XはYです

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Here are the key points of this lesson: Omission of the subject (Xは) Using 'は' for clarity Nouns in Japanese” Omission of the subject (Xは) In Japanese, sentences often omit subjects when the context makes them clear, unlike in English where subjects like "I" or "it" are typically included.  For example, "I am a student," "My major is Japanese language," and "It is 12:30" translate into Japanese as "がくせいです," "にほんごです," and "12じはんです," respectively, without direct subjects. Using 'は' for clarity If the context doesn't provide clarity, Japanese sentences can start with a topic marked by "wa" (は in hiragana), indicating "As for X, it is Y.” For example,  “わたしは がくせいです" (As for me, I am a student), “せんこうは にほんごです" (As for my major, it is Japanese language), and "じかんは12じはんです" (As for the current time, it is 12:30). The particle "wa" (は), used to denote ...
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26. Can you say “There are three apples and oranges each on the table” in Japanese?

 26. Counting Items and People Individually Using (Number)+Counter “zutsu”



In Japanese, we have a structure pattern that allows us to refer to each individual item or person when there are two or more of them. We use the format (Number)+Counter “zutsu” to describe the quantity of items or people we take from a group of the same kind.

Examples:

テーブルの上にりんごとオレンジが3つずつあります。
Tēburu no ue ni ringo to orenji ga mittsu zutsu arimasu.
There are three apples and oranges each on the table.

私のかばんの中に教科書とノートが5冊ずつあります。
Watashi no kaban no naka ni kyōkasho to nōto ga gosatsu zutsu arimasu.
There are five textbooks and five notebooks each in my bag.

教室に男の学生と女の学生が6人ずついます。
Kyōshitsu ni otoko no gakusē to onna no gakusē ga rokunin zutsu imasu.
There are six male and female students each in the classroom.


It's important to note that “zutsu (ずつ)” can also be used in other contexts, such as describing simultaneous actions or events happening at the same time. However, we will focus on its usage for counting individual items and people to avoid confusion.


Location: Japan

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