To count in Japanese, it’s important to know some basic words and counting rules. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:

Basic Numbers (1-10)

1. 一 (いち, ichi) - 1
2. 二 (に, ni) - 2
3. 三 (さん, san) - 3
4. 四 (し / よん, shi / yon) - 4
5. 五 (ご, go) - 5
6. 六 (ろく, roku) - 6
7. 七 (しち / なな, shichi / nana) - 7
8. 八 (はち, hachi) - 8
9. 九 (きゅう / く, kyuu / ku) - 9
10. 十 (じゅう, juu) - 10

Tens and More

• Multiples of Ten:
  • 20: 二十 (にじゅう, nijuu)
  • 30: 三十 (さんじゅう, sanjuu)
  • 100: 百 (ひゃく, hyaku)
  • 1,000: 千 (せん, sen)

Counting Different Things

In Japanese, you use special words, called counters, for different types of items:

• 個 (こ, ko): This is used for small items.
• 人 (にん, nin): This is used for counting people.
• 冊 (さつ, satsu): This is used for counting books.

Special Rules

• The numbers 4 and 7 can be tricky. They can be pronounced in two ways.
  • 4 can be said as "shi" or "yon".
  • 7 can be said as "shichi" or "nana".
    This is because "shi" sounds like the word for death, and "shichi" sounds like the word for pain.

By knowing these basic numbers and rules, you will be able to count in Japanese. This will also help you learn more about numbers and how to use them as you continue studying.