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The world is an expensive place to live in nowadays, with Japan being especially pricey. As you spend, spend, spend on all the wonderful things it has to offer you may see your bill climb into the 10's of 1000's of 円, so be prepared with the knowledge of these high scale numbers. Then you can recite them perfectly to your Japanese translating friend who may blow your travel budget on The Newest Craze or The Hottest New Accessories.

一万(いちまん)、 二万(にまん)、 三万(さんまん)、 四万(よんまん)、 五万(ご
まん)、 六万(ろくまん)、 七万(ななまん)、 八万(はちまん)、 九万(きゅうま
ん)

[10000, 20000, 30000, 40000, 50000, 60000, 70000, 80000, 90000]

For those of you with money to burn or those intending a longer stay in Japan than most, these are the kinds of numbers you'll see in say jewelery places or high end electronic stores. These kinds of numbers you'll also see as you come across them in counting a larger town's populace, business reports of a person's spending habits, or you happen to have stuffed accounts almost hemorrhaging cash. (note: since they apparently don't have a single kanji for 100,000 十 & 万 are used together to express it. On occasion it's also expressed like this[10万], so keep sharp.)

十万(じゅうまん)、 二十万(にじゅうまん)、 三十万(さんじゅうまん)、 四十万
(よんじゅうまん)、 五十万(ごじゅうまん)、 六十万(ろくじゅうまん)、 七十万
(ななじゅうまん)、 八十万(はちじゅうまん)、 九十万(きゅうじゅうまん)

[100000, 200000, 300000, 400000, 500000, 600000, 700000, 800000, 900000]

Before I go on to the sky high number ranges, allow me to say that Japanese have a multitude of different counters for months, days, animals, umbrellas and so on, some which have special words for certain numbers, such as the Japanese word for 20 year olds, 二十歳(はたち), which is even given it's own holiday and celebration. Again, take your interests to heart and learn them all well so you can communicate how many pets/cars/whatever you happen to own more than one of. For a brief view at some of them please look here

Now then, these kinds of numbers, unless you happen to be connected to someone with sizable accounts, are the kinds you'll only see in reports involving larges amounts of people, money and any combination thereof(including how much someone has spent on taxes that year, which is how they measure someone's wealth in Japan). If you happen to be rich and reading this, maybe you could throw some of it my way?(note: like with 100,000, there's no single kanji for 1,000,000, so a combination of 百&万 is used to express it, and is also expressed like this[100万])

百万(ひゃくまん)、 二百万(にひゃくまん)、 三百万(さんびゃくまん)、 四百万
(よんひゃくまん)、 五百万(ごひゃくまん)、 六百万(ろっぴゃくまん)、 七百万
(ななひゃくまん)、 八百万(はっぴゃくまん)、 九百万(きゅうひゃくまん)

[1000000, 2000000, 3000000, 4000000, 5000000, 6000000, 7000000, 8000000, 9000000]

These are similar, but are consequently on a much larger scale and often appear in business reports and other things expressing extravagant cost, such as reading about how much money companies lost during the tail end of Japan's bubble economy, where everyone lived in absolute excess, and who's ideals were, and perhaps still are often embodied by this woman. Like the others it's a combination of kanji, this time 千 & 万

千万(せんまん)、二千万(にせんまん)、三千万(さんぜんまん)、四千万(よんせんまん)、五千万(ごせんまん)、六千万(ろくせんまん)、七千万(ななせんまん)、八千万(はっせんまん)、 九千万(きゅうせんまん)

[10000000, 20000000, 30000000, 40000000, 50000000, 60000000, 70000000, 80000000, 90000000]

When these numbers appear together(such as in 18,970,000), 万 appears at the smallest point of the numbers presented here . If I wished to express a figure like 7964001 it would be presented like this:

千八百九十六万四千一
(せんはっぴゃくきゅうじゅうろくまんよんせんいち)

I'm sure you can figure out how to say the more intricate numbers by this point. And while there are higher numbers to learn, do you honestly think you'll even see the numbers 10000000, 100000000, and 1000000000 in English in your lifetime, much less Japanese? If you think you will seek the appropriate study materials and learn them well.

