Pass the JLPT With Help From a Busuu Placement Test

The most well-known Japanese placement test is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Passing the JLPT is a fantastic goal for language learners. When you register to take the test, you need to choose a level. If you choose a level too difficult for you, you’re going to have a bad time. Passing will be a huge, unlikely-to-succeed challenge. On the other hand, if you choose a test that’s too easy, you’ll fly through it without accomplishing anything.

Choosing the best level is important. But how do you know your level if you’re a self-taught Japanese learner? Luckily, Busuu is here to help you figure it out. In this article, you’ll learn the best way to find out how good you are at Japanese with a Busuu Placement Test.

Benefits of taking a Japanese placement test for the JLPT

Choose the right JLPT level

If you want to do well on the JLPT, you need to take the right test. The Busuu Japanese Placement Test helps you know your level so you’re not going in blind. You’ll be one step closer to achieving your JLPT goals.

Study the right materials

It’s not all about test day – you also need to study the right test-prep materials. If you don’t know your level, you could waste time studying stuff that won’t help you pass the test. Make sure you prepare in the right way with the Busuu Placement Test.

Check your progress

You can assess your Japanese vocabulary, grammar, listening and reading skills with the Busuu Placement Test. And best of all, you can do it in one easy-to-complete 5-minute test. Check your strengths and weaknesses so you’re ready to smash the JLPT.

What is the JLPT?

The JLPT is the most popular Japanese proficiency test in the world. It’s a standardized paper test that assesses your reading, listening, vocabulary and grammar skills. It doesn’t test your writing or speaking skills, though.

You can take the test twice a year, usually in the summer or winter. But that might change depending on your closest test center.

What are the JLPT levels?

There are five JLPT levels:

• N1 (Advanced)

• N2 (Pre-advanced)

• N3 (Intermediate)

• N4 (Elementary)

• N5 (Basic)

Currently, there’s no official comparison between the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the JLPT. But there will be starting in 2025. Until then, we only have this unofficial comparison that several universities in Japan use:

JLPT - CEFR comparison

Why you should take the JLPT

Here are the main reasons you might want to take the JLPT:

• To work in Japan. Getting an N2 or N1 certificate will boost your employment chances if you ever decide to live and work in Japan.

• To study in Japan. Language requirements vary among Japanese universities. The University of Tokyo, for example, requires JLPT Level N1 for students to join courses taught in Japanese.

• To measure your progress. Even if you don’t have ambitions to work or study in Japan, the JLPT is a fantastic way to measure your progress. You’ll find your strengths and weaknesses. And when you pass a level – which is a huge achievement – the sense of accomplishment will motivate you to study more.

How Busuu knows your Japanese level

The Busuu Placement Test uses an adaptive algorithm to assess your level. Over the course of five minutes, you’ll answer questions testing your vocabulary and grammar knowledge as well as your reading and listening skills. The adaptive algorithm gives you a personalized test to assess your ability. Here’s how it works:

Adaptive algorithms adapt (hence the name) the test questions based on your performance. The test gets easier or harder depending on your answers. Your answer to a question influences what questions come next. If you find a question difficult, the next question will be easier. And if you answer a question correctly, the next question will be at the same level or harder.

The algorithm understands how difficult each question is. This means it can build a clear picture of your ability based on the questions you aced and the questions you struggled with. Each question you answer gives the algorithm more data about your ability. Over the five minutes it analyzes this data to find your Japanese level.

The best app for taking a Japanese placement test

The Busuu Placement Test can tell you in just five minutes what level of JLPT you should attempt. Knowing this lets you start building your study plan and collecting appropriate materials.

You can start by completing the appropriate Busuu Premium course, then move on to more specific JLPT preparation resources. Use the results from the Placement Test as the foundation for your JLPT study, and you’ll get closer to hitting your Japanese language goals.

If that wasn’t enough, with Busuu Premium, you also get access to an online community of millions of language learners and native speakers. Share your work, get feedback and build connections in the Busuu Community.

Why Busuu is the best app for taking a Japanese placement test

Finish in five minutes

Worried about being too busy to take a placement test? Worry not! The Busuu Japanese Placement Test assesses your Japanese knowledge and skills in just five minutes. You can take the test wherever and whenever you want. No traveling to test centers. No making reservations weeks in advance. Get a full picture of your Japanese ability when you need it. 

Assess the skills and knowledge you need for the JLPT

Busuu Placement Tests assess your vocabulary and grammar knowledge along with your reading and listening skills, just like the JLPT. You get a full picture of your Japanese ability. And you get a reliable Japanese level to start your JLPT preparation.

Get a personalized test

During the Busuu Placement Test, your answers influence which questions appear later in the test. The more questions you get right, the harder the questions become. And the more questions you struggle with, the easier the test is. You get a personalized test that suits your Japanese ability.

Six tips for success on the JLPT

The JLPT is a difficult test. It takes a long time, and sitting in the test center with hundreds of other nervous language learners can be stressful. Here are our top tips to make the process go smoothly.

1) Understand your strengths and weaknesses

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you plan your test preparation. You focus on the things that need more attention and waste less time studying things you already know.

The Busuu Japanese Placement Test assesses your grammar and vocabulary knowledge. It also tests your listening and reading skills. This is everything that appears on the JLPT, too. So, it’s a fantastic way to understand your strengths and weaknesses.

2) Study the right topics and materials

Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, it’s time to choose what to study. You need to practice all areas of the test, of course. But focus more on your weaknesses. 

After completing the Busuu Premium Complete Japanese course, get hold of some JLPT-specific materials. The Shin Kanzen Master series and the Nihongo So-matome series are effective resources. The Nihongo Noryoku Shiken Koshiki Mondaishu books have practice tests to hone your skills.

3) Think about question order

Because the Busuu Placement Test identifies your strengths and weaknesses, you can prioritize the order in which you answer questions. For example, reading is a long section in some JLPT levels. If reading is difficult for you, doing the reading section first might be a good idea. But if you find reading easy, you can safely do it after you’ve finished the more difficult questions.

4) Take practice tests

Practicing under test conditions (for example, using a timer in a quiet room with no distractions) can help you prepare. The JLPT is a high-stakes test. Test day is full of pressure and stress. Practicing is the best way to reduce this. You’ll build your confidence by practicing as much as possible.

5) Manage your time

Time management can be the difference between success and failure on the JLPT. Don’t waste time on questions you don’t know. Skip them and come back to them if you have time at the end. Do the most time-consuming tasks first and leave the easier questions until the end. This way you won’t run out of time before answering the difficult questions.

Also, bring a watch. There might not be a clock in the test room. No one will tell you how much time has passed or how much time is left. You need to manage your time carefully.

6) Know the test day rules

Test day is strict, so know the rules beforehand. Here are the key things you need to remember:

• Bring your registration voucher to show to the staff.

• Leave pencil cases at home. Bring a couple of pencils and erasers. That’s it.

• Bring water in a clear bottle without labels on it. And keep the bottle in your bag.

• Turn your phone off. If it rings, you’ll have to leave the test room. They’re very strict about this.

• Don’t leave the room until all test papers have been collected.

Take a Japanese placement test with Busuu today 

Busuu’s Japanese Placement Test is a fantastic place to start your JLPT preparation. It’s convenient – it takes only five minutes and you can take it in the comfort of your own home. It will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses so you can plan your study. And based on the results, you will be better able to select the most suitable JLPT level to take.