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Numbers and counters you hear at a konbini
Cigarette numbers, "two of these", "one pair of chopsticks", ¥10,000 notes: numbers are the part of konbini Japanese that trips people up most. Here is what you will actually hear. Tap 🔊 to listen.
Cigarettes are ordered by number
At a konbini, cigarettes are on the shelf behind the counter, each with a number on the display. Customers usually ask for the number (番, ban), not the brand name.
| Customer 12番をください。Jūni-ban o kudasai.Number 12, please. | |
| Customer 14番、ひとつ。Jūyon-ban, hitotsu.Number 14, one (pack). | |
| Customer 47番、ひとつ。Yonjūnana-ban, hitotsu.Number 47, one. |
4 is "yon", 7 is "nana", 9 is "kyū"
Textbooks teach two readings for some numbers. When people say numbers aloud in everyday life, the readings below are the usual ones:
- 4 = yon (not shi). Shi is also the reading of 死, "death", so it is avoided.
- 7 = nana (not shichi). Shichi is easy to confuse with ichi (1) and hachi (8).
- 9 = kyū (not ku). Ku sounds like 苦, "suffering".
| Customer 4番をください。Yon-ban o kudasai.Number 4, please. | |
| Customer 7番をください。Nana-ban o kudasai.Number 7, please. | |
| Customer 9番をください。Kyū-ban o kudasai.Number 9, please. | |
| Customer 17番、ひとつ。Jūnana-ban, hitotsu.Number 17, one. (Easy to mix up with 7!) |
Counters: つ, 個 and 膳
Japanese adds a "counter" after a number. Three cover almost everything at a konbini:
| Counter | Used for | 1 · 2 · 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 〜つ | General things (hot snacks, items). Native Japanese numbers, used up to 9; ten is とお. | ひとつ · ふたつ · みっつ hitotsu · futatsu · mittsu |
| 〜個 | Small, compact items; also a general counter. | いっこ · にこ · さんこ ikko · niko · sanko |
| 〜膳 | Pairs of chopsticks (and bowls of rice). | いちぜん · にぜん · さんぜん ichizen · nizen · sanzen |
| Customer からあげを1つください。Karaage o hitotsu kudasai.One fried chicken, please. | |
| Customer 肉まんを2個ください。Nikuman o niko kudasai.Two pork buns, please. | |
| Customer 2膳お願いします。Nizen onegai shimasu.Two pairs (of chopsticks), please. |
Money
| Customer 一万円でお願いします。Ichiman-en de onegai shimasu.Here is ¥10,000 (please take it from this). | |
| Customer ちょうどあります。Chōdo arimasu.I have the exact amount. |
千円 = sen-en (¥1,000) · 五千円 = gosen-en (¥5,000) · 一万円 = ichiman-en (¥10,000). Note it is ichiman, never just "man".