
Kazoe-Uta – Counting song in Japanese
It´s said that it doesn´t matter how many languages you speaks and how fluent you are, you always count in your language. I think this is quite true. Number is something roots in you.
I know that many of foreign Japanese students learn numbers as 1=itch, 2=knee, 3=sun… This is fun and makes me smile listening to them whispering like a mantra. But today, I recommend a Japanese kids´ song, Kazoe Uta (数え歌 / counting song) in Japanese. After listening and singing with them 10 times, it will stick to your head, definitely.
Have fun.
This is a play on word in Japanese so it loses a funny part by translating it but anyway, you can simply enjoy the sound.
In Japanese one to ten is, ichi ,ni, san, yon (shi), go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyuu, juu, and all objects carries the sound of one of these numbers in their name.
Then another thing about Japanese is it has number names. It means that depends on what object your are counting, you need to put its name to the number. For example something in a stick shape is hon, bon o pon. So, in the song ¨Ippon¨ means ¨a stick of¨.
1 いっぽんでも にんじん 2 にそくでも サンダル 3 さんそうでも ヨット 4 よつぶでも ごましお 5 ごだいでも ロケット 6 ろくわでも しちめんちょう 7 しちひきでも はち 8 はっとうでも くじら 9 きゅうはいでも ジュース 10 じゅっこでも いちご
いちご にんじん サンダル ヨット ごましお ロケット しちめんちょう はち くじら ジュース
1 いっぽんでも にんじん 2 にそくでも サンダル 3 さんそうでも ヨット 4 よつぶでも ごましお 5 ごだいでも ロケット 6 ろくわでも しちめんちょう 7 しちひきでも はち 8 はっとうでも くじら 9 きゅうはいでも ジュース 10 じゅっこでも いちご
いっぽん にそく さんそう よつぶ ごだい ろくわ しちひき はっとう きゅうはい じゅっこ |
1. Ippon demo Ni-njin 2. Nisoku demo San-daru 3. Sansou demo Yo-tto 4. Yotsubu demo Go-mashio 5. Godai demo Ro-ketto 6. Rokuwa demo Shichi-menchou 7. Shichihiki demo Hachi 8. Hattou demo Ku-jira 9. Kyuuhai demo Ju-usu 10. Jukko demo Ichi-go
Ichigo, Ninjin, Sandaru, Yotto Gomashio, Roketto, SHichimenchou Hachi, Kujira, Juusu
1. Ippon demo Ni-njin 2. Nisoku demo San-daru 3. Sansou demo Yo-tto 4. Yotsubu demo Go-mashio 5. Godai demo Ro-ketto 6. Rokuwa demo Shichi-menchou 7. Shichihiki demo Hachi 8. Hattou demo Ku-jira 9. Kyuuhai demo Ju-usu 10. Jukko demo Ichi-go
Ippon, Nisoku, Sansou, Yotsubu Godai, Rokuwa, Shichihiki Hattou, Kyuuhai, Jukko |
1. Only one but carrot 2. Only two pairs but sandals 3. Only three but yachts 4. Only four grains but sesame 5. Only five but rockets 6. Only six but turkeys 7. Only seven but bees 8. Only eight but whales 9. Only nine but juice 10. There are ten but strawberry
Strawberry, Carrot, Sandal, Yacht Sesame, Rocket, Turkey Bee, Whale, Juice
1. Only one but carrot 2. Only two pairs but sandals 3. Only three but yachts 4. Only four grains but sesame 5. Only five but rockets 6. Only six but turkeys 7. Only seven but bees 8. Only eight but whales 9. Only nine but juice 10. There are ten but strawberry
One stick, Two pairs, Three boats, Four grains Five vehicles, Six birds, Seven animals Eight big animals, Nine glasses, Ten things |
More about Japanese language
In Spain we had this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-XOoL7LDkM from Barrio Sésamo (Sesame Street)