Best way to prepare N5?

4 comments

1. I haven’t tried passing any jlpt exam, according to online tests I can pass N4. I think that you definitely need to prepare your listening, with using things like for example podcasts (Nihongo con Teppei for Beginners, Bite Size Japanese are pretty good for that level I think) or N5 listening tests. I was kind of surprised when I first heard Japanese but after I started listening every day it’s became more comfortable. I’m not sure if English speakers can do it but I (Polish native) can easily write down any unknown word while listening to check it later, most of the time I get it right without subtitles/transcriptions, with English I’ve never been able to, so Japanese listening is a lot easier than English.
   Also, getting confident with these N5 kanji is a pretty nice thing to do before exam.

2. Take a timed test if you can, I found I had to work at a much faster pace than I expected. There are some listening tests on YouTube that are good preparation, as most people find that the hardest bit. If possible try to practice listening with distractions in the background. When I took the test I was at the back of the room so the sound wasn’t great. Also if your Kanji knowledge is beyond N5, practice reading in hiragana (kids books etc) because otherwise it can throw you seeing words in hiragana that you’d usually expect to see in Kanji. Other than that, get a good night’s sleep and good luck!

3. The todai app has some mock exams you can take, I believe it goes by “easy japanese news” on google play, not sure if different if it is available on apple.

4. The trick to any form of test-taking, aside from knowing your shit, is to make sure you know exactly what it’ll be like. Take practice tests to familiarizing yourself with the format, the kinds and difficulty of questions you’ll be asked, and the timing and pacing you need in order to not get any nasty surprises.