Step 1: 1~10

• "i-chi"(one) -pronounce it like "itchy"
• "ni"(two) -pronounce it like "knee".
• "san"(three) -pronounce it like "son".
• "shi" or "yon"(four)
• "go"(five)
• "roku"(six) -if you find this pronunciation difficult, please try to pronounce this as "rock". This should help you.
• "nana"(seven)
• "hachi"(eight) -if you find this pronunciation difficult, please try to pronounce this as "hatch". This should help you.
• "kyu" or "ku"(nine) -pronounce "kyu" like "Q".
• "ju"(ten) -pronounce it like "Jew".

Step 2: 20~90

The numbers from twenty to ninety are very easy. For example, twenty in Japanese is "ni-ju". As you notice, "ni" is two, and "ju" is ten in Japanese. Yes, 20("ni-ju")= 2("ni") X 10("ju"), right? That's how you learn numbers in Japanese. Please remember this rule. Let's take a look at other numbers.

• "ni-ju"(twenty)
• "san-ju"(thirty)
• "yon-ju"(forty) -Please do NOT say "shi-ju" even 40=4("shi")X 10("ju"). This does NOT follow my rule above.
• "go-ju"(fifty)
• "roku-ju"(sixty)
• "nana-ju"(seventy)
• "hachi-ju"(eighty)
• "kyu-ju"(ninety) -Please do NOT say "ku-ju" even 90=9("ku") X 10("ju"). Again, this does NOT follow the rule above.

Step 3: Big numbers

• "hya-ku"(hundred)
• "sen"(thousand)
• "man"(ten thousand)
• "ju-man"(hundred thousand) -Remember the rule? In this case, 100,000=10("ju") X 10,000("man").
• "hyaku-man"(million) -1,000,000=100("hyaku") X 10,000("man")
• "sen-man"(ten million) -10,000,000=1,000("sen") X 10,000("man")
• "oku"(hundred million)

Step 4: Exercise

Using the rule, please try the following exercise. After you answer all of the questions, please check your answers. There is an answer key after this exercise.

Please say the following numbers in Japanese

1. 19
2. 22
3. 37
4. 46
5. 54
6. 68
7. 71
8. 83
9. 95
10. 101

Optional Exercise (bigger numbers)

If you want to try bigger numbers, please try the following numbers.(You can skip this if you want.)

1. 5,000
2. 10,000
3. 300,000
4. 5,000,000

   If you want more difficult stuff, please try these numbers.

5. 4,200
6. 27,000
7. 802,010
8. 700,615,090

Answers

1. "ju-kyu" or "ju-ku" -Remember nine in Japanese is either "kyu" or "ku"?
2. "ni-ju-ni"
3. "san-ju-nana"
4. "yon-ju-roku" -Please do NOT say "shi-ju-roku".
5. "go-ju-shi" or "go-ju-yon" -Remember four in Japanese is either "shi" or "yon"?
6. "roku-ju-hachi"
7. "nana-ju-ichi"
8. "hachi-ju-san"
9. "kyu-ju-go" -Please do NOT say "ku-ju-go".
10. "hyaku-ichi"

Optional Exercise

1. "go-sen"
2. "ichi-man"
3. "san-ju-man"
4. "go-hyaku-man"
5. "yon-sen-ni-hyaku"
6. "ni-man-nana-sen"
7. "hachi-ju-man-ni-sen-ju"
8. "nana-oku-roku-ju-ichi-man-go-sen-kyu-ju"(Wow!)