Japanese course

Lesson 20 of 240

New here? This is lesson 20 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

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One cup, one bowl in Japanese

Leo is at Kissa Hotaru with Goro, who wants coffee and toast. Masako waits with her notepad.

She glances at the booth, where Goro takes up two seats, and asks how many.

Goro holds up one hoof, then two. Leo follows with an order of his own.

By the end, you can order one or two items and ask how many. Keep each line as one piece.

By the end of this lesson

Count cups, bowls, and items when you order.

  • ひとつください。One, please.
  • ふたつください。Two, please.
  • コーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。One coffee, please.
  • ケーキを二(に)個(こ)ください。Two pieces of cake, please.
  • お水(みず)を二(ふた)つください。Two waters, please.
  • いくつですか。How many?

Scene — the two-seat booth

A quiet morning at Kissa Hotaru. Leo sits near the counter while Goro fills two seats in the corner booth. His blend coffee is still untouched.

Masako stands ready with her notepad. Toast is not on the table yet, and she glances at the extra seat as she waits for the order.

Leo sits near the counter as Goro fills the corner booth seats and Masako waits with her notepad, glancing toward an empty seat.

Learn — one, two, and how many

Six short lines cover one, two, a coffee, cake, water, and how many.

Learn each line as one piece you can use while ordering at a counter.

  1. Leo lifts a single finger toward Masako beside an empty place setting.

    ひとつください。

    One, please.

    When to use it: Say this when you want one of something.

    Learn it as one piece for a single item.

  2. Leo holds up a pair of fingers while Goro occupies both seats in the corner booth.

    ふたつください。

    Two, please.

    When to use it: Say this when you want two of something.

    Learn it as one piece for two items.

  3. Leo gestures toward a single coffee cup beside the siphon while Masako stands across the counter.

    コーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。

    One coffee, please.

    When to use it: Order one cup of coffee at a cafe.

    Learn it as one piece for one coffee.

    Say it: In 一杯, っ briefly holds the sound before ぱい.

  4. Leo gestures toward a pair of cake slices in the display while Masako waits beside him.

    ケーキを二(に)個(こ)ください。

    Two pieces of cake, please.

    When to use it: Order two small cakes at a cafe.

    Learn it as one piece for two cakes.

  5. Leo stands at the counter beside a pair of empty water glasses as Masako brings a pitcher and Goro remains in the booth.

    お水(みず)を二(ふた)つください。

    Two waters, please.

    When to use it: Ask for two glasses of water with your order.

    Learn it as one piece for two waters.

  6. Masako checks her blank notepad while Goro raises a hoof from the corner booth.

    いくつですか。

    How many?

    When to use it: Ask how many of something someone wants.

    Learn it as one piece to ask how many.

    Say it: The u in です is almost silent.

Story — a hoof, then two

Watch Goro order at Kissa Hotaru. Masako asks how many as she waits for his toast order.

The highlighted phrases are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Goro's booth uses two seats. His coffee is still full.
  2. Masakoいらっしゃいませ。Welcome.
  3. Goroコーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。One coffee, please.
  4. Goroトーストをください。Toast, please.
  5. Masakoいくつですか。How many?
  6. Goro holds up one hoof, then two.
  7. Goroひとつください。One, please.
  8. Leoふたつください。Two, please.
  9. Leoケーキを二(に)個(こ)ください。Two pieces of cake, please.
  10. Masakoはい。Yes.
  11. Leoお水(みず)を二(ふた)つください。Two waters, please.
  12. Leoありがとうございます。Thank you.
  13. Masako turns to the siphon. Goro still has not touched his cup.

Practice — count the order

Eleven quick exercises are waiting in this round. You will listen, choose meanings, fill gaps, and build a line.

Each task is short, so you can focus on the count.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    コーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。Drop the English here
    ケーキを二(に)個(こ)ください。Drop the English here
    お水(みず)を二(ふた)つください。Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    You want one piece of toast. Masako is waiting for your order.

  4. Fill the gap

    One coffee, please.

    コーヒーを____ください。

  5. What does it mean?

    いくつですか。

  6. Swap the word

    You want two snacks, not one. Fix the number.

    ____ください。

  7. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    ケーキはいくつですか。

    How many cakes?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    Two pieces of cake, please.

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  9. Find the mistake

  10. True or false?

    Masako says this to welcome you into the cafe.

  11. What do you say?

    Masako sets down your cake and water. Thank her.

Say it — place the order

Now you are Leo at the counter. When it is your turn, tap the microphone and say the line.

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

  1. Masakoいらっしゃいませ。Welcome.
  2. Leo (you)Order one coffee.

    コーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。

    One coffee, please.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
ひとつください。One, please.
ふたつください。Two, please.
コーヒーを一杯(いっぱい)ください。One coffee, please.
ケーキを二(に)個(こ)ください。Two pieces of cake, please.
お水(みず)を二(ふた)つください。Two waters, please.
いくつですか。How many?
Next: lesson 21Tickets, books, people, pets

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these orders handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps one and two ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards