🗓️ Days, Times, and Counting - にち、じかん、そして かぞえかた

In this section, we will learn how to talk about days of the week, times of the day, and how to count in Japanese. This is essential for daily conversations and understanding schedules.

🧮 Counting Objects in Japanese

In Japanese, you don't just count "one, two, three" when talking about things—you need a counter word that matches the shape or type of object you're counting. These counter words, called "josuushi"（じょすうし）, come after the number, and they change depending on whether you're counting people, flat things, long things, round things, animals, etc. This may feel strange at first, but it's very similar to how English sometimes uses "a pair of pants" or "a sheet of paper." Once you learn a few common counters, it becomes much easier to count things correctly in everyday situations!

🍎 Round or Small Compact Objects - ~こ(~ko)

Used for things like apples, balls, erasers, rocks, cookies, or anything small and round.

📄 Flat Objects - ~まい ~(mai)

Used for flat, thin things like paper, plates, shirts, tickets, and photos.

👥 People - ~にん (~nin)

Used for counting people, like friends, family members, or classmates. The pronunciation changes for 1 and 2 people. However, once you get to 11+, you revert back to using いち and に