Using Numbers in Japanese -
Free Japanese Lessons: 8

This lesson covers how you can incorporate numbers in Japanese into normal sentences.

Before going further, please take some time to look at the section on Japanese numbers, where you will learn how to read and count Japanese numbers.

Tables on numbers from 0 to 1,000,000,000,000 are also given.

Besides, there are other related topics on numbers in Japanese like:

1. Japanese counter words
2. Days, months & years in Japanese
3. Japanese time
4. Durations in Japanese
5. Age in Japanese.

When you have finished exploring the above section, come back to here to learn about how to incorporate the numbers into actual sentences.

Putting Numbers in Japanese into Sentences

Using numbers in sentence is quite simple. Look at the following expressions...

Please take note that the number comes after the particle が. Putting in some real numbers in the expressions...

• りんごがふたつあります。
  ringo ga futatsu arimasu
  Meaning: There are 2 apples.

• おんなのひとがさんにんいます。
  onna no hito ga sannin imasu
  Meaning: There are 3 women.

Adding in the location in the expressions...

The following shows some examples using the above expressions plus some others you have learned in the previous lessons...

• つくえのうえにコーヒーがさんばいあります。
  tsukue no ue ni ko-hi- ga sanbai arimasu
  Meaning: There are 3 cups of coffee on the desk.
• ベッドのうえにかさがにほんあります。
  beddo no ue ni kasa ga nihon arimasu
  Meaning: There are 2 umbrellas on the bed.
• うちのそとにじてんしゃがよんだいあります。
  uchi no soto ni jitensha ga yondai arimasu
  Meaning: There are 4 bicycles outside my house.

• こうえんにこどもがふたりいます。
  kouen ni kodomo ga futari imasu
  Meaning: There are 2 children in the park.
• いすのしたにねこがいっぴきいます。
  isu no shita ni neko ga ippiki imasu
  Meaning: There is a cat under the chair.

Particle と (to)

The particle と (to) is used to connect 2 nouns together, equivalent to "and" in English.

However it can only be used for connecting nouns, not adjectives nor verbs. The simplest format will be...

Combining Particle と (to) with Numbers in Japanese

If you want to mention 2 things (nouns) in one sentence, make use of particle と (to). The following expressions show the result...

Put in some real figures in the above expressions...

• つくえのうえにかみがごまいとじしょがにさつあります。
  tsukue no ue ni kami ga gomai to jisho ga nisatsu arimasu
  Meaning: There are 5 pieces of papers and 2 dictionaries on the desk.

• つくえのうえにとけいとながいえんぴつがさんぼんあります。
  tsukue no ue ni tokei to nagai enpitsu ga sanbon arimasu
  Meaning: There are one watch and 3 long pencils on the desk. 

• うちのなかにおとこのこがふたりとおんなのこがさんにんいます。
  uchi no naka ni otoko noko ga futari to onna noko ga sannin imasu
  Meaning: There are 2 boys and 3 girls inside the house. 

• うちのなかにねこがにひきといぬがいます。
  uchi no naka ni neko ga nihiki to inu ga imasu
  Meaning: There are 2 cats and a dog inside the house. 

Asking for Something - Noun をください

You can use the above expression when you are asking for something from somebody, for example, when you are buying something in a shop.

So if you are buying more than one, put in the number after the particle を (wo), such as...

Again, use the particle と (to) if there are more than one subject...

Let's put in some numbers to show the above expressions...

• じしょを にさつ とえんぴつを にほん ください。
  jisho wo nisatsu to enpitsu wo nihon kudasai
  Meaning: Please give me 2 dictionaries and 2 pencils.

All the above examples show how you can incorporate numbers in Japanese into sentences. You just need to take note that in a typical sentence, particles always come before numbers in Japanese.

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