Japanese Numbers 11-100
Master Intermediate Japanese Counting with Pattern Recognition
Table of Contents
1. Overview & Number Patterns
Good News! Japanese numbers 11-100 follow logical patterns once you know 1-10!
Basic Formula: [Tens] + [Ones] = Complete Number
The Pattern System
11-19: じゅう (10) + [1-9]
20-90: [2-9] + じゅう
21-99: [2-9] + じゅう + [1-9]
100: ひゃく
2. Numbers 11-19 (Teens)
Teen Pattern: じゅう + [1-9]
Just add the single digit after じゅう (10)!
3. Numbers 20-90 (Tens)
Tens Pattern: [2-9] + じゅう
Put the multiplier BEFORE じゅう (10)!
4. Compound Numbers (21-99)
Compound Pattern: [Tens] + [Ones]
Combine the tens place with the ones place!
| Number | Breakdown | Japanese | Kanji | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | にじゅう + いち | にじゅういち | 二十一 | nijuuichi |
| 25 | にじゅう + ご | にじゅうご | 二十五 | nijuugo |
| 32 | さんじゅう + に | さんじゅうに | 三十二 | sanjuuni |
| 44 | よんじゅう + よん | よんじゅうよん | 四十四 | yonjuuyon |
| 57 | ごじゅう + なな | ごじゅうなな | 五十七 | gojuunana |
| 63 | ろくじゅう + さん | ろくじゅうさん | 六十三 | rokujuusan |
| 78 | ななじゅう + はち | ななじゅうはち | 七十八 | nanajuuhachi |
| 89 | はちじゅう + きゅう | はちじゅうきゅう | 八十九 | hachijuukyuu |
| 96 | きゅうじゅう + ろく | きゅうじゅうろく | 九十六 | kyuujuuroku |
5. Number 100
One Hundred
Note: Unlike tens, you don’t say いちひゃく for 100. Just ひゃく is correct.
Pattern for 100+: ひゃく + [number] (e.g., ひゃくいち = 101)
6. Practical Examples
Age Examples
| Age | Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15歳 | じゅうごさい | juugosai | 15 years old |
| 23歳 | にじゅうさんさい | nijuusansai | 23 years old |
| 45歳 | よんじゅうごさい | yonjuugosai | 45 years old |
| 67歳 | ろくじゅうななさい | rokujuunanasai | 67 years old |
Money (Yen) Examples
Pattern: [Number] + えん
例：にじゅうえん (20 yen), ごじゅうえん (50 yen), ひゃくえん (100 yen)
Time Examples
| Time | Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 | じゅういちじ | juuichiji | 11 o’clock |
| 3:25 | さんじにじゅうごふん | sanji nijuugofun | 3:25 |
| 7:50 | しちじごじゅっぷん | shichiji gojuppun | 7:50 |
7. With Different Counters
General Objects (〜こ)
For counting general objects: [Number] + こ
例：じゅうごこ (15 items), さんじゅうこ (30 items)
People (〜にん)
| Number | Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12人 | じゅうににん | juuninin | 12 people |
| 25人 | にじゅうごにん | nijuugonin | 25 people |
| 50人 | ごじゅうにん | gojuunin | 50 people |
Books/Thin Objects (〜さつ)
Pattern: [Number] + さつ
例：じゅうよんさつ (14 books), はちじゅうさつ (80 books)
8. Practice Exercises
Reading Practice
Read these numbers:
十三、二十七、四十五、六十九、八十二、九十四
Write in hiragana:
36, 52, 78, 91
Math Practice:
What is にじゅう + さんじゅう?
