タグ: numbering system

Japanese Learning: Numbering System for Counting Number of People; Hitori, Futari, San’nin —

The numbering system fir counting number of people in Japanese is as below;

– one = Ichi, one person = Hitori

– two = Ni, two people = Futari

– three = San, three people = San-nin

– four = Yon, four people = Yo-nin (Don’t say Shi-nin which means a dead person)

– five = Go, five people = Go-nin

– six = Roku, six people = Roku-nin

– seven = Shichi, seven people = Shichi-nin

– eight = Hachi, eight people = Hachi-nin

– nine = Kyuu, nine people = Kyuu-nin, Ku-nin

– ten = Juu, ten people = Juu-nin

As shown above, you need to remember Hitori and Futari, but for three and more, you just use the quantifier “-nin”.

Practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Kono Kyoushitu ni Ryuugakusei ga Nan-nin Imasuka. (How many international students are in this classroom?)

B : Kono Kyoushitsu ni Ryuugakusei ga Yo-nin Imasu. (Four international students are in this classroom.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section 11 of “Minna no Nihongo” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning: Quantifier “mai” to count “sheet-like” objects.

We have already learned numbering system when counting objects;

Hitotsu, Futatsu, Mittsu, Yottsu, Itsutsu, —, To’o

Using this numbering system, you can express how many objects there are, as below;

1. Ringo ga Yottsu Arimasu. (There are four apples.)

Note that there is no particle used right behind “Yottsu”. If you apply “Wa ga construction” as below, it is completely WRONG;

<WRONG> Ringo wa Yottsu ga Arimasu.

<RIGHT>  Ringo ga Yottsu Arimasu.

Actually “Ringo wa Yottsu Arimasu” is also right, but let me use “ga” to be consistent with the sentence 1 above. And it is important to know that “Yottsu” is descriptive for the verb “Arimasu”. Therefore, we can think “Yottsu” has a function as an adverbial.

In addition to numbering system “Hitotsu, Futatsu, Mittsu —”, there are more detailed numbering systems in Japanese. That is to use a quantifier in accordance with shape and/or nature of the object.

Today we are going to learn one of quantifiers, “mai”, which is to count “sheet-like” objects. Take a look at the following examples;

– There is one sheet of paper => Kami ga Ichi-mai Arimasu.

– There are two postcards => Hagaki ga Ni-mai Arimasu.

– There are three towels => Taoru ga San-mai Arimasu.

– There are four stamps => Kitte ga Yon-mai Arimasu.

– There are five photographs => Shashin ga Go-mai Arimasu.

– There are six tickets => Kippu (or Nyuujouken) ga Roku-mai Arimasu.

As well as “Yottsu” functions as an adverbial in the sentence 1, these [number-mai]s are also functioning as adverbials for the verb “Arimasu”. “Arimasu” is an intransitive verb. Let us use a transitive verb for today’s conversation;

A : Hachi juu Go en no Hagaki o Nan-mai Kaimashitaka. (How many “85 yen postcards” did you buy?)

B : Hachi juu Go en no Hagaki o Kyuu-mai Kaimashita. (I bought nine “85 yen postcards”.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section 11 of “Minna no Nihongo” published by “3A Corporation”

Japanese Learning: Numbers for counting something in addition to the numbers for values; Hitotsu, Futatsu, Mittsu, —, To’o.

Numbers had already been introduced;

1 : one => Ichi

2 : two => Ni

3 : three => San

—

10 : ten => Juu

In addition to these numbers, there is another numbering system in Japanese that is used when you counting some objects;

1 : there is one object => Hitotsu

2 : there are two objects => Futatsu

3 : there are three objects => Mittsu

4 : there are four objects => Yottsu

5 : five => Itsutsu

6 : six => Muttsu

7 : seven => Nanatsu

8 : eight => Yattsu

9 : nine => Kokonotsu

10 : ten => To’o

Practice and remember the following conversation;

A : Ringo ga Ikutsu Arimasuka. (How many apples are there?)

B : Ringo ga Yottsu Arimasu. (There are four apples.)

This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section 11 of “Minna no Nihongo” published by “3A Corporation”