Counting Lesson Six

COUNTING LESSON SIX

In Japanese, when you count objects, it is required that an appropriate counting classifier be used. In English, when counting books, we would say something like "There are six books." But in Japanese it is the case that you need to say the equivalent of "There are books, six bound objects." where 'bound objects' is the counting classifier used.
Remembering counting classifiers is really the hard part of using them. After a little practice in using them their use becomes less strange to those used to a language with no such classifiers.

The first example will be an easy one.
The counting classifier for flat objects, such as paper and CDs is

There are no exceptions to how

is pronounced based on the preceding number.

meaning	hiragana
one flat object
two flat objects
three flat objects
four flat objects
five flat objects
six flat objects
seven flat objects
eight flat objects
nine flat objects
ten flat objecst

So, to say "three papers" in Japanese, (

is paper(s) ).

The second example is a little tougher. However, if you remember the exceptions to pronouncing the

(1000s), you will have an easier time getting the pronunciation exceptions for

(bound objects). However, it does not match for 3. This is used for counting things such as books, newspapers, notebooks, and magazines.

meaning	hiragana
one bound object
two bound objects
three bound objects
four bound objects
five bound objects
six bound objects
seven bound objects
eight bound objects
nine bound objects
ten bound objects

So, to say "one book" in Japanese, (

is book(s) ).

The final example here is the most difficult of the three. However, its exceptions to pronunciation match that of

(100s). This counter,

is used for counting long cylindrical objects, such as pencils, pens, pies, even video tapes.

meaning	hiragana
one long cylindrical object
two long cylindrical objects
three long cylindrical objects
four long cylindrical objects
five long cylindrical objects
six long cylindrical objects
seven long cylindrical objects
eight long cylindrical objects
nine long cylindrical objects
ten long cylindrical objects

So, to say "six pens" in Japanese (

is pen (borrow word) ).

Previous Lesson

| |

Next Lesson