Nihongo Sou Matome Review Upd
This "little and often" approach is the series' biggest selling point. You are never overwhelmed. The daily workload is incredibly light—usually 15 to 30 minutes per book. If you study one book, it’s easy. But if you study all five books (one hour per day for each), you might spend 2.5 hours daily.
(often abbreviated Sō Matome ) is one of the "big three" JLPT preparation series, alongside Shin Kanzen Master and Try! . Published by Ask Publishing, it is famous for its color-coded, time-boxed format : the entire book is broken down into 6–8 weeks of daily 2-page lessons. nihongo sou matome review
| Feature | | SHIN KANZEN MASTER | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Difficulty Level | Easy to Moderate | Moderate to Brutal | | Explanation Depth | Shallow (2-3 sentences) | Deep (Paragraphs + nuance) | | Daily Workload | Light (15-30 min) | Heavy (45-90 min) | | Visuals | Full color, cartoons, charts | Black & white, dense text | | Best For | Quick review, busy schedule, weak students | Mastery, strong students, intense study | | Practice Volume | Low (5-6 Qs per day) | High (20-30 Qs per day + mock tests) | | Price | ~$15-20 per book | ~$20-25 per book | This "little and often" approach is the series'
: Explanations and translations are provided in English, Chinese, and Korean , which is helpful for quick comprehension. Detailed Review by Subject Nihongo Sou Matome - Review If you study one book, it’s easy
This is where Sō Matome shines. The pages are in with a modern, clean layout. Important points are highlighted in boxes, and cute illustrations (often a running gag involving a clumsy office worker named "Tanaka-san") break the monotony. For many learners, especially visual learners, this is a godsend compared to the dense, monochrome pages of Shin Kanzen Master .
literally translates to "General Summary." True to its name, it summarizes rules rather than explaining them. If you do not understand the nuance between two similar grammar points, this book rarely explains the difference. Translations Can Be Clunky: