what is conversational level of japanese?

[vasia]

Hi everybody！ anybody knows the answer? guess need to have some level of JLPT,not sure which.after how long time of studing usually can reach this level? would really appreciate your help

[Kuroneko]

Originally Posted by vasia

Hi everybody！ anybody knows the answer? guess need to have some level of JLPT,not sure which.after how long time of studing usually can reach this level? would really appreciate your help

There are 4 different tests at 4 different levels. The 4 one is the easiest you only need to know some basic Japanese language skills, about 2 or 3 years worth of study.

The 3 one you need to know a bit more, You have to know at least 350 kanji and be able to read Kana 100%

2nd test You need to have a bit more fluency and must know about 1000 kanji

1st test you are fluent you can convey an idea in Japanese with ease (don’t know how much Kanji must be known I forgot XD)

These are only my observations, I didnt have enough time to find the actual standard minim requirements on the JLPT(sorry)

[Pachipro]

Conversational level Japanese is when you can have a decent conversation about almost any topic in Japanese and be able to convey your ideas to the person you are speaking with. You don't have to be fluent, just able to convey basic ideas. Fluency will come after much practice in speaking the language on a daily basis.

When I lived in Japan, it was said that a person could be considered "fluent" if he/she could conduct of all their daily business, like going to the supermarket, the post office, riding the trains, purchasing something, paying their rent and bills, etc., all in Japanese regardless of their level or whether their Japanese was a little "broken" at times.

I knew some foreigners who had a far lower level of the written and spoken language than myself, but they were still able to live comfortably and conduct their daily business.

One need not take a test to judge their level of fluency or conversational ability unless it is required for work or something.

[samokan]

Originally Posted by vasia

Hi everybody！ anybody knows the answer? guess need to have some level of JLPT,not sure which.after how long time of studing usually can reach this level? would really appreciate your help

I have to agree with Pachiro, and passing and taking the JLPT test does not necessarily mean that you are already fluent in Japanese.
I've know some chinese who pass JLPT 2 or even 1 and are not that fluent in Japanese, why? because JLPT 2 and 1 are mainly compose of Kanji. Since the test is only a written, they have a great chance of passing it.

The test is very helpful if you want to get a job in a Japanese company. This will be used as an assessment that you can read and write Japanese. For conversation, that would be assessed on the interview, so if you have both then you can have a bigger chance of landing into a job.

[Nyororin]

I would say that all that passing the test means is that you could pass the test.
I know that sounds strange, but I`ll explain.

I know quite a few people who have passed high levels of the English proficiency test in Japan who can barely speak English - However, they studied for the test, and passed the test. They have the ability to pass that level of the test, but not to actually USE and converse at that level.

Although it`s nice to be able to show that you have passed some level of the JLPT (if it were worthless, I wouldn`t have bothered taking the lv 2 and then lv 1) , in a business setting I would say it really comes down to how much real ability you have.

Conversational Japanese is the ability to convey what you are trying to say in ANY way that is comprehensible to the other party. Say, for example, if you don`t know the word for something, you have the ability to describe it in a way that is accurate enough to convey the meaning. ie. "Red truck with sirens" meaning "fire truck". Or... "Place where you mail letters" for "post office". Even with a relatively sparse vocabulary, someone can have a conversational level of Japanese.

Think of the way a small child speaks - it doesn`t stop them if they don`t know the word for something. They just describe it to the best of their ability, and it still sounds "natural".

[Eomer]

what Nyororin says here is too true, my vocab is probably my weakest point, yet I have many "constructive" conversations everyday, albeit sometimes talking about things a little vaguely.

[enyafriend]

As a rule of the thumb, one who has attained the Japanese Level 1 would know enough most basic vocabulary and would be good enough to hold a basic conversation, though, with errors here and there.

Of course, as one's JLPT Level improves, their language proficiency and understanding would gradually improves.

But then again, conversational Japanese proficiency requires constant practice. A high JLPT level does not neccessarily translate to a high level conversational fluency. Only constant practice does that.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by enyafriend

As a rule of the thumb, one who has attained the Japanese Level 1 would know enough most basic vocabulary and would be good enough to hold a basic conversation, though, with errors here and there.

I think you mean the other way around - The JLPT level 1 is the highest level. Level 4 is the lowest. At level 1, you better be able to read a novel and have an in depth university level discussion about it.

Either way, I really don`t put too much faith in the tests. All that it means is that you can pass the test - not that you can actually make any use of the stuff covered. Especially with the JLPT. I`ve seen Chinese exchange students pass the JLPT 1 with seriously poor Japanese skills... They just know all the kanji covered by it, and it gives them a huge advantage.

And more on my take of the JLPT...

I did take the JLPT - 2 and then later 1 - but they don`t really mean much of anything. I`ve never used it for anything, and doubt I ever will. I`ve heard of a lot of people using it to help get a job, but if talking to me isn`t enough to prove my Japanese ability, then I wouldn`t want to work there anyway.
It`s sort of like the Eiken - It is just a pretty paper. Most people study for the test, not study the actual content. (It`s hard to explain this, but I hope the idea gets across.) They memorize the patterns and strategies they need to pass the test, not to actually learn the stuff in a way so that they can use it. English teachers in Japanese schools generally have the top level of Eiken, but god forbid you actually try to get them to use any of that skill because it isn`t really there. I`m sure they spent the week before the test memorizing every little pattern and then promptly forgot it all the minute they passed.

It doesn`t help that listening is like 10 steps down from the actual reading content. Where in the written part they`re asking you to distinguish between 4 very similar high level kanji, in the listening you end up with two extremely slow speaking people talking about cleaning up dog poo outside their apartment... That a 5 year old could understand.

You should be able have a conversational ability LONG before the written ability... Which is why I really don`t like the JLPT. It doesn`t say a thing about your actual Japanese abilities.

[enyafriend]

Oops, that was what I meant, level 4, level 4, level 4, leve............
Thanks for pointing that out.