As a last bit of information around numbers, the sentence formula used to say you'll *verb* x amount of something is this:

*[object]を[number+counter][action]*

Small side note, を is read as o when used as a particle; more on this later. Also, if you're ever stuck on which counter to use, go with the -つ counter; it covers everything the others don't. Also note that particular counter only goes up to ten, after that you'd use 十一(じゅういち) and the other combinations of numbers you've previously learned to express quantities of 11 or higher.

For a review of all the basics we covered here, please look here

The 'の' particle shows possession of something, like what you learned in asking for specific directions-thus making it a Possessive Particle. It works as so:

(possessor)の(what's bring possessed)

There are several possible translations of this(XのY). The first example I'll cover is x 's y.

ひとみのシャペン
[Hitomi's lead pen/mechanical pencil]

Oftentimes Japanese works a bit differently in the other ways it can be used, in that the thing being possessed becomes the subject. Let's explore this through some of the various translations, starting with of "(the) y of x".

Narniaの伝説(でんせつ)
[The Chronicles of Narnia]

This example of "y of (the) x" is something you might recognize if you've been a fan of anime since the old days.

北斗(ほくと)の拳(けん)
[Fist of the North Star]

The "the xy" way of translating is more descriptive in nature, like how we'd say "The French restraurant".

漫画(まんが)の店(みせ)
[(The) Manga shop]

The "xy" translation is close to how we would say things like "Wasteland" or "Dreamworld".

愛(あい)の街(まち)
(Lovetown)

It can also be used more than one time in a single sentence, such as in this title for a class:

くさばさんの日本語のクラス
(Miss Kusaba's Japanese class)

Sometimes you'll see it used more than twice, but the same principles still apply, such as in the upcoming usage. When we want to state what company we're from and/or what position we have, の can be utilized. The formula for this use is (company)の(position/department you're from)の(your name); this is referred to as Appositional. Since I am co-owner/president of Dream Chaser's Pro, I would introduce myself as such.

Dream Chaser's Proの社主(しゃしゅ)のこいゆきです
(I am Koiyuki, Owner of Dream Chaser's Pro)

Consequently, when I'd want to introduce the other co-owner, Michelle, I would state this:

こちらは仲間(なかま)のMichelleです.
(This is my associate, Michelle)

Other ways to translate apprositional usage exist as well(which I'm currently seeking out, myself), so be sure to ask your teachers and well versed Japanese speaking friends about this as you study Japanese to learn more about it and increase your range of sentence structures.

Now that we've talked about Appositional, let's examine the use called Positional(like when we say something is under the trees or behind the door, and at this point this is not entirely unfamilar to you ). The basic formula to express this is (object)の(position relative to object). For example, when you'd want to say something like "The photo above your bed is cute" the structure would follow as so:

えつこさんのベッドの上(うえ)の写真(しゃしん)は可愛(かわい)いですよ。
(note: 上 can also refer to the top of something, depending on the context, and instead of using a word for 'you' in Japanese they can also use the person's name)

The same principles apply when the context of the situation is understood by all parties involved, such was when stating something belongs to you or someone else, a quick example being "[person or personal pronoun]のです"([person or personal pronoun]'s). When someone asks you what the kind of stuff you like, the subject can be dropped when answering(this usage is fairly advanced, and will be further explained down the line).

どんな男(おとこ)が好(す)き? ゆうき
[What kind of men do you like Yuuki?]

あたし?美少年(びしょうねん)の(男)が好きだ。
[Me? I'm into the pretty boy-kinda men.]

In other kinds of sentences, the のですending helps explain a situation, like when your friend calls you over for a party, but you have other, more important priorities at hand at that time. In this context it can also be shortened to んです for easier spoken usage(PRO TIP: to attach it to noun and な adjective ending sentences, put な before attaching the ending. More on な adjectives later). It can be translated a variety of ways, such as "you see(sentence)/The fact is(sentence)/ the thing is(sentence)" among other sentence structures justifying your current course of action. Let's take a look at it in action:

おい! パクさん!ゲーセンで行くよ。こない?
[Hey Park, I'm going to the Arcade. Wanna come?]

