JLPT N2 Lesson 1: Written Japanese vs Spoken

Overview

Transitioning from N3 to N2 requires a fundamental shift in how you perceive Japanese style. While N3 focuses on general communication, N2 demands the ability to distinguish between kōgotai (spoken style) and buntai (written style). Understanding these differences is essential for reading newspaper editorials, academic reports, and professional correspondence, as well as for passing the JLPT reading and listening sections.

In this lesson, we will explore the structural differences between these two modes of expression. You will learn how to convert casual speech into formal prose, identify nominalization patterns, and understand the nuances of formal conjunctions. This foundation is critical for future lessons on advanced business Japanese and complex argumentative writing.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson you can:

• Convert casual spoken sentences into formal written prose using 〜である and 〜ではない.
• Identify and apply nominalization patterns to create concise, professional sentences.
• Use formal conjunctions like したがって and すなわち in written reports.
• Distinguish between subjective spoken opinions and objective written analysis.

New Vocabulary

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English	Part of Speech
論文	ろんぶん	ronbun	thesis/academic paper	Noun
記事	きじ	kiji	article	Noun
報告書	ほうこくしょ	hōkokusho	report	Noun
考察	こうさつ	kōsatsu	consideration/inquiry	Noun
述べる	のべる	noberu	to state/mention	Verb
したがって	したがって	shitagatte	therefore/consequently	Conjunction
すなわち	すなわち	sunawachi	namely/in other words	Conjunction
傾向	けいこう	keikō	trend/tendency	Noun
根拠	こんきょ	konkyo	basis/foundation	Noun
妥当な	だとうな	datōna	valid/appropriate	Na-Adj
概ね	おおむね	ōmune	generally/mostly	Adverb
側面	そくめん	sokumen	aspect/side	Noun
構成	こうせい	kōsei	composition/structure	Noun
意義	いぎ	igi	significance/meaning	Noun
観点	かんてん	kanten	point of view	Noun

Grammar Points

1. The Written Style: 〜である / 〜ではない / 〜といえる

Structure: [Dictionary form of Verb/Adj] + である / ではない / といえる

In formal writing (essays, reports, news), the copula だ is replaced by である. This provides a sense of objectivity and authority. While だ is personal and subjective, である is detached. Similarly, 〜といえる (it can be said that...) is used to present a conclusion based on evidence, rather than a personal opinion.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
本稿の目的は以下の通りである。	ほんこうのもくてきはいかのとおりである。	Honkō no mokuteki wa ika no tōri dearu.	The purpose of this paper is as follows.
それは必ずしも正しいとはいえない。	それはかならずしもただしいとはいえない。	Sore wa kanarazushimo tadashii to wa ienai.	It cannot necessarily be said that that is correct.
結論はまだ出ていない。	けつろんはまだでていない。	Ketsuron wa mada dete inai.	A conclusion has not yet been reached.
このデータは信頼性に欠けるといえる。	このデータはしんらいせいにかけるといえる。	Kono dēta wa shinraisei ni kakeru to ieru.	It can be said that this data lacks reliability.

Common mistake: ❌ 私はそう思うだ。 → ✓ 私はそう考える。 — だ is never used with verbs. Use 考える (to think/consider) for formal writing.

2. Nominalization (〜こと / 〜の) in Written Style

Structure: [Verb/Adj] + こと / の

Written Japanese often turns clauses into nouns to make sentences more concise. In formal reports, こと is preferred over の because it sounds more definitive and objective.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
調査を行うことが重要である。	ちょうさをおこなうことがじゅうようである。	Chōsa o okonau koto ga jūyō dearu.	Conducting the survey is important.
計画の変更を検討することとした。	けいかくのへんこうをけんとうすることとした。	Keikaku no henkō o kentō suru koto to shita.	We decided to consider changing the plan.

Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Academic Discussion

Two students discussing a research paper.

Tanaka: この論文の結論、どう思う？ (Kono ronbun no ketsuron, dō omou? / What do you think of this paper's conclusion?) Sato: 根拠が少し弱い気がするよ。 (Konkyo ga sukoshi yowai ki ga suru yo. / I feel the evidence is a bit weak.) Tanaka: 確かに。データが古いよね。 (Tashika ni. Dēta ga furui yo ne. / True. The data is old.) Sato: 筆者は「改善が必要だ」と言っているけど。 (Hissha wa "kaizen ga hitsuyō da" to itte iru kedo. / The author says "improvement is necessary," though.) Tanaka: それは誰でも言えることだよね。 (Sore wa dare demo ieru koto da yo ne. / Anyone could say that, right?)

Dialogue 2: Formal Report Presentation

A manager presenting to the board.

Manager: 本年度の売上は、概ね順調であるといえます。 (Honnendo no uriage wa, ōmune junchō dearu to iemasu. / It can be said that this year's sales are generally steady.) Director: 利益率についてはどうですか？ (Riekiritsu ni tsuite wa dō desu ka? / What about the profit margin?) Manager: 利益率は低下傾向にあります。したがって、コスト削減が必要です。 (Riekiritsu wa teika keikō ni arimasu. Shitagatte, kosuto sakugen ga hitsuyō desu. / The profit margin is on a downward trend. Therefore, cost reduction is necessary.)

Grammar Drills

Exercise 1: Fill in the blank

1. この結果から、成功したと（　　　）。 (hint: 〜といえる)
2. 調査を（　　　）ことが、今回の課題である。 (hint: nominalization)
3. 彼は忙しいので、会議には（　　　）。 (hint: 〜ではない)

Answer Key:

1. いえる 2. 行う 3. 出席しない

Translation Practice

English → Japanese

1. It can be said that this plan is valid.
2. The purpose of this report is to state the facts.

Japanese → English 3. したがって、結論は変更された。 4. このデータは信頼性に欠ける。

Answer Key:

1. この計画は妥当であるといえる。
2. 本報告書の目的は事実を述べることである。
3. Therefore, the conclusion was changed.
4. This data lacks reliability.

Cultural Note

In Japanese, the distinction between "uchi" (inside/informal) and "soto" (outside/formal) is reflected in language. Using である in a casual setting can make you sound cold or arrogant, while using だ in a formal report makes you sound unprofessional or childish. Mastering this balance is the hallmark of an N2-level learner.

Furthermore, Japanese writing often omits the topic (wa) when it is clear from context, leading to a more compact, "dense" style compared to English. This is common in academic writing where the subject is implied to be the research itself.

Self-Check

1. Why is である preferred over だ in writing?
2. When should you use 〜といえる?
3. How does nominalization change the tone of a sentence?