Pattern Recognition
Build these numbers:
• 67 = ろく + じゅう + なな = ろくじゅうなな
• 84 = はち + じゅう + よん = はちじゅうよん
• 95 = きゅう + じゅう + ご = きゅうじゅうご
9. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| ❌ Wrong | ✅ Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| いちひゃく | ひゃく | Don’t say “one” before hundred |
| にじゅういちじゅう | にじゅういち | Don’t add extra じゅう at the end |
| じゅうしち | じゅうなな | なな is preferred for 17 |
| しじゅう | よんじゅう | Use よん for 40, not し |
| くじゅう | きゅうじゅう | Use きゅう for 90, not く |
| ごじゅっぷん | ごじゅっぷん / ごじゅうふん | Both readings are correct for minutes |
• はち + じゅう = はちじゅう (not はちじゅう)
• Some numbers have alternative readings in different contexts
• Minutes often use っ sound: ごじゅっぷん instead of ごじゅうふん
10. Quick Reference Guide
Quick Number Builder
Formula: [Tens digit] + じゅう + [Ones digit]
Tens Place
2 = に, 3 = さん, 4 = よん
5 = ご, 6 = ろく, 7 = なな
8 = はち, 9 = きゅう
Ones Place
1 = いち, 2 = に, 3 = さん
4 = よん, 5 = ご, 6 = ろく
7 = なな, 8 = はち, 9 = きゅう
Number Ranges Summary
| Range | Pattern | Example | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-19 | じゅう + [1-9] | じゅうご | fifteen |
| 20-90 | [2-9] + じゅう | さんじゅう | thirty |
| 21-99 | [2-9] + じゅう + [1-9] | よんじゅうに | forty-two |
| 100 | ひゃく | ひゃく | one hundred |
Essential Counters
General objects: 〜こ (にじゅうこ = 20 items)
People: 〜にん (さんじゅうにん = 30 people)
Age: 〜さい (にじゅうごさい = 25 years old)
Money: 〜えん (ごじゅうえん = 50 yen)
Hours: 〜じ (じゅういちじ = 11 o’clock)
Minutes: 〜ふん/〜ぷん (にじゅうふん = 20 minutes)
Memory Tips
Tip 1: Think “building blocks” – tens + ones
Tip 2: Practice skip counting: にじゅう、よんじゅう、ろくじゅう…
Tip 3: Use real situations: your age, prices, time
Tip 4: Start with easier numbers (multiples of 10) first
🎉 Congratulations!
You’ve mastered Japanese numbers 11-100! You now understand the logical pattern system that makes Japanese counting predictable and systematic.
Numbers 11-100 Quiz
Test Your Knowledge of Japanese Number Patterns
Exercise 1: Teen Numbers Easy
What is 十五 in hiragana?
Explanation: 十五 (15) = じゅう (10) + ご (5) = じゅうご. Teen pattern: じゅう + [1-9].
Exercise 2: Tens Pattern Easy
How do you say “forty” in Japanese?
Explanation: 40 = よん (4) + じゅう (10). Use よん not し for 4 in most contexts.
Exercise 3: Compound Numbers Medium
What is 37 in Japanese?
Explanation: 37 = さん (3) + じゅう (10) + なな (7). なな is preferred over しち for 7.
Exercise 4: Number Building Medium
Using the pattern, how would you build 62?
Explanation: 62 = ろくじゅうに. Pattern: [tens digit] + じゅう + [ones digit].
Exercise 5: Age Expression Medium
How do you say “25 years old”?
Explanation: Age uses さい counter: にじゅうご (25) + さい = にじゅうごさい.
Exercise 6: Large Tens Easy
What comes after はちじゅう?
Explanation: After はちじゅう (80) comes きゅうじゅう (90), then ひゃく (100).
Exercise 7: Hundred Recognition Easy
How do you say “100” in Japanese?
Explanation: 100 is simply ひゃく, not いちひゃく. Don’t add いち before ひゃく.
Exercise 8: Complex Compound Hard
What is 89 in Japanese?
Explanation: 89 = はち (8) + じゅう (10) + きゅう (9). きゅう is preferred over く in compound numbers.
Exercise 9: Money Context Medium
How do you say “50 yen”?
Explanation: Money uses えん counter: ごじゅう (50) + えん = ごじゅうえん.
Exercise 10: Pattern Recognition Hard
Which follows the correct pattern for 74?
Explanation: 74 = なな (7) + じゅう + よん (4). Use なな and よん for preferred readings.
Exercise 11: Time Expression Medium
How do you say “3:45” (3 hours 45 minutes)?
Explanation: 3:45 = さんじ (3 o’clock) + よんじゅうご (45) + ふん (minutes).
Exercise 12: Missing Number Hard
What number is missing? にじゅう、さんじゅう、___、ごじゅう
Explanation: The sequence is 20, 30, 40, 50. Missing number is よんじゅう (40).
Exercise 13: Counter Usage Medium
How do you count “30 people”?
Explanation: People use にん counter: さんじゅう (30) + にん = さんじゅうにん.
Exercise 14: Advanced Pattern Hard
Which number would come immediately before ひゃく?
Explanation: 99 comes before 100. きゅうじゅうきゅう = 90 + 9 = 99, then ひゃく = 100.
Exercise 15: Reading Comprehension Hard
What does 六十七 mean?
Explanation: 六十七 = 六 (6) + 十 (10) + 七 (7) = 60 + 7 = 67 (sixty-seven).
How did you do?
Check your answers by selecting options above. Each correct answer will show in red!
Difficulty Levels: Easy Medium Hard
