Be taught Japanese Numbers: Counting from 1-100

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Japanese numbers are a foundational side to study for anybody within the Japanese language. Whether or not your curiosity stems from the need to journey (for which you’ll need to know some key Japanese phrases), to know Japanese media, or to attach with a novel heritage, mastering these fundamentals are an awesome first step.

The numbers 1 via 100 are comparatively easy. As soon as you realize the numbers from 1-10, it simply takes a couple of easy guidelines to get you the numbers from 11-99. Nevertheless, as with most languages, 100 shall be totally different from how the opposite numbers are fashioned and the way they sound. Haven’t any concern, you’ll most likely choose them up sooner than you assume!

Japanese numbers 1-10

The numbers 1-10 are the constructing blocks of all numbers in Japanese. They’re additionally an excellent sampler of the relative simplicity of Japanese sounds. When studying phrases in any language, it’s essential to study correct pronunciation and TruAccent is the perfect approach to enhance your accent. In any other case you might have to work additional exhausting to interrupt unhealthy habits.

With Japanese pronunciation, vowels are particularly essential to say precisely. Maintain this in thoughts as you undergo the numbers.

Throughout the fundamental Japanese numbers, there are a couple of which have a number of attainable pronunciations. 4 is typically shi, 7 is typically shichi, and 9 is typically ku. These are used relying on context. For instance, when saying the day or month (the place January is translated as “month primary”), the choice sounds are used. 

Ideas for remembering numbers 1-10 in Japanese:

Memorizing new phrases with out context tends to be a problem for many language learners. Whereas it’s essential to repeat new phrases a number of instances and attempt to use them regularly, you can also make learning simpler on your self through the use of reminiscence aids. Listed below are our ideas to recollect numbers 1-10 in Japanese:

• Ichi (1) sounds very near the English phrase “every.” Simply make the preliminary “ee” sound stronger and add a brief “ee” sound to the tip of the phrase.
• Ni (2) is virtually similar in pronunciation to “knee.” You’ll be able to keep in mind it with ichi by pondering of the phrase “every knee.”
• San (3) could be considered a mixture of two heat-related phrases: “solar” and “sauna.” It’s a single syllable like “solar,” however has the center vowel sound of “sauna.”
• Yon (4) could be remembered with the phrase “yawn,” however the vowel sound is “oh” fairly than “ah.”
• Go (5) mainly feels like “go” simply with a deeper “oh” sound.
• Roku (6) is just like “rock.” Simply watch out that the vowel sound is an “oh” fairly than “ah.”
• Nana (7) feels like somebody shortly refusing one thing. We are able to put it along with the previous numbers to make a brief dialogue the place somebody encourages their reluctant buddy: “Yawn.” “Go rock!” “Nah nah.”
• Hachi (8) nearly matches the phrase “Ha! Low cost!” however with out the ultimate consonant.
• Kyuu (9) sounds identical to the letter “q.”
• Juu (10) conveniently rhymes with the previous quantity. “J” and “ok” are additionally subsequent to one another within the alphabet although it’s reversed for these phrases. 

Japanese numbers 11-19

For the numbers 11-19, all you should do is say the quantity for 10 (juu), then say the quantity that may add as much as the ultimate quantity you want. It will probably assist to think about this in a mathematical formulation. For instance, to make 11 we begin with 10 then add 1.

• 10 + 1 = 11
• juu + ichi ➞ juu ichi = 11

This formulation simply applies to the remainder of the numbers on this vary of 11-19.

Japanese numbers 20-99

Simply because the numbers 11-19 comply with a formulation, so do the remainder of the numbers in Japanese that go from 20-99. As a substitute of addition, this vary of numbers makes use of multiplication that you could see with the quantity 20:

• 2 x 10 (or two tens) = 20 
• ni x juu ➞ ni juu = 20

With this formulation, simply be certain that your smaller quantity comes first, in any other case you’ll have created a special quantity like juu ni, which suggests 12 as an alternative of 20. This sample signifies that 30 is san juu, 40 is yon juu, 50 is go juu, and so forth.

