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Counting in Japanese -tsu

NikkiAUS

後輩
28 Dec 2015
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Hello,

I need some help with using the counting/counters in Japanese. For food (such as cakes and apples etc.) Do I use つ ? and if so can I use it for any food?

For example. If I want to say I have 3 cakes, is it...

ケーキ が みっつ あります

Thank you, Nikki
 
So I couldn't use it say for all fruits - apple, mango etc? I know that flat objects have different word. Was hoping to find some common ground! :)

Was my sentence grammatically correct?
Your sentence was correct.

As far as getting by, the TSU counting is most important because you will be understood. So you can use that as your common ground for physical things. Especially when it comes to food and drink and shopping. Even if you use it for paper, books, etc. Of course if you want to learn Japanese properly, you'll need to memorize the various count suffixes.
 
Your sentence was correct.

As far as getting by, the TSU counting is most important because you will be understood. So you can use that as your common ground for physical things. Especially when it comes to food and drink and shopping. Even if you use it for paper, books, etc. Of course if you want to learn Japanese properly, you'll need to memorize the various count suffixes.
Thank you all for your replies. I just get mixed up sometimes with which counter.

One more question: is the sentence I wrote able to be substituted. By that I mean can I use the same sentence but replace "cake" with say "dog/inu") and change mittsu to the small animal count? Or do I need to reword it?

Thanks
 
One more question: is the sentence I wrote able to be substituted. By that I mean can I use the same sentence but replace "cake" with say "dog/inu") and change mittsu to the small animal count? Or do I need to reword it?
Yes it's the same pattern except since dogs are living you need a different verb e.g. いぬがさんびきいます
 
So I couldn't use it say for all fruits - apple, mango etc? I know that flat objects have different word. Was hoping to find some common ground!
examples of counters

たま
relatively big spherical fruits
スイカ一玉
すいかひとたま
a watermelon
(玉 can be used also for apples.)


ふさ
bunch
バナナ一房
ばななひとふさ
a bunch of bananas

ブドウ二房
ぶどうふたふさ
two bunches of grapes


ほん
stick
バナナ一本
ばなないっぽん
a stick of banana


つぶ
relatively small fruits
ブドウ一粒
ぶどうひとつぶ
a grape

イチゴ三粒
いちごみつぶ/さんつぶ
three strawberries

It's understandable if you use こ or つ for all these fruits, but I have to point out that they don't always work well. For instance, it is uncertain whether ブドウひとつ refers to a bunch of grapes or a grape.

I just get mixed up sometimes with which counter.
Probably most learners would have the same feelings.
 
examples of counters

たま
relatively big spherical fruits
スイカ一玉
すいかひとたま
a watermelon
(玉 can be used also for apples.)


ふさ
bunch
バナナ一房
ばななひとふさ
a bunch of bananas

ブドウ二房
ぶどうふたふさ
two bunches of grapes


ほん
stick
バナナ一本
ばなないっぽん
a stick of banana


つぶ
relatively small fruits
ブドウ一粒
ぶどうひとつぶ
a grape

イチゴ三粒
いちごみつぶ/さんつぶ
three strawberries

It's understandable if you use こ or つ for all these fruits, but I have to point out that they don't always work well. For instance, it is uncertain whether ブドウひとつ refers to a bunch of grapes or a grape.


Probably most learners would have the same feelings.

Thank you everyone for your help. I will just keep practising and hopefully it will start to become easier to remember!
 
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