JLPT N3-Dec 2011

magesh · JLPT Starter Joined: 13 Jun 2011 Posts: 3

Hi,

I am planning to take JLPT N3 this december in UK
Just starting after a pause of 6months...
Is there some people in UK in this forum to form a group...

Currently i have started to build my vocabulory.. will keep u guys posted on proceedings

kakipiidaisuki · JLPT Starter Joined: 20 Jun 2011 Posts: 1

Me too. I need some encouragement to get me studying - I stopped in March.

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

I was just coming to post about this! I was in classes during the spring and so didn't really study, just worked throughout the semester to type up all the vocab cards. I've studied them here and there but only about 300 of them so far.

Currently doing a kanji program for the N3 where you learn about 50 a week and are supposed to know all 300+ in six weeks, as well as learning about 1200 compounds using those kanji during that time. There's some vocab overlap, but also other new word which I guess is cool.

I'm sitting here going, HOW am I going to learn 1200 words and 300 kanji on top of all the new grammar by December 4th? Part of me is seriously considering just skipping it this year, the other part is kind of interested, just to see how I could score. :I Really torn!

magesh · JLPT Starter Joined: 13 Jun 2011 Posts: 3

@asthenia:
I think we should be able get through this Dec,if we start from now
Dont skip just try hard..

I have just 3 books and going to finish studying them first
Vocabs:
-----------
Mimi kara Oboeru: Mastering Vocabulary through Auditory Learning - New JLPT N3
Grammer:
------------
Mimi kara Oboeru: Mastering Grammar through Auditory Learning - New JLPT N3 (w/CD)
Reading Comprehension
-----------------------------
New JLPT N3 Taisaku-mondai & Yoten-seiri for Reading comprehension, Grammar, & Vocabulary

Vocabs books contains about 900 words.....Just studied only 30 of them last week... I hope to gain pace in coming weeks:)

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

@Magesh

Thank you! yeah I know, I've got to work hard. It's just so frustrating sometimes, I feel like my JP is just totally awful. My penpal mentioned I'd made like 5 particle mistakes in a recent blog entry and I just lost all confidence, right there...

I'm using the Nihongo So-Matome series for vocab, grammar and kanji, and then I have the dictionaries of basic, intermediate and advanced grammar, and The Preparatory Course for the JLPT N3, Yomu which has a lot of big essays to prepare you for the reading sections.

I think I need to sit down and read some books on particles. I just can't read stuff like manga or magazines easily so it's difficult to learn particles from trial and error, especially when they're not corrected outside of class. Sad

CyrilMtl · JLPT Starter Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 40

50 kanji a week ? and all those compounds ?
How do you do that ? it seems kind of extrem for me.
Do you have nightmare in japanese after that ?

I restart working on the JLPT N4 and I am afraid of all the
vocabulary and kanji I need to learn, I have a hard time doing a
'anki vocabulary blitz' like I did for the N5 (old jlpt 4).

C.

NeWbY · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:38 am Post subject:

Well regardles, there's no harm in taking the exam and see how you score. It will only cost you the transport and exam costs.

magesh · JLPT Starter Joined: 13 Jun 2011 Posts: 3

NeWbY is right the certificate is not a matter... How well u remember and learn things does matter...

@ ALL

Some gud links
https://www.erin.ne.jp/jp/

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

@Cyril:

It is sort of extreme, and I definitely think by no means do I have all the compounds memorized but I do USUALLY remember at least 5~6 of the kanji per day. The trick I do is that I study each day previous for that week up until the new day. At the end of the week, I will go back and reflect on all previous cards. This started out not so bad, but now that I'm in week 3, it's already almost 500 compounds Smile

It is adding up quickly. But there's some cards I've fully memorized, others I've half memorized, and some I can't remember at all. I think the point of the book is to get you familiar with the kanji and some basic compounds so that as you study grammar and reading, you'll be able to recognize it more easily, not necessarily that you'll flawlessly remember all the compounds. (Though that's my goal, haha!)

I will say it is SUPER tiring .. some days I'm like I don't want to do this at all, because it's such typical rote work. But, we do what we gotta do! I think it's a good program, and I'm definitely learning kanji at a much faster pace than any other program I've ever seen. My downfall though always has been on and kun, so this has been a good learning exercise forcing me to truly learn BOTH rather than just one or the other.

Newby: I think you're right, and it's honestly what I'll probably do. More than likely I'll still retake it next year - I don't want to move on if I don't receive between a 75~80% as a minimum and I really doubt I'll score that this year, but it WOULD be nice to see how far I come in six months!!!

