ひとつ・ふたつ／〜人 (hitotsu, futatsu / -nin) — counters

How to count things and people — Japanese uses different counter words depending on what you count.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

N + を／が + 数 + つ／人／だい／まい + V

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

Meaning

In Nepali "तीन वटा स्याउ" and "तीन जना मान्छे" use different counting words, वटा and जना — Japanese does exactly the same, adding a counter after the number.

How to attach

General objects: ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ … とお (one … ten).
People: 〜人 (にん) — but one person is 一人 (ひとり) and two is 二人 (ふたり); from three on 三人 (さんにん) is regular.
Machines / vehicles: 〜だい; flat things (paper, tickets): 〜まい.
Put number + counter right before the verb, with no particle: りんごをひとつください.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

りんごをひとつください。

ringo o hitotsu kudasai.

One apple, please.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) りんご ──> [ + を ] ──> りんごを ──> the number 一 + つ, the counter for things ──> ひとつ (one) ──> [ particle ❌ ] ──> [ + ください ] ──> One apple, please.

学生が三人います。

がくせいがさんにんいます。

There are three students.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 学生 ──> [ + が ] ──> 学生が ──> 三 + 人, the counter for people ──> 三人 (さんにん, three people) ──> [ + います ] ──> There are three students.

車がにだいあります。

くるまがにだいあります。

There are two cars.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 車 ──> [ + が ] ──> 車が ──> 二 + だい, the counter for vehicles ──> にだい (two) ──> [ + あります ] ──> There are two cars.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

Which word means 'one' for a general object?

💡 Hint: ひと〜 marks 'one'.