New here? This is lesson 52 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
My family in Japanese
Leo sits across from Goro at Kissa Hotaru. The yak still takes two seats, and his blend coffee sits full.
Goro asks how many people are in Leo's family. After a little talk about siblings, he turns the question back to Leo.
You will ask about family size, say if you have a sister, and say that you live alone.
Keep it polite. These are short lines for a first talk about home.
By the end of this lesson
Say who is in your family and how many people there are.
- ご家族は何人ですか。How many people are in your family?
- 家族は___人です。There are ___ of us in my family.
- きょうだいはいますか。Do you have any brothers or sisters?
- 一人っ子です。I'm an only child.
- 姉がいます。I have an older sister.
- 一人で住んでいます。I live alone.
Scene — two seats in the booth
Afternoon light hits the booth at Kissa Hotaru. Leo sits down across from Goro, who still spreads across two red seats.
Masako wipes the wooden counter. Goro's blend coffee has not been touched. Talk turns to family, not the old umbrella by the door.
Learn — who is in your family
These six lines let you ask about family size, name an older sister, and say you live alone.
Two questions sit ready, plus short answers for a first chat.
ご家族は何人ですか。
How many people are in your family?
When to use it: Ask this to learn how many people are in someone's family.
Learn it as one piece when you ask about someone's family size.
家族は___人です。
There are ___ of us in my family.
When to use it: Use this to say the number of people in your family.
Learn it as one piece and put the number in the blank.
Say it: The u in です is almost silent.
きょうだいはいますか。
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
When to use it: Ask this to find out if someone has brothers or sisters.
Learn it as one piece for brothers and sisters together.
一人っ子です。
I'm an only child.
When to use it: Use this when you have no brothers or sisters.
Learn it as one piece to say you have no siblings.
Say it: Hold the small っ before こ.
姉がいます。
I have an older sister.
When to use it: Use this to say you have an older sister.
Learn it as one piece for an older sister.
一人で住んでいます。
I live alone.
When to use it: Use this when you live by yourself, not with family.
Learn it as one piece when you live by yourself.
Story — Goro still takes two seats
Goro asks Leo about his family at the booth, then answers Leo's question about siblings. He turns the question back to Leo, who lives alone.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Goro fills two red seats. His blend coffee has gone cold again.
Leoこんにちは。Hello.
Goroご家族は何人ですか。How many people are in your family?- Leo家族は三人です。There are three of us in my family.
- Leoきょうだいはいますか。Do you have any brothers or sisters?
- Goro姉がいます。I have an older sister.
- Goroレオさんはどうですか。And you, Leo?
- Leo一人っ子です。I'm an only child.
- Leo一人で住んでいます。I live alone.
- Goro nods and stays on both seats. The coffee still sits full.
Practice — pick the right family line
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you can move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
ご家族は何人ですか。Drop the English hereきょうだいはいますか。Drop the English here一人っ子です。Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Goro asks how many people are in your family. You are a family of three.
Pick the reply
Leo says:
Pick the reply
きょうだいはいますか。
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
I have an older sister.
。
Tap the words in order.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
一人で住んでいます。
Swap the word
Swap the word
You ask Goro about his family. Make the first word polite.
____は何人ですか。
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
There are ___ of us in my family.
家族は_______です。
What do you say?
What do you say?
You sit down across from Goro in the afternoon and greet him.
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
You just told Goro about your family. Bounce the topic back with his name.
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo in the booth with Goro. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Leo (you)Ask how many people are in his family.
Ask how many people are in his family.
ご家族は何人ですか。
How many people are in your family?
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| ご家族は何人ですか。 | How many people are in your family? | |
| 家族は___人です。 | There are ___ of us in my family. | |
| きょうだいはいますか。 | Do you have any brothers or sisters? | |
| 一人っ子です。 | I'm an only child. | |
| 姉がいます。 | I have an older sister. | |
| 一人で住んでいます。 | I live alone. |
Save your progress — it’s free
Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these family lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round keeps family size ready for a first chat.
Open Yak Cards