Count occurrences with 回

The idea

Put a number before 回: 一回 is いっかい, 二回 にかい and 三回 さんかい. Six and eight have a small っ: 六回 ろっかい and 八回 はっかい. Ten is じゅっかい or じっかい; ask 何回（なんかい）. 週に二回 means twice per week. 八回 can also be read はちかい.

Examples

• 日本にほんへ一回いっかい行いきました。I have been to Japan once.
• 週しゅうに二回にかい、泳およぎます。I swim twice a week.
• この映画えいがを三回さんかい見みました。I watched this film three times.
• 質問しつもんをもう一回いっかい言いってください。Please say the question one more time.
• 八回はっかい練習れんしゅうしました。I practised eight times.
• その歌うたを何回なんかい聞ききましたか。How many times did you listen to that song?

Watch out

回 counts occurrences, not floors; 階 can also be read かい but has a different meaning. 一回 means once, while 一回目 means the first occurrence.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading in hiragana: 一回

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   いっかい

   一回 is いっかい: いち shortens and a small っ precedes かい.

2. Write the reading in hiragana: 八回

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   はっかい / はちかい

   八回 is はっかい: はち shortens before かい. 八回 can also be read はちかい.

3. Write the reading in hiragana: 何回

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   なんかい

   何回 is なんかい, the question form for a number of occurrences.

Use it today

Say how often you practise Japanese in a week, then ask someone how many times they have seen a film.