だめよ。 勉強(べんきょう)でいそがしいんだよ。ごめん。
[Can't right now, 'cause I'm busy with studies. Sorry]

Quick note: this ender can also be used to add an emphasis to what you're saying and show the person you're listening to what they're saying, in addition to/instead of explaining something. Using it too much may create the opposite affect of showing you're not really paying attention and are just acting like you are. Something to keep in mind as you learn more about the language.

Formalities or lack thereof have always played a part in our interactions with society and how other people perceive us, and this holds especially true in Japan. Let's examine it's application to the language with the copula(linking verb)です. です is used to end "*something*" "I am *something*" and "X is Y" style noun sentences among many others and has many levels of politeness.

*none*(Super informal, and typically only used between two people who know each other very well)

だ(plain form. Very informal, as in something you'd use among friends and family)

です(neutral, the form you'll often use when addressing strangers and officers and such. Also comes in the more casual form of っす)

でございます(incredibly formal, and what you'd use when addressing those of much higher standing than you. Normally reserved for set phrases and those working in the service industry)

This would be the base concept behind the different structures of sentence/verb endings, and have several levels of nuance in politeness which we will cover as you learn how to construct different styles of sentences.

You may remember this question from an earlier lesson:

"(place) はどこですか。"

Let's examine a basic use of か as a particle, and other ways to ask questions. One you're undoubtedly familiar with is the usage of intonation to indicate asking something. This style of asking is most often used with more casual forms of sentences and is probably one you'll use among close friends and family. か is a universal way to indicate a question. To help show this, here's a question you'll probably be asking your Japanese teachers and more Japanese affluent friends:

これは日本語(にほんご)でなんと言(い)ますか。
[What do you call this in Japanese?]

これ can be interchanged with any English word you wish to express in the Japanese language-which is sometimes another English word or truncation of it-. か is also used with Who, What, Where, Which, Why and How style question sentences, which you'll learn about over the course of the lessons. This can also apply to sentences said in a questioning tone. Also to add a more masculine intonation to your question add い to the か particle, said together like this: かい(also applicable with sentences ending with the plain form of です).

In this world of modern wonders scattered across all continents, within us builds the desire to travel to them and discuss our findings with friends and family. In Japanese the particle which let's us express such things is へ(which as a particle is pronounced like え). Let's use an example sentence to see how this works:

新宿(しんじゅく)へ行(い)きたい。
[I wanna go to Shinjuku]

Commonly this particle is used in junction with 行く(いく)来る(くる) or 帰る(かえる), respectively meaning to go, to come and to return, and can even be dropped in casual conversation, when both parties understand the context. Of course, while everyone loves to see new places, as people we have multifaceted desires, and as you'll see in your study of the language, there's strong distinction between saying what's active and inactive. The suffix you just saw in the example sentence(-たい) is active, used with both the stem form of る verbs-IE食(た)べる[plain form]=食べ[stem form] - & the い form of う verbs(As discussed in Lesson 5.2) to express different desires.

With discussing desire for performing an action, the particle used shows how much you want to do a perform something, such as someone sending you a message saying they want to eat Curry (カレーを食べたんだ!). The normal method just presented displays a normal level of desire, while replacing を with が intensifies the desire expressed in a given statement (カレーが食べたんだ!)

For inanimate desires like cars, games and boy/girlfriends, we use the adjective 欲(ほ)しい. Let's take a random person on the street who's been walking for hours and has their dogs barking. In a moment of passion they shout this to the heavens:

"もう歩(ある)くのは我慢(がまん)出来(でき)ないよ。 車(くるま)が欲(ほ)しいだ。"
[I can't stand walking around anymore! I want a car.]

The grammar displayed in this sentence will be elaborated upon in the near future, of course.

