{"id":102582,"date":"2023-09-30T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-30T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=102582"},"modified":"2023-09-25T04:33:22","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T04:33:22","slug":"passing-the-jlpt-n3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/passing-the-jlpt-n3\/","title":{"rendered":"Passing the JLPT N3: what you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re planning to pursue further education in Japan or if you are in search of employment, having a JLPT (Japanese Language Certificate Test) certificate will come in handy. JLPT N3 is the intermediate-level test and acts as a bridge toward the harder levels<\/strong> of N2 and N1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the third part of five in our JLPT series and today we will focus on JLPT N3. Read on if you want to learn how to best prepare for the JLPT N3 and why studying for JLPT N3 is useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An introduction to the JLPT<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The JLPT foundation was established in 1984 and has since gone on to create the most widely-taken Japanese language test in the world – the JLPT. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exam acts as an indicator of your Japanese language comprehension and is used in screenings by universities, and Japanese employers hiring foreign workers. Passing a JLPT exam is also valid for meeting the government\u2019s 150-hour study requirement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are five levels<\/strong> of the JLPT. With N5 <\/a>being the most basic level and N1 being the most difficult. You do not have to pass a certain level before moving on to the next level. For example, you do not have to pass the N4<\/a> before you can attempt the N3 exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each exam tests you on four things: reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Japan, the exam is typically held twice yearly – once in July and once in December. There are many overseas testing sites, but not all of them offer the chance to take the test twice a year. The official JLPT website has the latest information on where the testing sites<\/a> are and when they offer the chance to take the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why take the JLPT N3 exam?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although a JLPT N3 certificate generally isn\u2019t enough to land you a job or get you accepted into a university, there are some exceptions. For example, some vocational schools accept JLPT N3 as their minimum requirement and if you are an engineer or a programmer<\/strong>, chances are that you might land a job with a JLPT N3 certificate due to the high demand in those fields of work.

If you want to work in Japan, it is still recommended to have at least a JLPT N2 to open more doors and increase your chances of finding employment. The JLPT N3 is perfect for that purpose as it trains you toward the harder levels of N2 and N1. The formula is almost the same and you learn how to study efficiently.

Furthermore, when reaching the intermediate range in your Japanese studies, everything becomes kind of fuzzy and it\u2019s hard to know what steps to take next Studying for the JLPT N3 is helpful because it provides you with a clear goal and structure<\/strong> so that you can identify what needs to be studied next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"JLPT<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What does the JLPT N3 exam test on?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main difference from JLPT N4 is that JLPT N3 takes you away from your comfort zone in everyday Japanese and towards more specific and difficult content such as newspaper articles. Not only your comprehension level but your comprehension speed<\/strong> is tested as well. Expect to see texts that are longer and more difficult within a stricter timeframe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the JLPT tests, the difficulty curve is not linear, but exponential. Thus preparing for the JLPT N3 takes roughly as long as it takes for JLPT N5 and N4 together. To pass the JLPT N3 you need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n