Count in Japanese Today: Numbers 0–99 and Everyday Counters (A1)

Ever wanted to buy 3 onigiri in Tokyo or tell a friend your age in Japanese? Numbers are everywhere — prices, time, people, and more. In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn how to count from 0–99 and use the most common counters you’ll actually need in daily life.

0–10: Your core digits

Memorize these first. They’re the building blocks for everything else.

  • 0: ゼロ / れい
  • 1: いち
  • 2: に
  • 3: さん
  • 4: よん (し also exists, but よん is the safer everyday choice)
  • 5: ご
  • 6: ろく
  • 7: なな (しち also exists; なな is the safe choice)
  • 8: はち
  • 9: きゅう (く also exists; きゅう is the safe choice)
  • 10: じゅう

Try saying them aloud a few times in order — and backwards!

一 いち
one
numeral
いち、に、さん！
One, two, three!
四 よん
four (safe reading: yon)
numeral
りんごがよんこあります。
There are four apples.
七 なな
seven (safe reading: nana)
numeral
ななまいください。
Please give me seven sheets.
九 きゅう
nine (safe reading: kyū)
numeral
きゅうじに会いましょう。
Let’s meet at nine o’clock.
十 じゅう
ten
numeral
じゅうえんです。
It’s ten yen.
Japanese
りんごがみっつあります。
Lit: apples (subject) three (general counter) exist
There are three apples.
🧠 Safe readings check

Building 11–99

Japanese numbers stack neatly:

  • 11–19: じゅう + number
    • 11 = じゅういち, 14 = じゅうよん, 17 = じゅうなな, 19 = じゅうきゅう
  • Tens: Xじゅう
    • 20 = にじゅう, 30 = さんじゅう, 40 = よんじゅう, …, 90 = きゅうじゅう
  • 21–99 (non-multiples of 10): tens + ones
    • 24 = にじゅうよん, 38 = さんじゅうはち, 57 = ごじゅうなな, etc.

Say the tens first, then the ones. Simple and regular!

十 (じゅう) ten + plus 五 (ご) five → 十五 (じゅうご) fifteen
二十 (にじゅう) twenty + plus 六 (ろく) six → 二十六 (にじゅうろく) twenty-six
Japanese
にじゅうよんさいです。
Lit: 24 years-old am
I am 24 years old.
🔠 Put the words in order

Put the words in a natural A1 sentence.

Meet counters: ～つ for general things

Japanese uses different counters depending on what you count. The most beginner-friendly is ～つ, used for many everyday objects (when you don’t know the specific counter yet).

  • 1: ひとつ
  • 2: ふたつ
  • 3: みっつ
  • 4: よっつ
  • 5: いつつ
  • 6: むっつ
  • 7: ななつ
  • 8: やっつ
  • 9: ここのつ
  • 10: とお

Use ～つ for items like apples, sandwiches, bottles (casual), etc.

Japanese
パンをふたつください。
Lit: bread (object) two (general counter) please-give
Two breads, please.

みかんを ください。

🧠 Which ～つ form?

Counting people: ～人（～にん）

For people, you’ll use ～人 (～にん). Two exceptions are super common:

  • 1 person: ひとり
  • 2 people: ふたり
  • 3+ people: さんにん, よにん, ごにん, ろくにん …

Tip: 4 people is よにん (not しにん).

Japanese
きょうはクラスにさんにんいます。
Lit: today class in three-people exist
There are three people in class today.
🧠 People counter quick check

Telling the hour: ～時（～じ）

You’ll often need hours for appointments and class times.

  • 1: いちじ
  • 2: にじ
  • 3: さんじ
  • 4: よじ (not しじ)
  • 5: ごじ
  • 6: ろくじ
  • 7: しちじ
  • 8: はちじ
  • 9: くじ (not きゅうじ)
  • 10: じゅうじ

Combine with minutes later (beyond A1). For now, practice hours.

今は です。

Japanese
しちじに会いましょう。
Lit: at 7 o’clock let’s meet
Let’s meet at seven o’clock.

Prices and yen

You’ll see 円 (えん, yen) everywhere.

  • 50 yen: ごじゅう円
  • 75 yen: ななじゅうご円
  • 90 yen: きゅうじゅう円

Just say the number + 円.

円 えん
yen (Japanese currency)
noun
これはごじゅう円です。
This is 50 yen.
💬 At the shop
四じ → よじ For hours, 4 o’clock is よじ, not し or しじ. 二人（ににん） → 二人（ふたり） 1 person = ひとり, 2 people = ふたり. From 3 up, use にん (さんにん, よにん…).

Culture & usage notes

  • Unlucky numbers: 4 (し) and 9 (く) can sound like “death” and “suffering.” That’s why よん and きゅう are safer. Gifts are often not in sets of 4.
  • Phone numbers: Often read digit by digit: 090 → れい・きゅう・れい or ゼロ・きゅう・ゼロ. Both ゼロ and れい appear.
  • Age: ～さい (さい). One special case: 20 years old is はたち (not にじゅうさい). You’ll hear it a lot!
Japanese
わたしはじゅうごさいです。
Lit: I 15 years-old am
I am 15 years old.

わたしは さいです。

Quick recap

  • Memorize 0–10, then build 11–99 with tens + ones.
  • Use ～つ for general items (ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ…).
  • Use ～人 for people: ひとり, ふたり, さんにん, よにん…
  • Tell hours with ～時, remembering special 4 = よじ, 7 = しちじ, 9 = くじ.
  • Prices: number + 円.

Practice a little every day: count steps as you walk (いち、に、さん…), tell a friend the meeting time (しちじ), or order items with ～つ. You’ve got this — ひとつずつ、着実に！