N1 Update! - February 5th, 2021

@danielvannn
Hey and welcome on the community forums :partying_face:

At the moment we have plans for around 200-220 N1 grammar points.

I hope it helps,
Cheers! :cowboy_hat_face::+1:

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The fourth and final batch of N1, Lesson 2 is here!

にしてみたら・にしてみれば - for, in the case of, if A were to look at it, in the eyes of A

だの - things like, and so on, or something, and whatnot

くまでも - to the (bitter) end, stubbornly, persistently

- for the purpose of, in order to, to ensure

ところ(を) - when, while, in spite of (the circumstances), regardless of (the circumstances)

Cheers!

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That makes me very happy! :slight_smile:

Btw, do you have any plans (any time in the future) for a different study path that is laid out not by JLPT order but by actual frequency of use and usefulness in real world?

Isn’t that how the JLPT is already organized, though? The most common grammar is covered in N5-N4 (て-form, causatives, passives, etc.), while rarer stuff is in N1. It’s all sorted by how widely-applicable the grammar is, not by the difficulty of each point in isolation.

@Kai

For the most part you are definitely correct! But it’s not completely so.
There are quite a few N2 and even N1 grammar points that are used super often and there are some rarely used grammar points even in N3.
This alternative path wouldn’t be much different, but overall it would still be better than just following JLPT if your only goal is understanding everyday Japanese (e.g. manga, conversations, etc.).
Just to give you a simple example: when I was just starting Bunpro about a year ago my level was that of beginner N3. I knew 90% of N5 and N4 grammar and good chunk of N3. But as I was adding grammar points (I did that manually) I was constantly surprised to find a lot of grammar points at higher levels (e.g N3 and N2) that I considered to be trivial beginner grammar. I would have assumed they were part of N5. So, from purely frequency/usefulness point of view this new patch would still be sufficiently different.

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Is there such a list out there?
What is the frequency based on? (what kind of source)
I’m just wondering because I’ve seen vocabulary lists that are based on newspapers and you end up with a list that’s definitely skewed in one direction (still useful though).

At the moment we have plans for around 200-220 N1 grammar points.

This is super exciting. Do you have a goal in mind for when to have it finished by? Perhaps sometime in 2021? Curious to see what the roadmap looks like for @Pushindawood and @mrnoone

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I recall a thread discussion on WK forums discussing a grammar parser within some of newer reader tools people have been working on. They can do this with vocab already (assigning N level) but of course the variations of grammar make it a more complex problem.

I hope to see this some day, I think it can be done eventually and would be ground truth on the frequency of grammar points specific to each native material.

Also when the JLPT restructured in 2009, the line between N2/3 is not as clearly defined between various sources. I was trying to track higher priority N2 material here I was encountering, would be great to consolidate Kanzen and Soumatome’s list someday too.

The first batch of N1, Lesson 3 is here!

からある・からいる - as much as, as many as, at least

にして② - to be ~ and ~, to be ~ as well as ~, both ~ and ~

つ〜つ - two contrasting actions

くまでも② - just, only merely, strictly

であれ〜であれ - whether or, or, no matter which, in either case

Cheers!

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Thanks for continuing to add these

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The JLPT test has been evolving over time (probably getting harder each year :smiley: ) …Going through the official workbooks is probably a good idea… but still, in 2 or 3 years they would be lightly obsolete.

When I went through Soumatome N3 and Kanzen Master N3 grammar books, some of the grammar points that were considered on Bunpro ( and other resources) as N4, N3 and N2!! (as probably the examiners include grammar points from all levels and N3 is like a stepping stone for N2…).

Kanzen N3 and Soumatome N3 agree on a lot of the grammar points. However Kanzen just has a lot more… Kanzen Master N2 Grammar book also had some N4 / N3 level grammar points hehe. (eg. おかげで、のせいで)

In Kanzen Master N2 and in one drill N2 book that I finished, there were a few N1 grammar points too …

Kanzen and Soumatome have less grammar than what is available on Bunpro… When I finished Kanzen N3 and Soumatome N3 + a N3 drill book, I still had about 30% to study on Bunpro… Somehow I was 20% done with N2 too at that time.

Hope this wall of text is useful…

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The second batch of N1, Lesson 3 is here!

が最後 - once, now that, as soon as

いかなる - what kind of, no matter what kind of, no … (with a negative verb); any… (with a negative verb)

なりに・なりの - in ones/its own way, of someone’s own, do ones best in one’s own way, as much as one can

Verb[passive] + ままに - do as (one is told/ordered…), in accordance with, in compliance with, just like

にまつわる - surrounding, related/relating to, associated with, connected to

Improved Search

We are expanding upon Bunpro’s search functionality by incorporating searchable keywords like "formal,"¹ “polite,” “colloquial,” “particle,” etc. We hope that as we increase the number of these keywords you will not only be able to find exactly what you are looking for more quickly but also be able to categorize your searches.

Starting today, you will also be able to search for grammar points without a Japanese keyboard or IME.²

¹Also try “硬”
²Currently, N5, N4, and N3 are searchable via rōmaji. N2 and N1 coming soon.

Edit - October 21, 2020: Added N4 to rōmaji search.
Edit - October 27, 2020: Added N3 to rōmaji search.

Try these newly searchable keywords:

Formal or 硬

Particle

Demonstrative

Colloquial

Polite

Casual

Masculine

Feminine

Conditional

Hypothetical

Counters

Emphasis

Cheers!

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Nice! That’s a feature I’ve been looking forward to for a while

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The search expansion to include those keywords is awesome! Great idea!

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Yessssss :partying_face: Removing that tiny bit of extra friction is awesome!

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Thank goodness; I’m usually more than fine with searching in Japanese, but my usual laptop has that keyboard locked down. :\

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The third batch of N1, Lesson 3 is here!

たる(に) - to be (in a position of), as a, for

(の)なら〜で - if ~ should, before ~ should

をものともせず(に) - making nothing of, ignoring, in defiance of, regardless of, disregarding

にはたらない - no need to, cannot, not worth it to, not suitable

ものと - think that, believe that, expect that, have confidence that, absolutely

Cheers, and stay safe!

18 Likes

The fourth and final batch of N1, Lesson 3 is here!

まえて - based on, considering, keeping in mind, taking into account, therefore

ゆえ - because, the reason is, due to, therefore, so

Noun1 + という + Noun1 - every single, each and every, emphasis, everything that could be called

にとどまらず - not limited to, not only…but also, not stopping at

おもいきや - thought…but, when…thought that…but, despite having thought…

Cheers, and stay safe!

18 Likes

The first batch of N1, Lesson 4 is here!

いな - whether or not

たら〜で - even if, if

べくして - as expected, meant to, supposed to, destined to, sure to

まま(に) - as (one likes/feels/pleases), spur of the moment, wherever one fancies, spontaneously, on a whim

かれ〜かれ - or, either or

Cheers!

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I’m impressed by the pace at which you have been putting these out! This is easily becoming the most complete one-stop-shop for Japanese.

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