Skip to content
Kotomora
JLPT N5Everyday

目めthe second, the third (after a counter)

目め after a number and its counter makes "the second" or "the third time": a place in an order. 二ふたつ is two, and 二ふたつ目め is the second.

a thing

二ふたつ目めの角かどを右みぎに曲まがってください。

Turn right at the second corner, please.

a time

日本にほんは三さん回かい目めです。

This is my third time in Japan.

in an order

私わたしは三さん人にん兄きょう弟だいの二に番ばん目めです。

I'm the second of three children.

How to form it

Number + counter + 目め

The number and counter are read as usual, with め on the end: 一ひとつ目め, 二人ふたり目め, 三さん回かい目め. Before a noun it takes の.

To ask

何なん + counter + 目め

何なん回かい目め, 何なん番ばん目め. For things, いくつ目め.

The ones you'll say first

SayMeaningFor
一ひとつ目めthe firstthings
二人ふたり目めthe secondpeople
三さん回かい目めthe third timevisits, tries
二日目ふつかめthe second daya trip, a course
一いち年ねん目めthe first yeara job, a school
二に番ばん目めthe secondany line or list

東とう京きょう駅えきはここから三みっつ目めです。

Tokyo Station is the third stop from here.

今日きょうは旅りょ行こうの二日目ふつかめです。

Today is the second day of our trip.

日本にほんに来きて二に年ねん目めです。

This is my second year in Japan.

Asking: 何なん回かい目め

A

日本にほんは何なん回かい目めですか。

How many times have you been to Japan?

B

二に回かい目めです。

This is my second time.

English has no word for 何なん回かい目め, "the how-many-th time". On a first visit, people answer 初はじめてです, "it's my first time".

番ばん目め: a place in an order

番ばん is "number". 番ばん目め works for anything in a line or a list, people or things: 一いち番ばん目め, 二に番ばん目め. Before an adjective, 二に番ばん目めに is "second most": 二に番ばん目めに高たかい, the second highest.

前まえから三さん番ばん目めの人ひとが田た中なかさんです。

The third person from the front is Tanaka.

私わたしはクラスで二に番ばん目めに背せが高たかいです。

I'm the second tallest in my class.

二日ふつか or 二日目ふつかめ?

English says "the second" for a date too. Japanese uses the plain counter there, with no 目め. Floors are the same: 二に階かい, the second floor.

五ご月がつ二日ふつかに京きょう都とへ行いきます。

I'm going to Kyoto on May 2nd.

A date.

旅りょ行こうの二日目ふつかめに京きょう都とへ行いきます。

I'm going to Kyoto on the second day of the trip.

Day two of something.

Close neighbours

一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつN5

The counters, and how each is read. Without 目め they say how many: 二に回かい is twice.

昨日きのう、この映えい画がを二に回かい見みました。

I watched this movie twice yesterday.

一いち番ばんN5

Before an adjective, 一いち番ばん is "the most", with no 目め. "Second most" is 二に番ばん目めに.

世せ界かいで一いち番ばん高たかい山やまはエベレストです。

The highest mountain in the world is Everest.

高たかめN3

Another め, after an adjective: "on the … side". It is sometimes written 目 as well: 早はや目めに, "a little early".

このかばんは少すこし高たかめだ。

This bag is a little on the expensive side.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

二人ふたり目めの先せん生せいは日本にほん人じんでした。

Choose an answer to see why.

2"This is the second highest mountain in Japan."

これは日本にほんで（　　）高たかい山やまです。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

誕たん生じょう日びは六ろく月がつ（　　）です。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

二人ふたり目めの子こどもが生うまれました。

We've had our second child.

質しつ問もんが二ふたつあります。一ひとつ目めは宿しゅく題だいのことです。

I have two questions. The first is about the homework.

京きょう都とは二に度ど目めです。

This is my second time in Kyoto.

度ど counts times as 回かい does.

コーヒーは今日きょうこれで三さん杯ばい目めです。

This is my third cup of coffee today.

一いっ回かい目めは難むずかしかったですが、二に回かい目めは簡かん単たんでした。

The first time was hard, but the second time was easy.