Japanese Language

What do N1, N2, etc. indicate?

Yaaay team November 28, 2023
Three young employees laugh while sitting in front of their computers around a wooden table. 
Some of you may wonder "what's that?" when seeing N2, N1, etc. as the required Japanese level by the company. N1 through N5 are the 5 levels of The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).

What is the JLPT?

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most established Japanese Language Proficiency Test designed to measure and certify the Japanese language proficiency of non-native Japanese speakers.
A majority of Japanese companies looking to hire non-Japanese use this test level to determine a candidate's Japanese language ability during the application screening process. 

The test is based on a mark-sheet format, and the test subjects include "language knowledge (characters, vocabulary, grammar)", "reading comprehension", and "listening comprehension". Neither a conversation nor composition test is included.

The JLPT is administered twice a year, in July and December. Outside Japan, the test may be held only in July or December depending on the city.

What does each level indicate?

The JLPT is divided into five levels, with N5 being the most beginner-level and N1 being the most advanced. 

Learning Japanese grammar and vocabulary is essential no matter which level of the test you take, but instead of the elementary levels N5 and N4, we recommend you to focus on passing the N3 test, which indicates that you can carry out daily conversations. At N3, you should be able to work independently without constant assistance from Japanese colleagues, and read, understand, and follow Japanese manuals . 
N2 is recognized as the business level, and the highest level, N1, is being able to interpret.

■Skills Necessary■
(N5)　Be able to read basic Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji, as well as basic everyday
         conversations.
(N4)  Be able to read and listen to familiar everyday topics with basic vocabulary and
        generally follow along with the content
(N3)  Be able to read and listen to everyday topics and understand the main points of
        the content
(N2)  Be able to read and listen to a wide range of topics with clear opinions and 
        understand the content. Conversational grammar
(N1)  Be able to understand complex topics at the level of native speakers. Formal
         and written grammar

It is a test you should definitely take!

Please check the JLPT website for an outline of the test, how to apply for the test, and the level of Japanese language proficiency for each level.

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test: https://www.jlpt.jp/e/index.html　

The JLPT is the most standard way for Japanese companies to assess a candidates' Japanese level, so it is always a good idea to take the test if you are seeking employment at a Japanese company.
In fact, even if your Japanese language skills are very high, if you have not taken the JLPT, you risk being eliminated during the application screening process. This is because companies in Japan still rely on the JLPT as a means to objectively assess your Japanese level. But at the same time, we Yaaay are working on shifting away from this standard, so that Yaaay users with all levels of Japanese can be viewed as strong candidates.

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