she
kanojo
彼女(かのじょ)
child
kodomo
子(こ)ども
adult
otona
大人(おとな)
female
onna
女(おんな)
male
otoko
男(おとこ)
girl
onna no ko
女(おんな)の子(こ)
boy
otoko no ko
男(おとこ)の子(こ)
woman
onna no hito
女(おんな)の人(ひと)
man
otoko no hito
男(おとこ)の人(ひと)
CHAPTER 4
Numbers
For counting ten objects or less, use the numbers presented below. For example, if you want six folding fans, say Sensu wo muttsu kudasai. If you have four bags, say Nimotsu ga yottsu arimahss. The good thing about numbers is that you can always use your fingers to make certain someone understands you.
WORDS & EXPRESSIONS
one (of these)
hitotsu
1つ(ひとつ)
please; please give
kudasai
ください
one of these
kore wo hitotsu/kono uchi no hitotsu
これを1つ(ひとつ)/このうちのひとつ
sandwich
sandoitchi
サンドイッチ
two
futatsu
2つ(ふたつ)
folding fan
sensu
扇子(せんす)
three
mittsu
3つ(みっつ)
four
yottsu
4つ(よっつ)
five
itsutsu
5つ(いつつ)
six
muttsu
6つ(むっつ)
seven
nanatsu
7つ(ななつ)
eight
yattsu
8つ(やっつ)
nine
kokonotsu
9つ(ここのつ)
ten
tō
10(とお)
ten pieces
jukko
10個(じゅっこ)
how many
ikutsu
いくつ
want/need
irimahss
いります
bag; baggage
nimotsu
荷物(にもつ)
[subject particle]
ga
が
there is; there are
arimahss
あります
many
takusan
たくさん
EXAMPLES
Please give me one.
Hitotsu kudasai.
1つ(ひとつ)ください。
Please give me one of these.
Kore wo hitotsu kudasai.
これを1つ(ひとつ)ください。
Please give me two sandwiches.
Sandoitchi wo futatsu kudasai.
サンドイッチを2つ(ふたつ)ください。
Please give me three folding fans.
Sensu wo mittsu kudasai.
扇子(せんす)を3つ(みっつ)ください。
How many do you want?
Ikutsu irimasu ka?/ Ikutsu dess ka?
いくついりますか?/いくつですか?
I want ten.
Jukko dess.
10個(じゅっこ)です。
How many bags are there?
Nimotsu wa ikutsu arimahss ka?
荷物(にもつ)はいくつありますか?
There are four.
Yottsu arimahss.
4つ(よっつ)あります。
There are many.
Takusan arimahss.
たくさんあります。
I have many bags.
Nimotsu ga takusan arimahss.
荷物(にもつ)がたくさんあります。
COUNTERS
Another way of counting uses special words that are attached to numerals. These words, called counters, vary according to the type of object. For example, long, thin objects like pens take the counter hon; flat objects use mai.
Counters exist for cars, fish, birds, buildings, airplanes, clothing, small animals, and large animals. There’s even one for Japanese poems, and a different one for Chinese poems. But don’t fret about remembering all of them. It’s all right to count things with hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu,