27/09/2026
Sharing an inspiring N4 journey of Aimee, who previously took the N4 twice. She explained how she maintained and improved her scores.
We added a translation in Tagalog alternately.
English: How I got a manten in JLPT N4 Language knowledge
Tagalog: Paano ko nakuha ang manten sa JLPT N4 Language Knowledge
English: When I first started studying Japanese, getting a perfect score sounded like a dream.
Tagalog: Noong una akong nagsimulang mag-aral ng Nihongo, parang panaginip ang makakuha ng perpektong marka.
English: But turns out, you don’t need to be super smart - you just need the right study method and the right tools.
Tagalog: Pero sa totoo lang, hindi mo kailangang sobrang talino. Kailangan mo lang ng tamang paraan ng pag-aaral at tamang kagamitan.
English: Here are the exact things I did to score 120/120 in the Language Knowledge section.
Tagalog: Narito ang mga eksaktong ginawa ko para makakuha ng 120/120 sa Language Knowledge section.
Grammar Section
English: 1. Grammar: I mastered all 50 lessons in Minna no Nihongo (and did every exercise).
Tagalog: 1. Grammar: Pinag-aralan ko nang mabuti ang lahat ng 50 aralin sa Minna no Nihongo (at ginawa ko ang bawat ehersisyo).
English: My whole grammar foundation came from Minna no Nihongo. Instead of jumping across random sources, I committed to one system:
Tagalog: Ang buong pundasyon ko sa grammar ay mula sa Minna no Nihongo. Sa halip na tumalon sa iba’t ibang mapagkukunan, nag-stick ako sa isang sistema:
English: I studied all 50 lessons, slowly and carefully.
Tagalog: Inaral ko ang lahat ng 50 aralin, dahan-dahan at maingat.
English: I completed every exercise in the workbook.
Tagalog: Tinapos ko ang bawat ehersisyo sa workbook.
English: For anything unclear, I wrote my own example sentences until the pattern felt natural.
Tagalog: Kapag may hindi malinaw, gumagawa ako ng sarili kong halimbawa ng mga pangungusap hanggang sa maging natural ang pattern.
English: Because of this, the JLPT N4 grammar felt familiar - most of it really comes from these 50 chapters.
Tagalog: Dahil dito, naging pamilyar ang JLPT N4 grammar — karamihan talaga ay mula sa 50 kabanata na ito.
Vocabulary Section
English: 2. Build vocabulary the smart way (not by rewriting words).
Tagalog: 2. Magtayo ng bokabularyo sa matalinong paraan (hindi sa paulit-ulit na pagsusulat ng salita).
English: Rewriting words 10 times doesn’t help unless the timing is right.
Tagalog: Ang paulit-ulit na pagsusulat ng salita ng sampung beses ay walang silbi kung mali ang timing.
English: To save time and memorize faster, I used MochiKanji every day.
Tagalog: Para makatipid ng oras at mas mabilis matandaan, araw-araw kong ginamit ang MochiKanji.
English: Spaced repetition reminders (The Golden Time): It tells you exactly when to review before you forget.
Tagalog: May spaced repetition reminders (Golden Time): Sinasabi nito kung kailan ka dapat mag-review bago mo makalimutan.
English: Digital notebook: Every word you learn is automatically sorted into 5 memory levels.
Tagalog: Digital notebook: Bawat salitang natutunan mo ay awtomatikong inaayos sa 5 memory levels.
English: Fun learning games: Perfect for tired days. Still learning, but with zero pressure.
Tagalog: Masayang learning games: Perpekto sa mga araw na pagod ka. Natututo ka pa rin, pero walang pressure.
English: Using MochiKanji for just 15 - 20 minutes a day made my vocabulary stick so much better.
Tagalog: Ang paggamit ng MochiKanji ng 15–20 minuto bawat araw ay nakatulong nang husto para dumikit ang bokabularyo sa isip ko.
Reading Section
English: 3. Read a little bit every day.
Tagalog: 3. Magbasa ng kaunti araw-araw.
English: Even 10 minutes of reading helps a lot: NHK Easy, practice passages, or simple manga.
Tagalog: Kahit 10 minuto ng pagbabasa ay malaking tulong: NHK Easy, practice passages, o simpleng manga.
English: The more you see grammar and vocab in context, the faster everything “clicks.”
Tagalog: Kapag mas madalas mong nakikita ang grammar at bokabularyo sa konteksto, mas mabilis na “clicks” ang lahat.
Trap Options Section
English: 4. Learn to spot JLPT “trap options.”
Tagalog: 4. Matutong kilalanin ang mga “trap options” sa JLPT.
English: N4 loves trick answers like grammar structures that look almost the same.
Tagalog: Mahilig ang N4 sa mga trick answers gaya ng grammar structures na halos magkapareho.
English: Words with similar kanji.
Tagalog: Mga salita na may magkahawig na kanji.
English: Polite vs. plain mismatches.
Tagalog: Pagkakaiba ng polite at plain forms.
English: Once you recognize these patterns, multiple-choice questions become much easier.
Tagalog: Kapag nakilala mo na ang mga pattern na ito, mas madali na ang multiple-choice questions.
🎧 Listening Section
English: 5. Listen → check transcript → listen again.
Tagalog: 5. Makinig → tingnan ang transcript → makinig ulit.
English: This simple cycle helped me with both vocabulary and grammar intuition.
Tagalog: Ang simpleng cycle na ito ay nakatulong sa akin sa bokabularyo at grammar intuition.
English: Listen once → Guess the answer → Check the transcript → Listen again.
Tagalog: Makinig muna → Hulaan ang sagot → Tingnan ang transcript → Makinig ulit.
English: It trains your brain to catch patterns you usually miss.
Tagalog: Tinuturuan nito ang utak mong mahuli ang mga pattern na madalas mong hindi napapansin.
Conclusion
English: You don’t need 6 hours of studying a day. You just need consistency, a clear method, and tools that actually help.
Tagalog: Hindi mo kailangan ng 6 na oras ng pag-aaral bawat araw. Kailangan mo lang ng consistency, malinaw na paraan, at mga tool na talagang nakakatulong.
English: And that’s how I got manten Language Knowledge. If I can do it, you absolutely can too. Ganbatte!
Tagalog: At iyan ang paraan kung paano ko nakuha ang manten sa Language Knowledge. Kung nagawa ko, kaya mo rin. Ganbatte!
Hopefully, these techniques she has shared will help other learners who plans taking the JPLT exams.
