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Japanese test
Free 15-minute Japanese quiz. Instant results.
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This short Japanese test will help you understand your level from beginner to advanced. The questions are based on everyday Japanese communication tasks, not specific vocabulary or grammar skills.
Quick Japanese quiz. Instant results.
Check your level from beginner to advanced
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Understanding your Japanese level
The tricky thing about knowing your Japanese level is that to some extent, your level is unique to you, depending on how and where you've studied Japanese. However, unlike many languages which have a huge array of textbooks, the majority of Japanese language schools use the Minna no Nihongo method. If you have taken a Japanese course using those books, you can estimate your level based on how far you got through the books. However, if you're self-taught, or have moved beyond the textbooks, a Japanese test or an evaluation by a Japanese teacher is likely to be the best way to measure your Japanese level.
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FAQs
Taking a Japanese test is the most frequent way to find out your Japanese level, but you can also talk to a Japanese friend and ask them to estimate your level, or use self-evaluation grids listing which things you can and cannot do in Japanese at each level. If you plan to sign up for a Japanese course, there will be a placement test to make sure you're in class with other students who have the same Japanese level you do.
The most widely recognized Japanese exam is the JLPT, which comes in five levels from N5 (beginner) to N1 (advanced). Each of these exams must be taken in a separate session, so you'll need to have an idea of your Japanese level before you can sign up. To prepare for this paid exam, most people buy a book of practice exercises or take an exam preparation course. There are also short quizzes on the JLPT website to get an idea of the level of each exam.
If you're planning to sign up for a Japanese university as a foreign student, the EJU is often required. It is both a Japanese test and a test of other subjects, to make sure you have the level required by public universities.
One of the most effective ways to track your Japanese level over time is to keep a learning journal in which you record your study sessions, the material you cover, and archives of your written and spoken Japanese skills. You don't need to keep every exercise or worksheet, but having a log of how frequently you are studying and what you are working on as well as samples of your Japanese month-by-month is both a motivating and complete way to track your Japanese level as you learn.
It depends how actively you are studying. If you're taking an intensive Japanese course, have recently moved to Japan, or are studying several hours a week on your own, you should check your level every six weeks. That's how long it will take for you to make measurable progress. However, if you're not actively improving your Japanese, or are only studying a little bit, there is no need to check your level so frequently. In fact, it can be discouraging. A single Japanese test is enough to benchmark what level you have reached. You can always test yourself again in a year or two if you feel your level has changed.