Do you need a JLPT1?

[Nokutetsu]

I've heard a few people complaining about studying for their JLPT1. Apparently, almost none of it is helpful for everyday life, and the words and kanji are almost never used by everyday people.

To speak, write, and understand fluently enough, will a JLPT2 suffice? I'm not wanting to get into a Japanese university or anything, so on a local level will it be enough?

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by Nokutetsu

I've heard a few people complaining about studying for their JLPT1. Apparently, almost none of it is helpful for everyday life, and the words and kanji are almost never used by everyday people.

To speak, write, and understand fluently enough, will a JLPT2 suffice? I'm not wanting to get into a Japanese university or anything, so on a local level will it be enough?

I presume that stands for Japanese level proficiency Test?

If it does, I am also wondering why the words are not used by all the everyday people, presumimng it's the case. You would wondwer wy they have such a test case.

[Altaire]

yes it is enough

[Nyororin]

I don`t know where you are getting your information about the content of the test... Are you sure you`re not mixing it up with the Kanji Kentei?
JLPT1 is still not truly fluency level, and the content is most definitely used by real people in everyday life.

Do you need it though? Unless you are aiming for a Japanese university or want it on your resume to get a job in Japan... No. You don`t "need" any level of it to get by in life. You could probably stumble and get by at the JLPT4 level. You`d sure miss out on a whole lot though...
It`s a test of ability. Not a requirement to speak Japanese or live in Japan. It isn`t necessary to take at all.

If the words and kanji used in the JLPT1 were never used in daily life, there is no way I`d have passed it.

[MMM]

In my experience JLPT1 is only required if you want to be a translator or interpreter and have no experience.

[KyleGoetz]

In my opinion, being JLPT2, JLPT2 is insufficient for being in a Japanese university studying in Japanese. Not being JLPT1, I can't speak about the value of getting JLPT1, but just being at JLPT2 is insufficient IMHO.

Being somewhere between JLPT2 and JLPT1 may be sufficient, but being just barely at JLPT2-level is not.

About the time I passed JLPT2, I attended a high school history class and couldn't understand half of what the prof was talking about. Granted, it was probably a lot of Nobunagas and Battle at [Japanese place name], but still, I don't think being a just-passed JLPT2er is sufficient from a practical standpoint.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

If the words and kanji used in the JLPT1 were never used in daily life, there is no way I`d have passed it.

So tell me when's the last time you used いかんせん、んがために or 禁じ得ない.

Seriously Nyororin, JLPT1 is very academic. I agree that somewhere between JLPT 1 and JLPT 2 is the sweetspot.

And no JLPT test will make you fluent, conversly, you could haveno JLPT quals but totally fluent.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kirakira

So tell me when's the last time you used いかんせん、んがために or 禁じ得ない.

Seriously Nyororin, JLPT1 is very academic. I agree that somewhere between JLPT 1 and JLPT 2 is the sweetspot.

Sweet spot for what exactly? You could technically get by in life without much problems with JLPT3. But if you want to read anything more difficult than a light novel, it`s going to be pretty hard without JLPT1 or thereabout.

I never said it wasn`t academic or that every little bit of it was used on a regular basis. Of course there are going to be words, phrases, and kanji that aren`t used on a daily basis. But can you honestly say that everything added between JLPT2 and 1 is hardly ever used? If so, I certainly don`t share your opinion. Remember, you don`t have to have a perfect score to pass, and I am fairly certain that at least 80% of the vocabulary and patterns appearing on the test are common enough to fall into the "regularly encountered" category.

Maybe my household is just weird, but んがために and んばかりに are everyday terms - and 禁じえない likes to rear it`s head when discussions get passionate. At the very least they aren`t that uncommon, especially if you read more than manga. Maybe they`re used more in different regions? My husband`s family speaks what is supposedly one of the oldest dialects in Japan...

[jesselt]

Does it really matter if they're used in every day life or not? JLPT1 is supposed to be hard, so it should be testing you on difficult material.

[blimp]

what i am missing is a level between 1 and 2, like 英検準１級. that could be useful to prove a certain proficiency.

my very limited experience of JLPT is that you can pass level 2 without studying but for level 1 you do need to study.

now this wasn't really what the OP asked for so i will just have to blame myself for wanting to try my new netbook