Counting people: 一人 and 二人

The idea

Read 一人 as ひとり and 二人 as ふたり; from 三人（さんにん） the number normally combines with にん. Ask 何人（なんにん）. 一人で means alone, while 二人で means the two people do something together.

Examples

• 駅えきで一人ひとり待まっています。One person is waiting at the station.
• レストランで二人ふたり食たべています。Two people are eating at the restaurant.
• 一人ひとりで映画えいがに行いきました。I went to the cinema alone.
• 二人ふたりで晩ばんご飯はんを作つくります。The two of us will cook dinner.
• 教室きょうしつに学生がくせいが三人さんにんいます。There are three students in the classroom.
• 家族かぞくは何人なんにんですか。How many people are in your family?

Watch out

Do not read 一人 as いちにん or 二人 as ににん in ordinary counting. 人 on its own can also be read ひと, but that is a different use.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading in hiragana: 一人

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   ひとり

   一人 is ひとり, the irregular count for one person.

2. Write the reading in hiragana: 二人

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   ふたり

   二人 is ふたり, the irregular count for two people.

3. Write the reading in hiragana: 三人

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   さんにん

   三人 is さんにん: the number さん combines with にん.

Use it today

Count people in your family, then say whether you do an activity alone or with one other person.