5.3 Numbers 11 to 100
Now that you have a basic understanding of numbers from 0 to 10, you are well equipped to tackle larger numbers. In this module, we will guide you through the process of counting and expressing larger numbers with confidence. Let’s dive in and expand your counting skills!
Once you have learned how to count from 0 to 10 in Japanese, you can apply that knowledge to count from 11 to 99 using the following method.
Numbers 11 to 19
To form numbers 11 to 19, we simply add a unit number to 10 （十: じゅう: juu）.
While we introduce kanji starting from Chapter 7 onwards, we have begun using basic kanji for numbers to familiarise you with these fundamental characters early on in the textbook. But don’t worry! They all have romaji readings.
Take, for example, 11, which is 十一 （じゅういち: juu-ichi）, a simple combination of ‘十（じゅう: juu）’ and ‘一（いち: ichi）’.
Here are the numbers from 11 to 19, so you can see this method in action:
| Kanji (Hiragana) | English | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| 十一（じゅういち） | eleven | juu-ichi |
| 十二（じゅうに） | twelve | juu-ni |
| 十三（じゅうさん） | thirteen | juu-san |
| 十四（じゅうよん）or (じゅうし) | fourteen | juu-yon or juu-shi |
| 十五（じゅうご） | fifteen | juu-go |
| 十六（じゅうろく） | sixteen | juu-roku |
| 十七（じゅうなな）or （じゅうしち） | seventeen | juu-nana or juu-shichi |
| 十八（じゅうはち） | eighteen | juu-hachi |
| 十九（じゅうきゅう） | nineteen | juu-kyu |
Please note that when the number 9 is used at the end of a larger number, it is commonly pronounced as 九 (きゅう: kyuu). The numbers 4 and 7, however, can be either 四 (よん: yon) or (し: yo), and either 七 (なな: nana) or (しち: shichi) at the end of a larger number, respectively.
Numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90
Easy, isn’t it?
Now, let’s move on to double-digit numbers beyond 19. We will begin with multiples of 10, which are the numbers that end in 0, such as 20, 30, 40 and so on.
Forming these larger numbers is straightforward. We just need to say the first number followed by 十 (じゅう: juu), which means ten.
For example, 20 is 二十 (にじゅう: ni-juu), or ‘2’ and ‘10’.
| Kanji (Hiragana) | Romaji | |
| 20 | 二十（にじゅう） | ni-juu |
| 30 | 三十（さんじゅう） | san-juu |
| 40 | 四十（よんじゅう） | yon-juu* |
| 50 | 五十（ごじゅう） | go-juu |
| 60 | 六十（ろくじゅう） | roku-juu |
| 70 | 七十（ななじゅう） | nana-juu* |
| 80 | 八十（はちじゅう） | hachi-juu |
| 90 | 九十（きゅうじゅう） | kyu-juu* |
| 100 | 百（ひゃく） | hyaku |
Please note that when the numbers 4, 7 or 9 are used before 十 (じゅう: juu), they should be pronounced as 四 (よん: yon), 七 (なな: nana) and 九 (きゅう: kyuu), respectively.
Numbers 21 to 99
Last but not least, let’s explore how to form double-digit numbers that do not end in 0.
The concept is similar to the numbers from 11 to 19. Here are a few examples:
- 21: 2-10-1 = 二十一 (にじゅういち: ni-juu-ichi)
- 34: 3-10-4 = 三十四 (さんじゅうよん: san-juu-yon)
- 47: 4-10-7 = 四十七 (よんじゅうなな: yon-juu-nana or よんじゅうしち: yon-juu-shichi)
- 59: 5-10-9 = 五十九 (ごじゅうきゅう: go-juu-kyuu)
Number 100
The exception to note is 100, which is 百 (ひゃく: hyaku). Remember not to add 一 (いち: ichi) to 百 to denote 100; it’s simply 百. This is an important detail to memorise!
Exercise 1
In the video created by Bocchi & Pocchi, there is a review quiz at around the 3:15 mark. Additionally, the first half of the video covers how to count from 0 to 100, which you can also use for review.
Figures
1 “Exclamation sign font awesome” by Dave Gandy. Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC by SA 3.0.
References
Bocchi & Pocchi. “Learn Japanese for Kids with Bocchi & Pocchi | Numbers 11-100.” YouTube video, 5:58. March 18, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqxI9FIH460.
