Unit 8 – 071 to 080

Counter for general items: 個・こ・ko
Counter for flat things (sheets of paper, blankets, etc.): 枚・まい・ma·i
Counter for cylindrical things (pencils, bottles, etc.): 本・ほん・ho·n
Counter for books: 冊・さつ・sa·tsu
Counter for machines and vehicles: 台・だい・da·i
Counter for small animals: 匹・ひき・hi·ki
Counter for large animals: 頭・とう・tō
Counter for humans: 名・めい・me·i
Counter for occurrences: 回・かい・ka·i
Counter for messages: 件・けん・ke·n

The list of possible counters is very long. It is not essential to use the most accurate counter every time – use the general counter if you are not sure.
Here are some example of counters being used in Japanese sentences. Note their positions.

ケーキを三個ください。・
けーき を さんこ ください。・
kē·ki wo sa·n·ko ku·da·sa·i。
= Three cakes, please.

四名の予約です。・
よんめい の よやく です。・
yo·n·me·i no yo·ya·ku de·su。
= It’s a reservation for four people.

なんでパソコンを二台持っていますか？・
なんで ぱそこん を にだい もって います か？・
na·n·de pa·so·ko·n wo ni·da·i mo·tte i·ma·su ka？
= Why do you have two computers?

メールが一件もありませんでした。・
めーる が いっけん も ありませんでした。・
mē·ru ga i·kke·n mo a·ri·ma·se·n·de·shi·ta。
= (I) didn’t get any (lit. “even one”) e-mails.

Note that the pronunciation of the first sound of the counter is sometimes affected by the sound of the number which comes before it.

一本・いっぽん・i·ppo·n = 1 cylindrical thing
二本・にほん・ni·ho·n = 2 cylindrical things
三本・さんぼん・sa·n·bo·n = 3 cylindrical things
四本・よんほん・yo·n·ho·n = 4 cylindrical things
五本・ごほん・go·ho·n = 5 cylindrical things
六本・ろっぽん・ro·ppo·n = 6 cylindrical things
七本・ななほん・na·na·ho·n = 7 cylindrical things
八本・はっぽん・ha·ppo·n = 8 cylindrical things
九本・きゅうほん・kyū·ho·n = 9 cylindrical things
十本・じゅっぽん・ju·ppo·n = 10 cylindrical things

When the number of items is ten or less, what is known as the hito-futa-mi counting system is often used by Japanese speakers. This is a general counting system.

一つ・ひとつ・hi·to·tsu = 1 item
二つ・ふたつ・fu·ta·tsu = 2 items
三つ・みっつ・mi·ttsu = 3 items
四つ・よっつ・yo·ttsu = 4 items
五つ・いつつ・i·tsu·tsu = 5 items
六つ・むっつ・mu·ttsu = 6 items
七つ・ななつ・na·na·tsu = 7 items
八つ・やっつ・ya·ttsu = 8 items
九つ・ここのつ・ko·ko·no·tsu = 9 items
十・とお・tō = 10 items

We have already seen numbers followed by a single kanji with expressions for time (一時・いちじ・i·chi·ji = 1:00, 五分・ごふん・go·fu·n = 5 minutes) and date (四月・しがつ・shi·ga·tsu = April, 二日・ふつか・fu·tsu·ka = 2nd).

Getting used to using the numbers in Japanese is really important, so try to practice using them as often as you can in your daily life.

一：いち（いっ）・ひと = i·chi（i·xx）・hi·to
二：に・ふた = ni・fu·ta
三：さん・み（みっ） = sa·n・mi（mi·xx）
四：し・よん（よっ） = shi・yo·n（yo·xx）
五：ご・いつ = go・i·tsu
六：ろく（ろっ）・む = ro·ku（ro·xx）・mu
七：なな・しち = na·na・shi·chi
八：はち（はっ）・や（やっ） = ha·chi（ha·xx）・ya（ya·xx）
九：きゅう／く・ここの = kyū／ku・ko·ko·no
十：じゅう（じゅっ）／じ・とお = jū（ju·xx）／ji・tō

ビーチに行きますか？・
びーち に いきます か？・
bi·i·chi ni i·ki·ma·su ka？
= Are you going to the beach?

ビーチに行きましょうか？・
びーち に いきましょう か？・
bi·i·chi ni i·ki·ma·shō ka？
= Shall we go to the beach?

Notice that the implied subject changes from “you” to “we” even though no subject is explicitly mentioned.

-ましょう・-ma·shō can be used in other statements to suggest cooperative participation. It is softer and less direct than -ます・-ma·su.

それでは、始めましょう。・
それ で は、はじめましょう。・
so·re de wa、ha·ji·me·ma·shō。
= OK then, let’s begin.

明日また話しましょう。・
あした また はなしましょう。・
a·shi·ta ma·ta ha·na·shi·ma·shō。
= Let’s talk again tomorrow.

There is also a similar form of です・de·su: でしょう・de·shō. However, its usage is slightly different from -ましょう・-ma·shō: it is used to express what one believes to be true (i.e., give a suggested version of events). We often hear this form being used in weather forecasts.

明日は雨が降るでしょう。・
あした は あめ が ふる でしょう。・
a·shi·ta wa a·me ga fu·ru de·shō。
= It will probably rain tomorrow.

彼はもう帰ったでしょう。・
かれ は もう かえった でしょう。・
ka·re wa mō ka·e·tta de·shō。
= He has probably already gone home.

It can also be used in place of です to make assertions sound softer. This usage is often heard in university lectures or similar situations.

この方法が最も効率的でしょう。・
この ほうほう が もっとも こうりつてき でしょう。・
ko·no hō·hō ga mo·tto·mo kō·ri·tsu·te·ki de·shō。
= This method is likely the most efficient.