JLPT N4 - textbook

[Spiderwick]

I've been using Minna 1 and have started Minna 2 (up to ch. 36) but I'm getting a bit bored. I tend to use it for my online lessons but I just don't find it enjoyable for private study and the grammatical explanations and lack of answers isn't always helpful. I want to take the N4 test this year and was wondering if Genki 2 ( I liked the first one) and Japanese for Busy People 2 would cover it. I'm also using the Kanzaen Grammatical bok designed for the test - rather like this. What do you think about these textbooks?
Barbara

[mwbeale6642]

Hi Barbara,

My view is that Japanese for Busy People 3 takes you up to the level of N4. In J4BP3 you will study things like the causative, passive, humble forms, honorific forms, よう、みたい、らしい etc. These are all parts of the N4 "syllabus". The Japanese for Busy People books are really beginner books (it is difficult to imagine that J4BP3 is a beginner's book when you first start J4BP1!). The N4 test is meant to be a beginner's test, so N4 and J4BP3 seem to line up. In terms of Jpod101, I reckon you want to have done the beginner series lessons and lower intermediate season 6 (not necessarily the earlier lower intermediate series lessons) to be at N4 level.

I thought the ARC academy N4 grammar book was really useful: and the "basic 1800 words" vocabulary book. My view is that you might as well know the vocab and kanji if you are going to take the test (rather than just assume that you should know the right sort of vocab).

Anyway, that was my experience (I passed N4 in July).

I hope this reply was useful to someone even if Barbara has already succeeded with N4.

Martin

[mmmason8967]

Anyway, that was my experience (I passed N4 in July).

Congratulations!!

マイケル

[karmitthefrog6725]

Barbara-san and Martin-san, kon'nichiwa!
Martin-san N4 goukaku omedeto gozaimasu!
AS Martin-san mentioned, N4 is designed for those who finish beginner level Japanese.
We cover it with Beginner series and some lower intermediate courses. For example, Lower intermediate Season6 is the bridge course between beginner and other lower intermediate seasons, and season3-5 covers some of the grammar points you need for N4.
Japanese for Busy people I-III, Genki1-2 and Min'na no Nihon-go shokyuuI&II are categorized as the introduction to beginner Japanese textbooks.
There are minor differences but basically the level and the grammar points they cover are not so different.
You can study by yourself with Genki but would have difficulties with Japanese for Busy people and Min'na no Nihon-go, since Genki has lots of grammar pages and because the last 2 are designed for teaching in the class with a teacher.
I hope this helps and please feel free to ask any other questions.

Motoko
Team JapanesePod101.com