Basic Lessons
At the Post Office (6)
Dialogue
Click here for the dialogue for "At the Post Office."
Native Japanese Numbers
In Japanese there are two numerical system. One is the numbers you have already learned, Chinese origin numbers, and the other is the native Japanese numbers. The native Japanese numbers are limited to one through ten.
Click the link to hear the pronunciation.
| 1 | hitotsu ひとつ |
2 | futatsu 二つ |
| 3 | mittsu 三つ |
4 | yottsu 四つ |
| 5 | itsutsu 五つ |
6 | muttsu 六つ |
| 7 | nanatsu 七つ |
8 | yattsu 八つ |
| 9 | kokonotsu 九つ |
10 | too 十 |
Click here for more sound files.
For things which are not clearly categorized or which are shapeless (stones, boxes, stars, idea, problem etc.), the native Japanese numbers are used.
Counting things can be done in two ways.
(1) Using the native Japanese number independently.
| Hako o futatsu kaimashita. 箱を二つ買いました。 |
I bought two boxes. |
| Mondai ga hitotsu arimasu. 問題がひとつあります。 |
There is one problem. |
(2) Using Chinese origin number combined with a counter.
| Hon o san-satsu yomimashita. 本を三冊読みました。 |
I read three books. |
| Inu ga ni-hiki imasu. 犬が二匹います。 |
There are two dogs. |
