Intro
After the background of How Anime Inspired My Passion for the Japanese Language. In this blog post, I’ll share the resources that helped me learn the Japanese language for the self-study method.
At the end of this blog post, I’ll share my N5 test result… I got the result today morning 31 Jan 2025. And why I am doing the JLPT exam.
Resourses to help study Japanese:
Actually, as I begin to check what are the best resources for self-study or is good to just find a course online or attend a language course at a campus.
I’ll start with the latter since the first takes a lot to explain:
For face-to-face campus: There is an amazing university called NUML University, this uni specializes in Languages there are almost all languages that a person interested in can learn, and they provide various levels starting with certificates to diplomas also, some have Bachelor’s degrees and few have Master Degree. But first, check their website to know more.
But when it came to me, their times were not suitable for me because I was working. So, I said let me try self-study.
Self Study: I did my first online course for Japanese Language I did Marugoto for a while. Eventually, I decided last year in July that I would do the JLPT Exam, yet I was confused between N5 and N4 since N3 I felt there was a lot on me. In the end, my decision was N5.
So, I have missed the date for July 2024. I had to wait and apply for the Des 2024 Test. This gives me like 6 months to really prepare for the first time. I planned to check some videos on Youtube by people who have taken the exam, to create my plan:
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Find a Study Book, I have picked from the two famous books Ginki and Mina no Nihon Go the latter. The Study book had everything but, I have put all the required Kanji for N5 in a section in my copy so I can memorize them in my free time, a section for every lesson grammar, and a section for vocabulary with answering book questions.
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I have chosen to study for 4 hours but to behonest life won’t relieve you for it grap so when I could not I had to make up time to waste hours. I couldn’t finish the whole book before the exam, I have just finished 5 first lessons.
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I did not focus on writing much and speaking since these skills are not tested in the exam, it’s a Muiltbull choice question, for Reading, Grammar, vocabulary, and lastly Listening.
Note You can enhance your skills of speaking and writing if you wish when preparing for the exam but you need to put extra time and effort. I couldn’t because my life experience is different from you all, and I respect it.
Please find the Links to resources in the Links Section I used to help me study the language on my own.
Conclusion
Now, after I have given you some brief about my studying plan I still choose learning by myself for my N3 JLPT. My reason for studying Japanese it may sound silly but I want to watch anime without subtitles and as I am trying to find an opportunity to complete my higher studies in Japan, I want to be comfortable with the language.
My result of the 1st Des 2024 Exam as shown, it shows that I did not pass! But considering everything I have mentioned above, I see an achievement and I don’t want to bring the maximum score I want the passing which is 80. Yet, I couldn’t have them this time.
Finally, My plan now is to prepare for N3 as I have a whole year to prepare for the exam. And if I did not pass that one I’ll repeat it till I get the passing score.
Just take it easy.