Learning how to count in Japanese can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. It not only helps you understand the language better but also provides insight into Japanese culture. Counting in Japanese is based on a combination of native Japanese numbers and Sino-Japanese numbers, which are derived from Chinese. This article will guide you through the process of counting from 1 to 50 in Japanese, covering both number systems and providing practical examples.

Basic Japanese Numbers (1-10)

Before we dive into counting up to 50, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the basic numbers from 1 to 10. These foundational numbers form the building blocks for counting higher numbers in Japanese.

1. 一 (いち, ichi)
2. 二 (に, ni)
3. 三 (さん, san)
4. 四 (し/よん, shi/yon)
5. 五 (ご, go)
6. 六 (ろく, roku)
7. 七 (しち/なな, shichi/nana)
8. 八 (はち, hachi)
9. 九 (きゅう/く, kyuu/ku)
10. 十 (じゅう, juu)

Note: Some numbers have two possible readings, such as 四 (4) and 七 (7). The readings “shi” and “shichi” are considered unlucky because they sound like the words for death and pain, respectively. Therefore, “yon” and “nana” are often preferred in daily use.

Counting from 11 to 19

Counting from 11 to 19 in Japanese is straightforward. It involves combining the word for 10 (じゅう, juu) with the numbers 1 through 9.

11. 十一 (じゅういち, juu-ichi)
12. 十二 (じゅうに, juu-ni)
13. 十三 (じゅうさん, juu-san)
14. 十四 (じゅうし/じゅうよん, juu-shi/juu-yon)
15. 十五 (じゅうご, juu-go)
16. 十六 (じゅうろく, juu-roku)
17. 十七 (じゅうしち/じゅうなな, juu-shichi/juu-nana)
18. 十八 (じゅうはち, juu-hachi)
19. 十九 (じゅうきゅう/じゅうく, juu-kyuu/juu-ku)

Counting by Tens: 20, 30, 40, and Beyond

To count by tens in Japanese, you combine the number for 10 (じゅう, juu) with the numbers 2, 3, 4, etc.

20. 二十 (にじゅう, ni-juu)
30. 三十 (さんじゅう, san-juu)
40. 四十 (しじゅう/よんじゅう, shi-juu/yon-juu)
50. 五十 (ごじゅう, go-juu)

Combining Numbers: 21-29, 31-39, etc.

Once you know how to count by tens, combining numbers becomes simple. You just add the single digits (1-9) to the tens.

21. 二十一 (にじゅういち, ni-juu-ichi)
22. 二十二 (にじゅうに, ni-juu-ni)
23. 二十三 (にじゅうさん, ni-juu-san)
24. 二十四 (にじゅうし/にじゅうよん, ni-juu-shi/ni-juu-yon)
25. 二十五 (にじゅうご, ni-juu-go)
26. 二十六 (にじゅうろく, ni-juu-roku)
27. 二十七 (にじゅうしち/にじゅうなな, ni-juu-shichi/ni-juu-nana)
28. 二十八 (にじゅうはち, ni-juu-hachi)
29. 二十九 (にじゅうきゅう/にじゅうく, ni-juu-kyuu/ni-juu-ku)

The same pattern applies for the 30s, 40s, and up to 50.

31. 三十一 (さんじゅういち, san-juu-ichi)
32. 三十二 (さんじゅうに, san-juu-ni)
33. 三十三 (さんじゅうさん, san-juu-san)
34. 三十四 (さんじゅうし/さんじゅうよん, san-juu-shi/san-juu-yon)
35. 三十五 (さんじゅうご, san-juu-go)
36. 三十六 (さんじゅうろく, san-juu-roku)
37. 三十七 (さんじゅうしち/さんじゅうなな, san-juu-shichi/san-juu-nana)
38. 三十八 (さんじゅうはち, san-juu-hachi)
39. 三十九 (さんじゅうきゅう/さんじゅうく, san-juu-kyuu/san-juu-ku)

41. 四十一 (よんじゅういち, yon-juu-ichi)
42. 四十二 (よんじゅうに, yon-juu-ni)
43. 四十三 (よんじゅうさん, yon-juu-san)
44. 四十四 (よんじゅうし/よんじゅうよん, yon-juu-shi/yon-juu-yon)
45. 四十五 (よんじゅうご, yon-juu-go)
46. 四十六 (よんじゅうろく, yon-juu-roku)
47. 四十七 (よんじゅうしち/よんじゅうなな, yon-juu-shichi/yon-juu-nana)
48. 四十八 (よんじゅうはち, yon-juu-hachi)
49. 四十九 (よんじゅうきゅう/よんじゅうく, yon-juu-kyuu/yon-juu-ku)

51. 五十一 (ごじゅういち, go-juu-ichi)
52. 五十二 (ごじゅうに, go-juu-ni)
53. 五十三 (ごじゅうさん, go-juu-san)
54. 五十四 (ごじゅうし/ごじゅうよん, go-juu-shi/go-juu-yon)
55. 五十五 (ごじゅうご, go-juu-go)
56. 五十六 (ごじゅうろく, go-juu-roku)
57. 五十七 (ごじゅうしち/ごじゅうなな, go-juu-shichi/go-juu-nana)
58. 五十八 (ごじゅうはち, go-juu-hachi)
59. 五十九 (ごじゅうきゅう/ごじゅうく, go-juu-kyuu/go-juu-ku)

Counting Beyond 50

Once you’ve mastered counting to 50, you can continue using the same principles for higher numbers. For instance:

60. 六十 (ろくじゅう, roku-juu)
70. 七十 (ななじゅう, nana-juu)
80. 八十 (はちじゅう, hachi-juu)
90. 九十 (きゅうじゅう, kyuu-juu)

Adding numbers beyond 50 follows the same pattern as before:

51. 五十一 (ごじゅういち, go-juu-ichi)
52. 五十二 (ごじゅうに, go-juu-ni)
53. 五十三 (ごじゅうさん, go-juu-san)

And so on.

Special Considerations: Native Japanese Numbers

In addition to the Sino-Japanese counting system, there is also a native Japanese counting system used for certain objects and situations. Here’s a brief overview:

1. ひとつ (hitotsu)
2. ふたつ (futatsu)
3. みっつ (mittsu)
4. よっつ (yottsu)
5. いつつ (itsutsu)
6. むっつ (muttsu)
7. ななつ (nanatsu)
8. やっつ (yattsu)
9. ここのつ (kokonotsu)
10. とお (too)

Native Japanese numbers are often used when counting small items, days, or age.

Practical Applications

Understanding how to count in Japanese is useful in various real-life situations. Here are some practical applications:

1. Shopping: When buying items, you’ll need to understand prices and quantities.
2. Time: Telling time and understanding schedules.
3. Age: Asking and telling ages.
4. Dates: Understanding dates and appointments.

Practice Makes Perfect

To become proficient in counting in Japanese, it’s essential to practice regularly. Here are some tips:

1. Flashcards: Create flashcards with numbers in Japanese and their pronunciations.
2. Daily Use: Try to incorporate counting into your daily routine, such as counting steps or objects.
3. Language Partners: Practice with a language partner or tutor.

Conclusion

Counting to 50 in Japanese is a fundamental skill that opens doors to deeper language understanding and cultural appreciation. By mastering the basic numbers, combining them to form higher numbers, and practicing regularly, you’ll be well on your way to becoming proficient in Japanese numerals. Whether for travel, business, or personal enrichment, knowing how to count in Japanese is an invaluable asset.