RGer · JLPT Starter Joined: 16 Dec 2010 Posts: 46

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

Rger@

Yes, you're absolutely right. I tried Anki and Mnemosyne before settling down with this program and my generic flashcard system. I find that the system I'm using is a bit more fun and less pressure than Anki was, but it TRULY is something you just have to force yourself to do. I try and remind myself, it only takes one hour of my night. The way I've been doing it is to pick them up during commercial breaks - I can get through four or five cards each time, and while it might take a few hours, it doesn't feel so torturous XD

zulixia · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 1:12 am Post subject:

I've been studying on and off for about a year very loosely ( which i regret ) I know about 200 Kanji, have about 5 tenses ( informal and formal ) down as a general guideline for verbs. And some vocab and a little knowledge of how particles work.

I've just quit work so now I will take 1 week break to hang and chill with friends. Following this I am going to sit down plan a schedule and try and do JLPT 3 by december, if not July. I've got RTK-1 book for my Kanji which i will just crackdown and learn the other 1800 since there is no definite Kanji list. I have a estimated extensive vocab list with around 3,500 words on it and a grammar list.

It could be difficult...BUT, if i don't think i can do it i'll just take the one in July.

Peace.

CyrilMtl · JLPT Starter Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 40

@asthenia:
What program are you using ? Anki ?
Do you learn how to 'draw' the kanji ? how many strokes ? the key of the kanji ? ... The JLPT is 'only' how to recognise the correct Kanji.

I try to memorize the On and Kun of a kanji by adding vocabulary at my jlpt level using it or some simple vocabulary example.

I remember for my previous jlpt vocabulary blitz how it was tired every day, some word would never go in my brain and I can explain why ...

mac · Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:23 am Post subject:

@asthenia

You should try to at least do a little bit of native reading in preparation for the N3. You not only have to know the word's meanings but also how to use them. There a few good kid's news sites out there to take a look at. I usually go to Yomiuri's site:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/kyoiku/children/

The articles are about recent events and are usually easy to read with the help of rikai-chan/kun.

As for getting demotivated by a couple of particle errors, keep in mind that you are speaking at about a elementary school level, age 10 or so (that's around N3) and just think about how many mistakes you made in your native language at that level. Also, native speakers drop particles all the time in speech, so they are a lot more difficult to pick up, at least in my opinion.

I just recently took and passed the N3 last December. It's definitely doable, so don't give up and every once in awhile stray away from the 'lists' and go have fun, make mistakes and just enjoy communicating, watching J-movies, J-dramas, playing J-video games, etc...

Good luck!

Ichiban_Indian · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:53 pm Post subject:

Hi,

Thank you for the link. It is a good source for beginners to read. This will supplement to recall the words memorized using Mnemosyne or Anki.

Doumo..
Samy

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

@Cyril:

I'm doing several things. On my itouch, I use a program called "flashcard" that cost me 3.99 in itunes. I make all my cards in excel and upload them to the program. I love it. I also have purchased the white rabbit press N2 flashcards and sectioned out the kanji that the Nihongo So-Matome identified as "N3". Once I learn them all via the WRP cards, then I begin using them on the flashcard program.

For writing, yes and no. Up to this point, I take classes at my local college and we've worked our way through 250 kanji, over the next two semesters we'll work our way to 500, and that's where our classes end (and I graduate.)

Up to this point, my goal has just been to read the kanji, because I don't really physically write the kanji often aside from classes. However, I DO want to master them.

My WRP flashcards DO show the meanings, stroke order and stroke count. I wonder, if I started practicing writing them too, once I get through the six week program, if that will help me memorize them? (As well as be able to write!) THOUGHTS??

Right now, trying to memorize on/kun and compounds just like you has been helping me, overall. I REALLY recommend the white rabbit press cards, I love them.

asthenia · JLPT Starter Joined: 03 Feb 2010 Posts: 82

Hey Mac!

Yes, I have a book specifically for N3 "The Preparatory Course for the JLPT N3, Yomu". I just haven't begun using it yet - it's useless until I have most of the kanji at least recgonizable, and know some of the words. Once I finish this six week program (I start week 4 on Monday) and can hammer through the vocab at least twice, I am gonna start doing that.

I am also going to Japan in July, and I plan to try and pick up some children's novels and other similar books as well to help me read. Thank you for that link - I had no idea about that website!

That's very true about the particle thing. I had a long hard thinking session about this the other day, and it took me back to thinking about how my teacher educates us and how I've been learning. Looking back, nearly 0 to N3 in 3.5 years isn't so bad. I'm working hard, and I think I should just be proud of how far I've come.

My goals this summer is to start to try and watching some movies/drama at least 1x or 2x a week, to read some books, to update my journal more and send more emails in Japanese, etc. I'm also gonna hit up toys r us in Japan and see if there's some more games I can buy which will help me practice. Do you think roleplay style games (like final fantasy) are too tough for N3?

I also grabbed a couple books recently on particles. I plan to read through those on the plane Wink

RGer · JLPT Starter Joined: 16 Dec 2010 Posts: 46