169 - I already told you a 100 times! - Part III
Last lesson, I threw a bunch of lists at you, then barely provided any example sentences.
But I've always had a hard time learning new words without sentences in Japanese, so here are a few more, separated by the category of counters...
General Counters for Things:
一つ(ひとつ // 1)
二つ(ふたつ // 2)
三つ(みっつ // 3)
四つ(よっつ // 4)
五つ(いつつ // 5)
六つ(むっつ // 6)
七つ(ななつ // 7)
八つ(やっつ // 8)
九つ(ここのつ // 9)
ビール二つとウーロンハイ一つください。
ビール ふたつ と ウーロンハイ ひとつ ください。
Two beers and one oolong tea highball, please.
Literally: "beer + two (things) + と + oolong tea highball + one (thing) + please."
Note: An ウーロンハイ, or "oolong tea highball," as my dictionary calls it, is a mix of oolong tea and 焼酎(しょうちゅう // shochu [a Japanese liquor that is similar to vodka, but not as strong]). It's a good choice if you're a lightweight and want to stay relatively sober.
卵あと4つしかない。
たまご あと よっつ しか ない。
We only have 4 eggs left.
Literally: "eggs + after/remainder/later + four (things) + しか + there is not."
ドラゴンボールを七つ集めると願いが叶う。
ドラゴンボール を ななつ あつめる と ねがい が かなう。
Collect seven dragon balls, and your wish will be granted.
Literally: "dragon ball + を + seven (things) + collect/gather + と + wish/favor/request + が + come true."
Counters for People:
一人(ひとり // 1)
二人(ふたり // 2)
三人(さんにん // 3)
四人(よにん // 4)
五人(ごにん // 5)
六人(ろくにん // 6)
七人(ななにん・しちにん // 7)
八人(はちにん // 8)
九人(きゅうにん // 9)
十人(じゅうにん // 10)
一人で行ける?
ひとり で いける?
Can you go by yourself? // Are you OK to go by yourself?
Literally: "one person + で + can go?"
Note: Here's one example of how we might use this question: If a friend is staying at your place and they say that they are going to the store, you might ask them this because you're not sure if they know the way.
妹が三人います。
いもうと が さんにん います。
I have three younger sisters.
Literally: "younger sister + が + three people + there are."
A:
何名様ですか?
なんめいさま です か?
How many are in your party?
Literally: "how many (honorable) people + です + か?"
Note: Go to a few restaurants in Japan, and you'll hear this one plenty of times.
B:
6人です。
ろくにん です。
Six people.
Literally: "six people + です."
Note: If you're in panic mode from having Japanese spoken to you, you could also just hold up six fingers. ^_^
Counters for Flat Objects (e.g. Sheets of Paper):
一枚(いちまい // 1)
二枚(にまい // 2)
三枚(さんまい // 3)
四枚(よんまい // 4)
五枚(ごまい // 5)
六枚(ろくまい // 6)
七枚(ななまい // 7)
八枚(はちまい // 8)
九枚(きゅうまい // 9)
十枚(じゅうまい // 10)
証明写真が二枚必要です。
しょうめい しゃしん が にまい ひつよう です。
Two ID photos are required.
Literally: "verification/identification + photo + が + two (flat things) + necessary + です."
Note: In the U.S., in certain contexts, we would call a 証明写真(しょうめいしゃしん) a "passport photo."
10円切手4枚ください。
じゅうえん きって よんまい ください。
Four 10 yen stamps, please.
Literally: "ten yen + stamp + four (flat things) + please."
Note: Have you picked up on the pattern for requests yet? It's "(1) ITEM + (2) NUMBER + (3) PLEASE."
ティッシュ五六枚とって。
ティッシュ ごろくまい とって。
Could you grab me five or six tissues?
Literally: "tissue + five six (flat things) + take."
Note: In English, we sometimes say "two OR three," or we say "five OR six." In Japanese, they just say the numbers without anything in between them. 二三枚(にさんまい // two or three [flat things]), 五六枚(ごろくまい // five or six [flat things]), etc. I've messed this one up an embarrassingly high number of times.
Counters for (Little) Things:
一個(いっこ // 1)
二個(にこ // 2)
三個(さんこ // 3)
四個(よんこ // 4)
五個(ごこ // 5)
六個(ろっこ // 6)
七個(ななこ // 7)
八個(はちこ・はっこ // 8)
九個(きゅうこ // 9)
十個(じゅっこ // 10)
おにぎり一個食べた。
おにぎり いっこ たべた。
I had one onigiri [rice ball].
Literally: "onigiri (=rice ball) + one ([little] thing) + ate."
Note: I love onigiri.
まくら六個も使ってるの?
まくら ろっこ も つかってる の?
You use six pillows?
Literally: "pillow + six ([little] things) + も + are using + の?"
Note: We saw this も in the last two lessons!
じゃがいも9個買ってきて。
じゃがいも きゅうこ かって きて。
Will you go pick up nine potatoes?
Literally: "potato + nine ([little] things) + go buy [=buy + come]."
Counter for Books (because I love books):
一冊(いっさつ // 1)
二冊(にさつ // 2)
三冊(さんさつ // 3)
四冊(よんさつ // 4)
五冊(ごさつ // 5)
六冊(ろくさつ // 6)
七冊(ななさつ // 7)
八冊(はちさつ・はっさつ // 8)
九冊(きゅうさつ // 9)
十冊(じゅっさつ // 10)
一日一冊の本を読む。
いちにち いっさつ の ほん を よむ。
I read one book per day.
Literally: "one day + one (book) + の + book + を + read."
You could also reorder the words in this sentence and say:
一日に本を一冊読む。
いちにち に ほん を いっさつ よむ。
I read one book per day.
Literally: "one day + に + book + を + one (book) + read."
But why does that second sentence have に, you ask? It's difficult to say. Technically, the first sentence should probably have に, too, but it's rare to hear people put に between "one day" and "one thing." I'm not sure why... but here's another example:
一日一個のリンゴは健康にいい。
いちにち いっこ の リンゴ は けんこう に いい。
Eating one apple a day is good for your health.
Literally: "one day + one ([little] thing) + の + apple + は + health + に + good."
ノート5冊で100円だって。
ノート ごさつ で ひゃくえん だって。
This says its 100 yen for five notebooks.
Literally: "notebook + five (books) + で + 100 yen + だって."
Note: だって is hard to translate. The だ more or less means "is," and the って is a "verbal quotation mark." So the speaker is probably looking at a sign that says it's 100 yen for five notebooks. In other words, he or she is reporting information.
Anyways, do you hate numbers yet?
If you read through all of these, I'd say you deserve a break.
Maybe you should go for a walk or take a nap or something.
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