Home > MACC Japanese Proficiency Levels > MACC Standards for Japanese
The table below illustrates varied Japanese language proficiency levels defined by MACC, the cumulative lesson hours that are typically required to attain those levels and linguistic functions learned at each level. The accompanying Standard Tests enable a trainee to realize, within 1.5 hours, which of 10 learning levels from the Beginners to the Advanced he/she falls into, no matter what school, training materials or method the trainee has been exposed to previously.
| Levels | Cumulative Lesson Hours |
Can-Do Sample List |
| Superior | 2,000 | Can effectively communicate formally and informally in any unexpected situation Can understand articles on non-specialist subjects, and write formal presentations and speeches |
| Advanced Ⅲ | 1,500 | Can cope with formal and difficult business situations using effective communication skills Can understand articles on job-related publications, and write long formal business documents. |
| Advanced Ⅱ | 1,000 | Can express one's opinions clearly and communicate effectively by telephone and in a presentation Can understand lengthy business-related materials and write fairly detailed reports |
| Advanced Ⅰ | 700 | Can use the proper style of honorific expressions and communicate in certain formal situations Can read and write fairly long business and personal letters |
| Intermediate Ⅲ | 500 | Can discuss various topics with people personally close and exchange opinions with them Can read and write simple job-related forms and letters |
| Intermediate Ⅱ | 300 | Can talk about matters of everyday interest including business matters Can read and write fairly long notes related to occupation |
| Intermediate Ⅰ | 200 | Can use sentences of reasonable length to describe familiar matters Can read and write short notes and recognize fairly long signs |
| Beginners Ⅲ | 150 | Can converse in simple, but fairly long Japanese in limited situations Can recognize common signs and write simple notes |
| Beginners II | 100 | Can communicate and interact using simple sentences Can recognize some kanji used in everyday life |
| Beginners I | 50 | Can cope with very simple daily situations Can read kana and several kanji for survival use |
