Expressing Quantity in Japanese – JLPT N5 Grammar

When learning Japanese, knowing how to express quantity is a vital skill in daily conversations. Whether you’re talking about the number of items, people, time, or distance, Japanese has specific structures that help convey these ideas accurately. In this guide, we’ll cover two of the most fundamental and widely used patterns to express quantity in Japanese.

1. Structure: N が 数量 あります / います (There is/are [number of] N)

This is the most basic structure to express the existence and quantity of people, animals, or objects in Japanese.

How to use:

• あります (arimasu) is used for non-living things and objects
• います (imasu) is used for people and animals

Examples with あります (arimasu – for objects):

• 机が三つあります。 (Tsukue ga mittsu arimasu) – There are three desks.
• 教室に椅子が二十脚あります。 (Kyoushitsu ni isu ga nijukkyaku arimasu) – There are twenty chairs in the classroom.
• 冷蔵庫にりんごが五つあります。 (Reizouko ni ringo ga itsutsu arimasu) – There are five apples in the fridge.
• 本棚に本が百冊あります。 (Hondana ni hon ga hyakusatsu arimasu) – There are one hundred books on the bookshelf.

Examples with います (imasu – for people/animals):

• 家族に子供が二人います。 (Kazoku ni kodomo ga futari imasu) – There are two children in the family.
• 公園に犬が三匹います。 (Kouen ni inu ga sanbiki imasu) – There are three dogs in the park.
• 教室に学生が三十人います。 (Kyoushitsu ni gakusei ga sanjuunin imasu) – There are thirty students in the classroom.
• 水族館に魚が多くいます。 (Suizokukan ni sakana ga ooku imasu) – There are many fish in the aquarium.

Important Note:

In Japanese, specific counter words are used depending on the type of noun. Here are some common ones:

• 人 (nin) – for people
• 匹 (hiki) – for small animals
• 冊 (satsu) – for books
• 枚 (mai) – for flat objects (like paper)
• 本 (hon) – for long cylindrical objects

2. Structure: どのぐらい / どれぐらい (How much / How long)

This structure is used to ask about quantity or duration, equivalent to “how much” or “how long” in English.

Examples: Asking about quantity

• りんごがどのぐらいありますか。 (Ringo ga donogurai arimasu ka) – How many apples are there?
• 学生がどれぐらいいますか。 (Gakusei ga doregurai imasu ka) – How many students are there?
• お金がどのぐらい必要ですか。 (Okane ga donogurai hitsuyou desu ka) – How much money is needed?

Examples: Asking about time

• 日本語を勉強してどのぐらいですか。 (Nihongo wo benkyou shite donogurai desu ka) – How long have you been studying Japanese?
• ここから駅まで歩いてどれぐらいかかりますか。 (Koko kara eki made aruite doregurai kakarimasu ka) – How long does it take to walk to the station from here?
• 待ち合わせまでどのぐらい時間がありますか。 (Machiawase made donogurai jikan ga arimasu ka) – How much time is left until the meeting?

How to answer:

• 約30分です。 (Yaku sanjuppun desu) – About 30 minutes.
• 3年ぐらいです。 (San-nen gurai desu) – About 3 years.
• 100個くらいあります。 (Hyakko kurai arimasu) – There are about 100.

Study Tips and Usage Advice

1. Learn appropriate counters: Japanese uses specific counter words based on object type. Mastering the most common ones will help your accuracy.
2. Practice in real-life situations: Try describing the number of objects around you or ask how long it takes to get from one place to another.
3. Combine with other grammar: Try using these quantity expressions with other grammar patterns to create more complex sentences.
4. Differentiate between あります and います: Knowing when to use each is essential: use あります for non-living things, and います for people and animals.

Practical Applications in Daily Life

When shopping:

• バナナが何本欲しいですか。 (Banana ga nanbon hoshii desu ka) – How many bananas do you want?
• りんごを五つください。 (Ringo wo itsutsu kudasai) – Please give me five apples.

When asking for directions:

• 駅までどのぐらい歩きますか。 (Eki made donogurai arukimasu ka) – How long does it take to walk to the station?
• 約10分です。 (Yaku juppun desu) – About 10 minutes.

In the classroom:

• クラスに学生が何人いますか。 (Kurasu ni gakusei ga nannin imasu ka) – How many students are in the class?
• 25人います。 (Nijuugonin imasu) – There are 25 students.

Conclusion

While expressing quantity in Japanese may seem a bit tricky at first due to the variety of counter words, once you master the two key structures N が 数量 あります／います and どのぐらい／どれぐらい, you’ll be able to express and ask about quantities in many different contexts.

Keep practicing these structures in your daily life to become more fluent and confident. Mastering quantity expressions will help you communicate more naturally and effectively in Japanese.

今日からたくさん練習しましょう！ (Kyou kara takusan renshuu shimashou!) – Let’s start practicing a lot from today!

🔗 Related Grammar & Vocabulary

• JLPT N5 Grammar List – 60 Essential Grammar Points
• そう思います – I think so
• そうだ – I heard that
• た-form – past tense; completed action
• て-form – connects actions; request form
• てください – please do ~
• と – and; with; if/when
• ところ – about to; in the middle of
• とき – when
• は – topic marker
• よく – often; well

thuandao

I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.