You're most likely asking yourself why such things are important, when you're learning to speak, write and read in the native tongue. The answer, lies in how you process the information to learn. In greatly condensed form: the Aubrey-Hepburn system is how we would speak the language if we only had an English written phrasebook to rely on. The Kunrei-Shiki system is one employed by the gov't to make it all nice and orderly. What is the difference? Take a look

(Hepburn/Kunrei)

arrow し (shi/si) しょ(sho/shyo/syo) しゅ(shu/shyu/syu) しぇ(she/shye/sye) しゃ(sha/shya/sya)
arrow じ (ji/zi) じょ(jo/jyo/zyo)じゅ(ju/jyu/zyu) じぇ(je/jye/zye) じゃ(ja/jya/zya)
arrow ち (chi/ti) ちゅ(chu/chyu/cyu/tyu) ちょ(cho/chyo/cyo/tyo) ちぇ(che/chye/cye/tye) ちゃ(cha/chya/cya/tya)
arrow ぢ (ji/di)
arrow ふ (fu/hu)
arrow つ (tsu/tu)
arrow づ (zu/dzu/du)

Remember, the pronunciation stays the same, only the Romanization changes(the same goes when C is used in place of K in the Romanization of Japanese terms and names, such as with Hayami Mocomichi). While each have their advantages and disadvantages I think it's a good idea to learn both ways, to try and minimize the language gap. Also, you don't wanna be caught off guard, when you see someone use Kunrei-Shiki, or mix it with Hepburn romaji.

Now that romaji has been covered, let's explore the two styles of Japanese writing: 横書き(よこがき) & 縦書き(たてがき). 横書き is the left to right style of reading we see in online chats with people, text messages, scholarly texts among other places. Sometimes when someone wishes for a more archaic writing , it's written from right to left. You may also see this on writing that is put on the right hand side of something, so be aware.

縦書き is the vertical format you see in a lot of other print media, such as books, 漫画(まんが), business cards among other things, with each line read top to bottom, from right most to left most. Sometimes you'll see the two formats mixed together, and with time you'll come to identify each one and read the passages appropriately.

In language there is a fine distinction between active and passive, being and existing, and Japanese is no exception. If we examine noun style sentences we can find a way to say that the have/got something or that someone or something is someplace. 有(あ)る is the verb used to describe inanimate objects that someone may have in their possession, and 居(い)る is what's used to describe someone having something that lives and breathes, as well as somebody being some place out in the world(the kanji for those words are rarely used nowadays, but it's always good to know about them so they don't catch you off guard). For example, if I wanted to politely say I have, oh say a bomb or that a bomb is here, I would calmly speak:

爆弾(ばくだん)があります。
bomb SuP exist [?]

If I just got a cat and wanted to tell a good friend I have one, I'd say:

猫(ねこ)がいる。
cat SuP be [?]

If my friend asked me where I was at and I wanted to tell him I'm at home my response would be:

家(うち)にいる。
home PlP be[?]

As you learn the language, keep in the mind the differences between active and inactive. It'll make casual conversation go a lot smoother that way.

I've touched on this in previous lessons, but now it's time to get into the nitty gritty of adding flavor to your speaking.

If you could, please imagine what your world would be like if everyone spoke with the same tone using the same words and meaning behind those words. Pretty bland and lifeless, right? If you wouldn't want that when you speak your own language why would you want to do it in another? This is why new ways of saying and writing things are constantly being created and spread among the people, they give our language the vibrancy and energy we associate with being a living being. Now allow me to show you just a taste of how to make this happen when speaking Japanese.

When you wanna talk tough and like a manly man would, there are 3 three things you need to put to memory(because it bears repeating): rolled R sounds, えぇ replacing all お, い, あい & おい ending sounds(except words like よわい, for that you swap out わい with えぇ) and very rough and informal language. Be careful with this though, men, as this style is also typically associated with thugs and gangsters and will put you in a bad spot if improperly used among them. For the ladies putting わ at the end of your sentences will add that little extra touch of girliness to stuff you chat about, like hair and famous folk. Throughout the lessons I will point out different ways to give your speech touches of casual style as well go over the different regions and their dialects so you can inflect some of it into your own and perhaps learn the story about how certain words came to the forefront of contemporary Japanese language.