To create different numbers, corresponding to 21, 46, and so on., you mix the 2 formulation:

• 2 x 10 + 1 = 21 
• ni x juu + ichi ➞ ni juu ichi = 21
• 4 x 10 + 6 = 46 
• yon x juu + roku ➞ yon juu roku = 46

For those who’d prefer to quiz your self on whether or not you perceive the principles to date, attempt saying these numbers in Japanese after attempting to make the phrases by yourself.

100 in Japanese (and past)

Now that you realize a lot of the numbers, your final job is to study the quantity 100 in Japanese. It’s a novel phrase: hyaku (百), pronounced “hyah-koo.” For those who’re curious, the earlier guidelines additionally apply to numbers over 100. Listed below are two examples.

• 125 = hyaku ni juu go 
• 936 = kyuu hyaku san juu roku

There are a couple of numbers the place the pronunciation of hyaku adjustments, nonetheless, so 300 is san byaku, 600 is roppyaku, and 800 is happyaku. The established formulation additionally applies to numbers within the 1000’s. The phrase for 1,000 is sen (千), pronounced “sehn.” So, 2,000 in Japanese is ni sen, and a pair of,471 is ni sen yon hyaku nana juu ichi.

The counting system for Japanese numbers (and that of its predecessor: Chinese language numbers) is without doubt one of the most reasonable programs among the many main world languages. There aren’t any drastic rule adjustments such as you’ll see within the notorious French numbers which are extra difficult to know.

Be forewarned, although, that utilizing numbers in a sensible sense is commonly made extra difficult due to the usage of counters in Japanese. Once you need to say portions of things, you can not merely say ichi, ni, and so on. It’s important to use the acceptable counter phrase together with the bottom numbers taught on this article. 

Nonetheless, your new information of the Japanese numbers will mean you can perceive numbers of things when spoken, even in case you are unfamiliar with the actual counter. And the Japanese individual serving to you’ll perceive and recognize your efforts anyway.

Methods to write numbers in Japanese

In Japan, it’s common to write down numbers utilizing the identical Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on.) that almost all nations all over the world use. Nevertheless, it is usually attainable to write down numbers utilizing kanji, which is one in every of three writing programs in Japanese.

When writing Japanese characters, there’s a set stroke order that may make your characters look pure and balanced. The final rule when writing strokes is that you simply go from left to proper and prime to backside. To put in writing a quantity in kanji, put them in the identical order that you simply pronounce them. The quantity 46 (yon juu roku) shall be written as 四十六. That will help you apply writing Japanese numbers, we’ve included the numbers 1-10 and the quantity 100 in kanji with arrows exhibiting the route to write down the strains.

Ideas for remembering the kanji:

Reminiscence aids are nice to depend on when studying one thing new. That is very true when studying kanji. In truth, you do your self an particularly nice disservice for those who simply attempt to memorize kanji with out trying fastidiously on the form, as most kanji embody radicals which have inherent which means.

The numbers are an awesome place to begin studying about kanji, and there’s some intuitive mnemonics to go together with them:

• Numbers 1-3 are simple: 1 is one horizontal line, 2 is 2 horizontal strains, and three is three horizontal strains.
• The kanji for 4 consists of the form of a 4, like this:

• Quantity 5 kanji consists of the form of a 5 that you simply’d see on a digital clock, like this:

• The kanji for six and eight are good to recollect collectively, as they resemble one another and are each bigger even numbers. 8 simply seems like a mustache, and 6 seems like a mustache with a beret.
• The quantity 7 kanji seems like a 7 for those who flip it the other way up:

• The kanji for 9 resembles the katakana カ (ka), and each start with the letter “ok.”

• The kanji for 10 has a plus register it, and 10 is the inspiration of what you should “add up” to bigger numbers. 

With these preliminary Japanese phrases masteredーboth spoken and writtenーyou’re set to construct upon them in your future research! There’s a lot to find as you delve into studying extra about this unimaginable language.

Numbers are a straightforward first step when studying a language, however the place do you have to go from right here? You’ll definitely need to work on conversational Japanese however that’s such a broad area.

The best alternative is to study Japanese with Rosetta Stone. This system options brief, intuitive classes that match a life-style on the go since they even work offline! Earlier than you realize it you’ll transfer past the fundamentals and can have the ability to apply Japanese to quite a lot of conditions whether or not you’re at house or touring in Japan.