Placement test

Who it is for #

If you are starting a language from zero, skip the placement test. The first module assumes no prior knowledge, and the test will only tell you what you already suspect.

It is worth taking if you have studied the language before, even informally. It finds the point where the course stops being review and starts being new.

The first time you open the Learn map for Japanese or Korean, it offers the test. Choose Take the test, or Start from scratch to begin at module 1. You can also import an Anki deck instead.

How it works #

First you pick the level that sounds closest to you, from "Complete beginner" up to the top of the course. For Japanese the levels run from knowing kana to working on JLPT N4.

The test then checks a couple of modules inside the level you picked, with a few questions each. These are the same kinds of questions the lessons ask. "Complete beginner" asks nothing and starts you at module 1.

It takes a couple of minutes. It is not an exam, and there is no score to beat.

What the result means #

The level you pick is a ceiling: the test never places you above it. If you pass the modules it checks, every module up to the highest one you passed is marked complete. If you miss them, you start at the bottom of the level you picked, and everything below it is marked complete.

The result screen lists the modules you passed. It also names any grammar points you got wrong, and those go into your review queue.

What happens to the vocabulary #

Words from the modules you skip go into your reviews instead of being dropped. Each one is scheduled as if you had already been reviewing it, and words from earlier modules get longer gaps. Words from far enough back count as already known and stay out of your daily reviews. You can still find them in the Card Manager.

Testing out of a single module #

You do not have to decide everything up front. Tap any module you have not finished on the Learn map and choose Test out. This is the better tool once you are already partway through.

A test-out asks about a dozen questions drawn from that module's own lessons. You can miss up to two. Each attempt draws a fresh set, so a retry is not the same test again.

Pass, and the module is cleared, along with every earlier module you had not finished yet (these give no XP). Its words go into your review queue for a quick refresher. If you do not pass, nothing changes, and you can try again whenever you like.