③数(kazu) – numbers : counting people and the usage

You’ve learned how to count numbers.　 ①数(kazu) – numbers / ②数(kazu) – numbers

The way you count people is  not the same. The important lesson today is its usages.

But 1st, let’s see how to count people.

one person =  一人 (hitori)

Two people = 二人 (futari)

Three people = 三人 (san-nin)

Four people = 四人 (yo-nin)

Five people = 五人 (go-nin)

Six people = 六人 (roku-nin)

Seven people = 七人 (nana-nin)

Eight people = 八人 (hachi-nin)

Nine people = 九人 (kyuu-nin)

Ten people = 十人 (juu-nin)

Eleven people = 十一人 (Juu-ichi-nin)

Twelve people = 十二人 (Juu-ni-nin)

Thirteen people = 十三人 (Juu-san-nin)
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One hundred people = 百人 (Hyaku-nin)
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How many people? = 何人(nan-nin)
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Now, let’s see some example sentences and see carefully how the numbers are used in the sentences.

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①

How many friends do you have?

- 友達が 何人 いますか?(Tomodachi ga nan-nin imasuka?)

- 何人 友達が いますか?(Nan-nin tomodachi ga imasuka?)

友達 = friend, friends ___が います。 = There is ___. I have ____. ___が いますか？= Is there___?, Do you have___? いますis used for animated things, like people, animals, ghost, alien)

I have one friend.

- 友達が、一人います。(Tomodachi ga hitori imasu.)

I have two friends.

- 友達が、二人います。 (Tomodachi ga futari imasu.)

I have three friends.

- 友達が、三人います。 (Tomodachi ga san-nin imasu.)

These are simple sentences. The only important rule is put the number + counter in front of the verb.

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Doing something alone, or together with someone.

②

Who did you go to see the movie with?

- 誰と 映画を 見に行きましたか? (Dare to eiga o mi ni ikimashita ka?)

or

How many people went to see the movie?

- 何人で 映画を見に行きましたか? (Nan-nin de eiga o mi ni ikimashita ka?)

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I went alone.

- 一人で 行きました。(hitori de ikimashita.)

I went with Kanako.

- かなこさん と 行きました。 (Kanako-san to ikimashita.)

I went with my three friends.

- 友達三人で 行きました。 (Tomodachi san-nin de ikimashita.)

誰(dare) = who　　/　　映画(eiga) = movie /　　見に行く (mi ni iku) = go to see 何人 (nan- nin) = How many　　/　　行く(iku) = to go

As you can see, numbers are followed by particle で in those sentences. This particle で indicates total numbers or items acting as a group. The clause which follows will be an action.

Number で action =  I/we did “action.”

If you did something alone, you will say :  一人で action.

If you did something with 3 people, you’ll say :  三人で action.

③

Who went to Japan?

- 誰が 日本へ行きましたか? (Dare ga Nihon e ikimashita ka?)

or

How many people went to Japan?

- 何人で 日本へ行きましたか? (Nan-nin de Nihon e ikimashita ka?)

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Five of us went to Japan.

- 五人で 日本へ行きました。 (Gonin de Nihon e ikimashita.)

Everyone

④

Everyone (here) went to Japan (together).

- 皆で日本へ行きました。(Minna de Nihon e ikimashita.)

In the above case, it sounds as if they went to Japan together at the same time on the same flight.

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Where is everyone?

- 皆は、どこですか? (Minna wa doko desuka?)

Everyone went to Japan.

- 皆 日本へ行きました。(minna Nihon e ikimashita.)

The omission of で means that maybe they went to Japan together or on different days or times.

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⑤

How much does it cost (in total)?

- 全部で、いくらですか? (zenbu de ikura desu ka?)

It’s 1,980 yen for total./ The total is 1,980 yen.

- 全部で、1,980円です。 (zenbu de sen-kyuu-hyaku-hachi-juu-en desu.)

全部 (senbu) = total　　　/　　　いくら = how much

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At the end, I want to teach you this final important phrase.

If you want to say with someone together, you say : ～と一緒に(～to ishho ni)

I usually study Japanese with my friend.

- たいてい、友達と一緒に日本語を勉強します。(taitei tomodachi to issho ni nihongo o benkyou simasu.)

たいてい(taitei) = usually　　　/　　　と(to) = with　　　/　　　一緒に(issho ni) = together  日本語(nihongo = Japanese language)　　　/　　　勉強する(benkyousuru) = to study

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Hope you have a great time with your friends!

- Miho