Minna no Nihongo (New Edition) Grammar Lesson 11: Numbers, counters, periods of time.

Lesson 11: Numbers, counters, periods of time.

Beginner 1 (N5)
Minna no Nihongo (New Edition) • 7 key grammar patterns
7 key grammar patterns
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Part 1: Counters

Sentence Pattern
助数詞じょすうし
Basic usage of counters:
* General objects (～つ / -tsu): ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ... Question word: いくつ (How many).
* People (～人にん / -nin): ひとり, ふたり, さんにん... Question word: なんにん (How many people).
* Flat/thin objects (～枚まい / -mai): いちまい, にまい... Question word: なんまい (How many flat objects).
* Vehicles/machines (～台だい / -dai): いちだい, にだい... Question word: なんだい (How many vehicles/machines).
* Frequency/times (～回かい / -kai): いっかい, にかい... Question word: なんかい (How many times).
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Part 2: Position of Quantities and Counters

Sentence Pattern
N(助詞じょし) + 数量詞すうりょうし + V
Quantities and counters are always placed immediately after the particle and before the verb. Structure: Noun (Particle) + Counter + Verb.
Example Sentences (2)
A: つくえの うえに ビールが なんぼん ありますか。
B: ろっぽん あります。

→ A: How many bottles of beer are on the desk? B: There are 6 bottles.

A: かいぎしつに なんにん いますか。
B: よにん います。

→ A: How many people are in the meeting room? B: There are 4 people.

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Part 3: How to Use Frequency (Number of Times)

Sentence Pattern
期間きかんに ～回かい V
～回かい (-kai): Used to express the frequency of doing an action.
Interrogative: 何回なんかい (How many times?).
Time period + に + Number of times (～回かい) + Verb: Indicates the frequency of an action within a specific time period.
Example Sentences (2)
私わたしは 一週間いっしゅうかんに 二回にかい 映画えいがを 見みます。

→ I watch movies twice a week.

ナムさんは 一いっか月げつに 一回いっかい 田舎いなかへ帰 かえります。

→ Nam returns to his hometown once a month.

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Part 4: Connecting Multiple Items with Varying Quantities

Sentence Pattern
N1 を 数量詞すうりょうし と N2 を 数量詞すうりょうし V
The particle depends on the verb at the end of the sentence. When listing multiple nouns with their respective quantities, use the particle と (and) to connect them.
Example Sentences (2)
A: りんごを ふたつと バナナを さんぼん ください。
B: はい、わかりました。

→ A: Please give me two apples and three bananas. B: Yes, certainly.

机つくえの上 うえに 卵たまごが にこと パンが ひとつと コーヒーが 一杯いっぱい あります。

→ There are two eggs, one slice of bread, and one cup of coffee on the desk.

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Part 5: ~ ぐらい (About / Approximately)

Sentence Pattern
数量詞すうりょうし + ぐらい
ぐらい (gurai): About/Approximately. It is always placed immediately after the quantity or counter.
Example Sentences (2)
教室きょうしつに 学生がくせいが ２０人にじゅうにんぐらい います。

→ There are about twenty students in the classroom.

ゆうべ ビールを ５本ごほんぐらい 飲のみました。

→ Last night I drank about 5 bottles of beer.

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Part 6: どのくらい / どのぐらい (How long? / How much?)

Sentence Pattern
どのくらい / どのぐらい
どのくらい / どのぐらい (dono kurai / dono gurai): How long? / How much? Used to ask about the duration of time or quantity. Both どのくらい and どのぐらい can be used. When answering, you can choose to include or omit ぐらい.
Example Sentences (2)
A: どのくらい 日本にほんへ行 いきますか。
B: 三さんか月げつぐらい 行いきます。

→ A: How long are you going to Japan for? B: I am going for about three months.

A: 大阪おおさかから 東京とうきょうまで 新幹線しんかんせんで どのくらい かかりますか。
B: ２時間半にじかんはん かかります。

→ A: How long does it take from Osaka to Tokyo by Shinkansen? B: It takes two and a half hours.

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Part 7: だけ (Only)

Sentence Pattern
N + だけ
だけ (dake): Only. It replaces the particles を (wo) and が (ga).
Example Sentences (2)
私わたしは 肉にくなどを 食たべません。やさいだけ たべます。

→ I don't eat meat and such. I only eat vegetables.

家いえの ワンちゃんは 牛乳ぎゅうにゅうだけ 好すきです。

→ My family's dog only likes milk.

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