Learning how to count people is one of the most useful things when speaking Japanese, especially when introducing your family or making a reservation. Let’s learn how to say “one person”, “two people”, up to “ten people” with examples
How to Count People
| Hiragana | Romaji | English | Vietnamese |
|---|---|---|---|
| ひとり | hitori | one person | một người |
| ふたり | futari | two people | hai người |
| さんにん | sannin | three people | ba người |
よにん | yonin | four people | bốn người |
| ごにん | gonin | five people | năm người |
| ろくにん | rokunin | six people | sáu người |
| ななにん | nananin | seven people | bảy người |
| はちにん | hachinin | eight people | tám người |
| きゅうにん | kyuunin | nine people | chín người |
| じゅうにん | juunin | ten people | mười người |
📝 Note: “ひとり (hitori)” and “ふたり (futari)” are special cases. From “さんにん (sannin)” and up, the pattern becomes regular: number + にん (nin).
Common Phrases & Examples
1. かぞくはなんにんいますか？
Romaji: Kazoku wa nan-nin imasu ka?
English: How many people are there in your family?
Vietnamese: Gia đình bạn có mấy người?
2. かぞくは…にんいます。
Romaji: Kazoku wa … nin imasu.
English: There are … people in my family.
Vietnamese: Gia đình mình có … người.
🔹 Example:
- かぞくは ごにん います。
- Kazoku wa gonin imasu.
- My family has five people.
- Gia đình mình có năm người.
Now, let’s practice 🥳
Notes :
人 (にん, nin): The general counter for people.
名 (めい, mei): A more polite counter, often used in formal settings like restaurants.
Practical Examples in a Restaurant Setting
When dining out in Japan, you might encounter the following scenarios:
Scenario 1: Entering the Restaurant
- Staff: いらっしゃいませ！何名様ですか？
Irasshaimase! Nan-mei sama desu ka?
(Welcome! How many people are in your party?) - You: 三名です。
San-mei desu.
(Three people.)
