Short Japanese Tests
Here you can find some short and interactive test, that can help you learn some difficult aspects of the japanese language. Most of the tests require you to have japanese input installed on your computer. For more information on how to install one click here.
First Section - Digits & Numers
Counting in Japanese is not simple at all. Unlike 1,2,3 in most languages, in japanese you
have to bare in mind WHAT are you counting. If it is a date of the month, the time, a circle or square object, a big or small.
Depending on the shape, size, and many other factors, the word for the number changes, sometimes just by adding a few
letter at the end, sometimes beeing modified beyond recognition. Here is what Wikipedia says about it:
In Japanese, counter words or counters (josūshi 助数詞) are used along with numbers to count things, actions, and events.
In Japanese,numerals cannot quantify nouns by themselves (except, in certain cases, for the numbers from one to ten; see below). For example, to express the idea "two dogs" in Japanese one must say inu nihiki (犬二匹, literally "dog two-small-animal"). Here inu 犬 means "dog", ni 二 is the number 2, and hiki 匹 is the counter for small animals. The counters are not independent words and always appear with a number before them.
Counter words are similar in function to the word "sheet" in "two sheets of paper" or "cup" in "two cups of coffee", but in Japanese, (almost) all nouns require a counter. In this sense, all Japanese nouns are mass nouns. This grammatical feature can result in situations where one is unable to express the number of a particular object in a grammatically correct way because one does not know, or cannot remember, the appropriate counting word. The problem is partially solved for the numbers from one to ten by using the traditional numbers (see below) which can be used to quantify some nouns by themselves. For example, "four apples" is ringo yonko (りんご四個) where ko (個) is the counter), but can also be expressed using the traditional numeral four as ringo yottsu (りんご四つ). These traditional numerals cannot be used to count all nouns however; some, including people and animals, require the proper counter.
Just as in English, different counters for the same thing can be used to convey different meanings. In English, one can say one loaf of bread or one slice of bread, and the referent is different. In Japanese, the same effect is made by saying パン一斤 pan ikkin, literally "bread one-loaf" versus パン一枚 pan ichimai, literally "bread one-flat piece".
