I wish there was another official test that tested your actual communication skills. I mean, obviously every language learner of *any* language will need to know how to read, write, and know grammar in their target language… but I’ve heard of people who passed the JLPT exams and they still don’t know how to hold an actual conversation with any Japanese native speaker.
But because it’s the only official test to test your Japanese, I feel like I do need to study for it even though the main thing I want to do is communicate with people just so I know my level. Even a native Japanese YouTuber I like took the JLPT N1 and he got a 100%, but nothing was “natural” Japanese. It’s just kind of frustrating. The JLPT focuses purely on the academic parts of learning Japanese (from what I’ve heard about it at least) and while I obviously care enough about that stuff to learn the language…
I want to communicate with Japanese people naturally, watch and enjoy Japanese movies and TV shows and YouTube, read Japanese manga/novels… but then how am I going to know my level if I don’t take the JLPT exams?
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[First hit for “JLPT alternative” on Google…](https://cotoacademy.com/jlpt-alternatives-to-still-test-your-japanese/)
Languages are organic. You can’t just learn a language by studying grammar and vocabulary. All the studying you do towards JLPT is supposed to be supplemented by listening to Japanese and conversing in it.
There’s just so much you can learn from books, you need to go out into the world and actually implement what you have learnt yourself.
Even if there were some sort of vocal test as well it will not be anything close to actually speaking the language with another human being.
You also don’t necessarily need to know “your level”. I’ve been studying for 4 years, and I speak Japanese every 2nd day now for over a year, and I’ve never taken the JLPT. I couldn’t even guess what my level is as I’ve never tried it.
What does “knowing your level” mean?
Just try using the language and see how good you are at doing so? What else is there to know?
Even if you aren’t taking the real test, the grammar, vocabulary, and kanji featured up through at least N2 (and aside from the obscure grammar, N1 even) are very much the fundamental parts of Japanese.
So if you want to know enough grammar and vocabulary to actually understand native content and communicate in Japanese, the material is absolutely relevant
If you want to talk with Japanese people naturally there is only one way to accomplish that. And that is go live there and talk to them as often as you can.
I thought about how this can be tested . And the only way is before a jury that asks you some questions. This makes it very cost ineffective to actually test.