Japanese course

Lesson 17 of 240

New here? This is lesson 17 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

Start hereHow this works

Numbers one to ten in Japanese

Leo stands at the counter of Kissa Hotaru. Empty cups sit in a row, and Goro taps each one as he tries to count.

He starts well, then loses the thread at seven and looks at Leo for help.

Masako holds up both hands. By the end you can count from one to ten, say a number with です, and say zero.

By the end of this lesson

Count from one to ten and say zero.

  • 一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。One, two, three, four, five.
  • 六(ろく)、七(なな)、八(はち)、九(きゅう)、十(じゅう)。Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
  • ゼロです。Zero.
  • 四(よん)です。It's four.
  • 七(なな)です。It's seven.
  • 十(じゅう)です。It's ten.

Scene — empty cups

Late morning in Yanaka. Leo leans on the wooden counter at Kissa Hotaru. Empty cups sit in a line beside Goro's untouched blend coffee.

Goro taps each cup with a thick finger. Masako watches from the siphon pots, both hands ready.

Late-morning Kissa Hotaru is open around Leo, Goro, Masako, and a row of empty cups beside Goro’s untouched coffee.

Learn — one to ten

Six short lines cover one to five, six to ten, zero, and three ready answers.

You'll say four, seven, and ten as full polite lines.

  1. Goro taps the nearest cups with one thick finger as he begins counting.

    一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。

    One, two, three, four, five.

    When to use it: Count from one to five, and say four as よん, not し.

    Learn it as one piece for counting to five.

  2. Goro stretches along the booth to tap the cups at the far end of the row.

    六(ろく)、七(なな)、八(はち)、九(きゅう)、十(じゅう)。

    Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

    When to use it: Count from six to ten, and use なな, きゅう, and じゅう.

    Learn it as one piece for counting to ten.

    Say it: じゅう has a long u, not a short one.

  3. Masako watches from the siphon pots beside an open stretch of wooden counter.

    ゼロです。

    Zero.

    When to use it: Say this when the number is zero.

    Learn it as one piece for spoken zero.

  4. Leo indicates the fourth cup after Goro taps it again.

    四(よん)です。

    It's four.

    When to use it: Say this for four, and use よん, not し.

    Learn it as one piece to name the number four.

  5. Goro loses track in the row, and Leo indicates the seventh cup while Masako watches.

    七(なな)です。

    It's seven.

    When to use it: Say this for seven, and use なな, not しち.

    Learn it as one piece to name the number seven.

  6. Leo looks along ten empty cups as Masako holds up both hands and Goro finishes the count.

    十(じゅう)です。

    It's ten.

    When to use it: Say this when the number is ten.

    Learn it as one piece to name the number ten.

Story — seven cups

Goro counts the cups, stalls at seven, and looks at Leo. Masako solves it with both hands.

Highlighted words are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want it.

  1. Empty cups sit in a row on the wooden counter.
  2. Goro一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。One, two, three, four, five.
  3. He taps the fourth cup again.
  4. Goro四(よん)です。It's four.
  5. He taps the next cups, then stops.
  6. Goro六(ろく)、七(なな)、ええと。Six, seven, um.
  7. He has lost track of which cup is seventh. He looks at Leo.
  8. Leo七(なな)です。It's seven.
  9. Goro nods and starts the second half again.
  10. Goro六(ろく)、七(なな)、八(はち)、九(きゅう)、十(じゅう)。Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
  11. Masako holds up both hands.
  12. Masako十(じゅう)です。It's ten.
  13. Leoこうですか。Like this?
  14. Masakoはい、そうです。Yes, that's right.
  15. Goro looks at his untouched blend coffee.
  16. Goroゼロです。Zero.

Practice — count them

Eleven short drills. Listen for a number, build a count, and spot a slip.

Keep a finger ready. The cups on the counter will not wait.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    四(よん)です。Drop the English here
    七(なな)です。Drop the English here
    十(じゅう)です。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Five empty cups sit in a row. Count them from one to five.

  4. Fill the gap

    It's four.

    ____です。

  5. What does it mean?

    ゼロです。

  6. Pick the reply

    Goro says:

    一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。

    One, two, three, four, five.

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    Masako holds up both hands. Fix the number.

    ____です。

  8. Build the line

    Zero.

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  9. Find the mistake

  10. What do you say?

    You hold up seven fingers and check the count with Goro.

  11. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    十(じゅう)です。

    It's ten.

    And you reply with:

Say it — say the number

Now you're Leo beside the cups. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and say the number.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on your device.

  1. Masakoどうぞ。Go ahead.
  2. Leo (you)Count the first five cups.

    一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。

    One, two, three, four, five.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
一(いち)、二(に)、三(さん)、四(よん)、五(ご)。One, two, three, four, five.
六(ろく)、七(なな)、八(はち)、九(きゅう)、十(じゅう)。Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
ゼロです。Zero.
四(よん)です。It's four.
七(なな)です。It's seven.
十(じゅう)です。It's ten.
Next: lesson 18How much is it

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps one to ten ready at the counter.

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