Chapter 12 Numbers In Japanese
IN THIS LESSON
Learn the unique ways to count numbers in Japanese.
The way of counting in Japanese differs from English and many other languages, in that the words used to count (counters) change depending on the type of thing being counted. This is one of the aspects that Japanese learners often find difficult when learning Japanese. For example, the way of counting 'hitotsu, futatsu' is generally used to count objects or items. This corresponds to 'one, two' in English, but depending on what the specific object or item is, a different way of counting is used in Japanese. Here is a specific explanation: 'Hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu' and so on are used when counting specific objects. For example, when counting one or two apples, you say, 'ringo o hitotsu, futatsu.' However, in Japanese, the way of counting changes depending on the type and shape of the object. For example, thin things such as paper and tickets are counted as 'ichi-mai, ni-mai.' And long objects are counted as 'ippon, nihon.' Furthermore, there are specific ways of counting for specific objects. For example, books are counted as 'issatsu, nisatsu.' In this way, the way of counting in Japanese is diverse and complex, and changes depending on the type of object. This is a characteristic not found in English and other languages, and understanding it is an important step in learning Japanese.