一人・
To count something in Japanese, combine a number with a counter chosen for that type of thing. Many common combinations change pronunciation, so learn the complete quantity as a spoken form.
Choose the counter by category
A counter does more than mean “items”: it reflects the conventional category of what is being counted. Begin with a useful set rather than trying to memorize every counter at once. The native counter つ is useful for many general objects from one through ten, but it does not replace all specific counters.
High-frequency counters
Swipe sideways to compare every column.
| What is counted | Counter | Common forms |
|---|---|---|
| General objects | つ | 一つ、二つ、三つ |
| People | 人 | 一人、二人、三人 |
| Flat or thin objects | 枚 | 一枚、二枚、三枚 |
| Long objects | 本 | 一本、三本、六本 |
| Books and bound volumes | 冊 | 一冊、三冊、六冊 |
| Machines and vehicles | 台 | 一台、二台、三台 |
| Small animals | 匹 | 一匹、三匹、六匹 |
| Occurrences | 回 | 一回、二回、六回 |
| Age | 歳 | 一歳、八歳、二十歳 |
| Floors | 階 | 一階、二階、三階 |
| Money | 円 | 百円、五百円、千円 |
Learn the sound of the whole combination
Written numerals do not always tell you the full pronunciation. For example, the same long-object counter appears as ぽん, ぼん, or ほん depending on the number. Treat each frequent combination as a complete vocabulary item.
Common pronunciation changes
Swipe sideways to compare every column.
| Number | Long objects | Small animals | Books | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 一本 | 一匹 | 一冊 | 一回 |
| 三 | 三本 | 三匹 | 三冊 | 三回 |
| 六 | 六本 | 六匹 | 六冊 | 六回 |
| 八 | 八本 | 八匹 | 八冊 | 八回 |
Place the quantity after the marked noun
A very common pattern names the object or subject first, marks it with its normal particle, and then gives the quantity.
Ask how many
Use いくつ for general items. When the category is known, use 何 with the appropriate counter.
More examples
切手を
Four stamps, please.
Analyze駅の
Two buses are stopped in front of the station.
Analyze昨日、
I watched this movie twice yesterday.
Analyze妹は
My younger sister is eight years old.
Analyze私の
My office is on the ninth floor.
Analyze犬が
Three dogs are running.
Analyze傘を
I bought one umbrella.
Analyzeこの本は
This book costs 1,200 yen.
Analyze