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Beginner Japanese · Lesson 7

Japanese Numbers, Age, and People

Read the basic numbers and use a small, trustworthy set of whole forms for people, age, and one light money example.

Level
Absolute beginner
Study time
About 32 minutes

Begin with the sequence

Read one through ten

Start with 一、二、三. Read from 1 to 10 in order, then come back and try a few without looking at the reading.

  1. New word

    1一

    いち

    one

  2. New word

    2二

    に

    two

  3. New word

    3三

    さん

    three

  4. New word

    4四

    よん

    four

  5. New word

    5五

    ご

    five

  6. New word

    6六

    ろく

    six

  7. New word

    7七

    なな

    seven

  8. New word

    8八

    はち

    eight

  9. New word

    9九

    きゅう

    nine

  10. New word

    10十

    じゅう

    ten

The course uses よん, なな, andきゅう as the primary forms in this sequence. Japanese also uses other readings for 4, 7, and 9 in particular whole expressions. Use the readings shown here for this sequence; later lessons will present any different reading inside the complete expression that needs it.

One useful landmark

Add ten thousand

  • New word

    万(まん)

    ten thousand

万（まん） is one larger-number landmark. Recognition is enough here; a fuller large-number system comes later.

Learn the complete sound

Count people with complete forms

Japanese uses a counting word for people. Begin with one and two people, because both have special whole forms.

  • New word

    一人(ひとり)

    one person

    Special whole form

  • New word

    二人(ふたり)

    two people

    Special whole form

  • New word

    ～人(～にん)

    people counter

Keep 一人（ひとり） and二人（ふたり） intact; do not rebuild either one from the basic number reading. Many other people counts use the ～にん family, but this lesson adds only the complete forms shown below.

一人
ひとりone person
二人
ふたりtwo people
三人
さんにんthree people

Two people: special whole form

学生は二人です。

がくせいはふたりです。

There are two students.

Another checked people form

学生は八人です。

がくせいははちにんです。

There are eight students.

One Kanji in three familiar forms

Keep the readings of 人 separate

By itself, 人 is the word ひと. In a nationality such as 日本人, the suffix isじん. Many people-count forms use にん, while一人 and 二人 keep the special readings you just learned.

人
ひとperson, by itself
日本人
にほんじんJapanese person; nationality suffix
三人
さんにんthree people; counter use

You do not need every possible reading of 人 here. Read the complete word or count.

Check your recall

Retrieve the number, then the whole people form

Say the Japanese before opening each answer. Notice when a count must stay intact.

  1. 六Read this number.

    Reveal the reading

    ろくThis is the primary course reading for 6.

  2. How do you say “one person”?

    Reveal the special whole form

    一人（ひとり）Keep the whole people-count form together.

  3. How do you say “two people”?

    Reveal the second special form

    二人（ふたり）This is another complete form to remember.

  4. 三人Read this checked people count.

    Reveal the reading

    さんにんThis means three people.

A second counter

Ask and state age with whole forms

Age uses 歳. Some whole forms change sound. The three examples below show that change without opening a full age chart.

  • New word

    ～歳(～さい)

    years old counter

  • New word

    何歳(なんさい)

    how old

一歳
いっさいone year old
八歳
はっさいeight years old
十歳
じゅっさいten years old

Learn 何歳（なんさい） as one complete question expression. This lesson gives you a small set to recognize and use; it does not claim that you can form every age yet. The number range grows later.

Build a sentence

Put a complete counter form inside a familiar sentence

学生は二人です。／何歳ですか。

First choose a complete people or age form shown in the lesson. Then place it in the familiar polite sentence or question. The sentence frame stays familiar, but it does not predict the form’s reading.

一人, 二人, and sound-changing age forms are learned as complete Japanese. The sentence frame stays simple; the reading inside it deserves care.

Complete counter form

先生は一人です。

せんせいはひとりです。

There is one teacher.

Complete counter form

何歳ですか。

なんさいですか。

How old are you?

One bounded answer

Use one age answer

Age answer

八歳です。

はっさいです。

Eight years old.

The basic number is 八（はち）, but this age expression is八歳（はっさい）. That change is why you learn the age expression as a whole.

Light money recognition

Recognize 円 after a number

  • New word

    ～円(～えん)

    yen counter

    A light recognition item for a yen amount; shopping language comes later.

Recognition only

一万円です。

いちまんえんです。

It is ten thousand yen.

This one amount connects 万 and 円. Buying, asking a price, and a wider money system belong to a later lesson.

Check your recall

Choose the checked form for the job

Keep people, age, and the light yen example separate. Try each reading before revealing it.

  1. 何歳Read the complete age question expression.

    Reveal the reading

    なんさいUse this to ask age with the familiar polite question ending.

  2. 八歳Read this checked age form.

    Reveal the sound change

    はっさいThis means eight years old.

  3. 三人・八歳Which form counts people, and which states age?

    Reveal the two counter jobs

    三人（さんにん）・八歳（はっさい）The first form counts people here. The second states age.

  4. 一万円Read this amount.

    Reveal the reading

    いちまんえんThis is ten thousand yen; it is recognition support, not a shopping pattern.

Parallel Kanji practice

Keep the number Kanji moving

This lesson uses the number Kanji in real forms. If you want a focused recognition pass, use the existing Number Kanji lesson alongside this page. It is useful practice, not a prerequisite.

Keep the number; check the counter

  • Read 1–10 with the primary course forms shown in the number sequence.
  • 万（まん） is the useful landmark for ten thousand.
  • 一人（ひとり） and 二人（ふたり） stay together as special whole forms.
  • 何歳 is read なんさい; selected age forms can change sound.
  • When a counter appears, use a verified whole form instead of guessing the reading.
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