Japanese for English speakers Townhall · Lesson 1

Counting words

Count languages in Japanese with 〜ヶ国語 (kakokugo) — 五ヶ国語 (five languages). Practice asking and answering about language skills.

Conversation

  1. Yennifer Yennifer

    ミーラさんは何ヶ国語ができますか？

    mirā san wa nan ka kokugo ga dekimasu ka?

    How many languages can you speak Meera?

    Tip: <nan ka kokugo> = how many languages

  2. Meera Meera

    五ヶ国語ができますよ

    go ka kokugo ga dekimasu yo

    I can speak five languages

    Tip: <go ka kokugo> = five languages

  3. Yennifer Yennifer

    へえ？どこで勉強しましたか？

    hē? doko de benkyō shimashita ka?

    Eh? Where did you learn them?

  4. Meera Meera

    ここで勉強しましたよ

    koko de benkyō shimashita yo

    I have learnt them here

  5. Meera Meera

    ナウン・タウンでどんな言葉も勉強できますよ

    naun taun de donna kotoba mo benkyō dekimasu yo.

    In Noun Town you can study whatever language.

    Tip: <kotoba> = in this context it means "language", not "word / phrase"

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What is the counter for languages?

〜ヶ国語 (kakokugo): 一ヶ国語 (one language), 二ヶ国語 (two), 五ヶ国語 (five). 何ヶ国語 = 'how many languages?'.

What does どんな mean?

'What kind of' — どんな言葉 = 'what kind of language', どんな人 = 'what kind of person'.

What does 言葉 (kotoba) mean?

'Word' or 'language' — depending on context. どんな言葉も = 'any language whatsoever'.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

5 quick questions on what you just heard.

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