Learn how to count things in Japanese, using the special counters for each type of word. And learn how to make delicious apple toast at the same time!

Key Topics Covered

Dialogue

Here is a recipe for Shizu’s delicious Apple Toast. Please try it and let us know if you liked it.

りんごのトースト（四人分） ① １こ の りんご を うすく 切ります。 ② ４まい の パン を ようい します。 ③ りんご を バター で いためます。 ④ パン を 1まい トースト します。 ⑤ その パン の 上 に、③ の りんご を のせます。 ⑥ その 上 に、スプーン１ぱい の れんにゅう を かけます。 ⑦ 別 の１まい の パン を トースト します。 ⑧ ５番目 の 作り方 から くりかえします。 ⑨ あつい カップ を 四つ ようい して おきましょう。

Roomaji:

Ringo no toosuto (yonin bun) ① Ikko no ringo o usuku kirimasu. ② Yonmai no pan o youishimasu. ③ Ringo o bataa de itamemasu. ④ Pan o ichimai toosutoshimasu. ⑤ Sono pan no ue ni, san no ringo o nosemasu. ⑥ Sono ue ni, supuun ippai no rennyuu o kakemasu. ⑦ Betsu no ichimai no pan o toosutoshimasu. ⑧ Goban me no tsukurikata kara kurikaeshimasu. ⑨ Atsui kappu o yottsu youi shite okimashou.

English:

Apple toast (four servings / serves four people) 1. Slice an apple. 2. Prepare four slices of bread. 3. Saute the apple with butter. 4. Toast a slice of bread. 5. Put the apple from (step) 3 on the bread. 6. Spread a spoon of condensed milk over it. 7. Toast one more slice of bread. 8. Repeat the method from the fifth (step). 9. You’ll prepare four hot cups.

Vocabulary

Note: Here, the apple is counted as １こ (ikko), but things with 個 (ko) are also counted in another way “一つ、二つ…”. That means, you can use both of them (１こ or 一つ) for round and small things.

Counting Things

In Japanese there are some basic counters, that can be used for counting things in general. There are also some special words for counting different things, such as big animals, birds, flat things or years of age.

The hard thing about Japanese numbers are not the actual numbers, but how they are used to count things. For each thing you count, you have to add a suffix (ending) to the word, describing what type of thing you are counting. Let’s look at some examples.

General Counters

First of all, there is a way to count things in general. This can be used if you do not know the special counter for the type of thing you are counting.

Counting people

In some other cases counting things should be done with special words. For instance when counting people. The word for people is hito (ひと / 人). When counting, the same kanji is used, but it is read にん (nin) – except for when saying one and two people.

Examples

Japanese: ふたり 　の　がいじん　です。 さんにん　の　きょうだい　です。 よにん　の　ともだち　です。 わたし　は　ひとり　です。
。
Romaji: futari no gaijin desu. sannin no kyoudai desu yonin no tomodachi desu. watashi wa hitori desu.	English: (There are) two foreigners. (There are) three brothers. (There are) four friends. I am alone.

Other counters

There are numerous other counters in Japanese. Here are just a few:

Examples

Balls, round or small things are counted using the counter こ (ko).

いっこ	。	ikko	。	One (round thing)
にこ		niko		Two (round things)
さんこ		sanko		Three (round things)
よんこ		yonko		Four (round things)

Making Sentences

Japanese numbers are usually put in the following places in the sentences. It can be placed before the descriptive particle の (no). The counter can also be placed after the object marker を (o).

Examples

Japanese: 四人　の　けいさつかん　を　みました。 けいさつかん　を　四人　みました。 いっこ　の　りんご　を　たべました。 りんご　を　いっこ　たべました。
。
Romaji: yonin no keisatsukan o mimashita. keisatsukan o yonin mimashita. ikko no ringo o tabemashita. ringo o ikko tabemashita.	English: (I) saw four policemen. (I) saw four policemen. (I) ate one apple. (I) ate one apple.

Notes

• Read more about numbers in the Language Reference’s Numbers and Counters and for a more extensive description of different counters, see List of Counters.
• The word no “の” is often used as a possessive marker in Japanese, but as you have seen here, it can also be used to describe the word after “no” by the word or phrase preceding “no”, as in the example, “yonin no tomodachi“, which would be something like “four-people-number-of-friends” (“friends numbering four people”, “friends to the extent of four people”). Read more about the particle no in possessive form.

Author

This lesson was written by Shizu and Johan. Please let us know what you think of the article. And if you made the toasts, did you like them?

Related posts:

1. Free Japanese Lesson: Pronunciation Part 3
2. Japanese List of Counters
3. Free Japanese Lesson: Hiragana Basics
4. Free Japanese Lesson: Getting through an Airport
5. Free Japanese Lesson: Numbers