprehension (100 Points, Level 4 – 25 min, Level 3 – 35 min, Level 2 – 40 min, Level 1 – 45 min)

• Choosing picture to represent spoken conversation
• Same as above no visuals

Reading Comprehension and Grammar (200 Points, Level 4 – 50 min, Level 3 – 70 min, Level 2 – 70 min, Level 1 – 90 min)

• Passages of various size to test comprehension
• Fill in the blank/paraphrase key points
• Select Correct Grammar structure to convey point, test conjugation and postpositional agreement

Controversy

I am firm believer in the “All Japanese All the Time” method of learning Japanese, I mean the method just makes sense. However, I do disagree with several things on what Khatzumoto has to say, check out “Why Japanese Classes DON’T Suck”. I also happen to partially disagree, again, with him, but this time regarding the JLPT. Here is an excerpt from his site on this post about the JLPT it sums up his thoughts best. Why I Hate the JLPT and Why It’s a Waste of Your Time and Money.

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test is just like every other standardized test in that it doesn’t measure actual ability or proficiency in the field in question; it merely measures proficiency in taking the test. Oh, don’t get me wrong — you need to know some English to understand SAT directions and some Japanese to understand JLPT instructions, but beyond that it’s all about splitting the stupidest, ugliest hairs imaginable.

This is the most common objection to the JLPT or standardized tests in general. However, my view is one of knowing Japanese. I am constantly amazed that I know some Japanese when I can read something and understand what it says. Even though to some degree I know I can read and understand some it still catches me off guard. That is why I think the JLPT is fine to take if you are willing to spend the money on taking it and traveling wherever you need to go. If I can pass it I know I have a base level knowledge of Japanese with something to back it up, plus it is another mini goal to achieve.

Conclusion

Hopefully this provides you with an overview of the JLPT and a little surrounding it. I mostly did post to better break down what the JLPT and some of the views on it. Let me know what you think of it or how you think it went when you took it. I am hoping to take 4 in the winter.