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Japanese for Gringos — Japanese For Gringos Lesson 4 Numbers 20100 Money Prices 2026 10 05
Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:52:45 GMT · 3:23
https://morningupdate.org/japanese-for-gringos/episodes/japanese-for-gringos-lesson-4-numbers-20100-money-prices-2026-10-05/

Maya: Konnichiwa, and welcome back to Japanese for Gringos! I am Maya.
Devon: And I am Devon. Lesson four, and today we leave one through twenty behind. Numbers to one hundred, plus money and prices.
Maya: The pattern is easy. Remember ni-juu, nee-joo, two tens glued together?
Devon: Of course. So thirty is just three tens. San-juu, sahn-joo.
Maya: And the whole set rolls the same way. Forty is yon-juu, yohn-joo. Fifty is go-juu, goh-joo. Sixty is roku-juu, roh-koo-joo. Seventy is nana-juu, nah-nah-joo. Eighty is hachi-juu, hah-chee-joo. Ninety is kyuu-juu, kyoo-joo.
Devon: Same tips as always. Flat rhythm, every syllable gets the same weight. And the long vowels, hold the oo about twice as long.
Maya: Now, bigger money words. One hundred is hyaku. Say hyah-koo. Two hundred is ni-hyaku, nee-hyah-koo.
Devon: And a classic gringo trap. Three hundred changes a letter. San-byaku, sahn-byah-koo. The hy sound goes soft. It is just how it works, so learn it as one word.
Maya: One thousand is sen. Say sehn. Two thousand is ni-sen, nee-sehn.
Devon: And the word for the currency, yen, is just en. Say ehn. It goes after the number, like hyaku en, hyah-koo ehn, one hundred yen. Tip, the Japanese word starts with e, not y. Ehn, not yen.
Maya: Now the golden question. Ikura desu ka. Ee-koo-rah dess kah. How much is it?
Devon: That one sentence will carry your whole shopping trip in Japan.
Maya: And two opinion words to finish the set. Takai desu, tah-kah-ee dess, it is expensive. Yasui desu, yah-soo-ee dess, it is cheap.
Devon: Demo time. Maya, we are at a market stall in Osaka, and I am the gringo with the wallet.
Maya: Sumimasen, kore, ikura desu ka. Excuse me, how much is this?
Devon: San-byaku en desu. Three hundred yen.
Maya: Takai desu ne. A little expensive. What about this one?
Devon: Ni-juu en desu. Twenty yen.
Maya: Ni-juu en, yasui desu! I will take it. Arigatou gozaimasu.
Devon: Look at that. Ikura desu ka, numbers, en, takai, yasui, plus sumimasen and arigatou gozaimasu from earlier lessons. Your shopping trip is covered.
Maya: Cultural note. Cash is still king in Japan, especially at small shops, temples, and local restaurants. And when you pay, the cashier will set down a little tray for your money. You never hand cash palm to palm. Put your bills and coins on the tray, and they will put your change there too. It is polite, and it keeps the coins from rolling off the counter.
Devon: Time for the recap drill. Maya, quiz me.
Maya: How do you say eighty?
Devon: Hachi-juu. Hah-chee-joo.
Maya: How do you say three hundred?
Devon: San-byaku. Sahn-byah-koo.
Maya: And how do you ask, how much is it?
Devon: Ikura desu ka. Ee-koo-rah dess kah.
Maya: Perfect. You now own numbers to one hundred, hyaku, sen, en, and the golden question. Next lesson, we spend it all, ordering food and drink. Sah-yoh-nah-rah, friends.
Devon: Sah-yoh-nah-rah. Practice out loud, and remember, ehn, not yen.