A1
Numbers and counters
How Japanese counters work, the common ones worth learning first, and the sound changes that make them hard to hear.
Japanese cannot count a noun with a bare number. A counter goes between, chosen to suit the shape or nature of the thing — like English two sheets of paper or three head of cattle, except that Japanese does it for everything.
本を三冊買いました。
Hon o san-satsu kaimashita.
I bought three books.
猫が二匹います。
Neko ga ni-hiki imasu.
There are two cats.
The ones worth learning first
| 〜つ | general, one to nine |
| 〜人 | people |
| 〜個 | small objects |
| 〜枚 | flat things |
| 〜本 | long things |
| 〜冊 | books |
| 〜杯 | cupfuls |
| 〜匹 | small animals |
〜つ is the safety net: ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ up to ここのつ works for most physical objects when the right counter escapes you. It stops at nine, which is usually enough.
The sound changes are the hard part
Counters change shape with the number in front of them, and the changes are not optional.
| 一本 | ippon |
| 二本 | nihon |
| 三本 | sanbon |
| 六本 | roppon |
| 八本 | happon |
One counter, four different consonants. This is why counters resist being learnt from a table and have to be heard — the written form gives no warning.
Where the counter goes
Usually after the noun and its particle, not before it.
りんごを四つください。
Ringo o yottsu kudasai.
Four apples, please.
三本ビールを飲みました。
ビールを三本飲みました。
The natural order puts the noun with its particle first and the count next to the verb. 三本のビール is grammatical but sounds like a written label.
People are irregular twice
一人 (hitori) and 二人 (futari) are exceptions; from 三人 (sannin) it is regular. These two come up constantly and are best learnt as words in their own right.