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Lesson 11N5Minna no Nihongo I

りんごを 4つ 買います — counting

Counters for things and people, duration, frequency with 〜に〜回, and だけ.

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N を ［number+counter］ VCounting things and people
Counting

Japanese counts with counters: 〜つ (general things), 〜人 (people), 〜枚, 〜台…

りんごを　４つ　買います。

りんごを　よっつ　かいます。

I'll buy four apples.

教室に　学生が　５人　います。

きょうしつに　がくせいが　ごにん　います。

There are five students in the classroom.

A number alone is not enough — Japanese adds a counter that fits the kind of thing. The counting expression usually sits right before the verb. The native series ひとつ・ふたつ・みっつ… (〜つ) counts general objects up to ten.

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［period］VDuration — how long
Counting

A length of time before the verb says how long: １時間 勉強します.

毎日　１時間　日本語を　勉強します。

まいにち　いちじかん　にほんごを　べんきょうします。

I study Japanese for one hour every day.

A duration (１時間 = one hour, ３日 = three days) is placed before the verb with no particle. Don't confuse 時 (a point in time) with 時間 (a length of time).

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［period］に ［n］回〜に〜回 — frequency
Counting

“X times per period”: １週間に ２回 = “twice a week”.

１週間に　２回　テニスを　します。

いっしゅうかんに　にかい　テニスを　します。

I play tennis twice a week.

The period takes に and the count uses the counter 回 (times): ［period］に ［number］回.

  • だけ = “only”: 一人だけ 来ました = “only one person came”.