One of the major differences between English and Japanese is how plurality is expressed.
In English, we explicitly mark nouns as singular or plural by adding an “s” or “es” (e.g., “cat” → “cats,” “fox” → “foxes”). However, Japanese operates quite differently—there is no universal pluralization rule for nouns. Instead, whether a noun is singular or plural is determined by context, suffixes, or quantifiers.
Understanding how Japanese handles pluralization is crucial for mastering the language, as relying on direct English-to-Japanese translations can lead to misunderstandings. Let’s explore how plurality works in Japanese and how different strategies are used to indicate more than one.
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Pluralization in Japanese
In English, we specify a noun’s plural form by explicitly adding “s” or “es” at the end. (e.g., “dog” → “dogs”)
However, this does not apply to the Japanese language. Most Japanese nouns remain unchanged regardless of whether they refer to one thing or multiple. This means that a word like 本 (hon, “book”) can mean either “a book” or “books,” depending on context.
Take a look at these examples:
本を読みます。
(Hon o yomimasu)
"I read a book." / "I read books."
学校へ行きます。
(Gakkō e ikimasu)
"I go to school." / "I go to schools."In both sentences, the nouns 本 (hon, “book”) and 学校 (gakkō, “school”) remain the same, even though they could mean one or multiple. Whether the speaker is referring to a single book or multiple books is understood through context rather than grammar.
Counting and Expressing Quantity
Well in this case then, how exactly do we express a quantity if the nouns don’t really have a plural form?
Since Japanese nouns don’t have built-in plural forms, counters (助数詞, “josūshi”) are often used to specify quantity. These counters vary based on the type of object being counted.
Basic Counting with Numbers
Japanese uses a number + counter system for expressing quantity.
The type of object you are counting however changes the counter that you will be using to count. You need to remember that the type for that object.
| Number | General Counting (個, こ, -ko) | People (人, にん, -nin) | Long Objects (本, ほん, -hon) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1個 (Ikko) | 1人 (Hitori) | 1本 (Ippon) |
| 2 | 2個 (Niko) | 2人 (Futari) | 2本 (Nihon) |
| 3 | 3個 (Sanko) | 3人 (San-nin) | 3本 (Sanbon) |
| 4 | 4個 (Yonko) | 4人 (Yon-nin) | 4本 (Yonhon) |
| 5 | 5個 (Goko) | 5人 (Go-nin) | 5本 (Gohon) |
There are different counters present depending on the type of object you’re referencing:
Flat objects (枚, -mai)
Animals (匹, -hiki)
Books (冊, -satsu)
Machines (台, -dai).たくさん (Many) and 少し (Few)
Just like in the English language, you don’t specify a specific amount but want to say that there’s a lot or a little of an object.
If an exact number isn’t needed, words like たくさん (takusan – a lot) and 少し (sukoshi – a little) help describe quantity.
Lot
猫がたくさんいる。
(Neko ga takusan iru)
"There are many cats."
Little
水が少しある。
(Mizu ga sukoshi aru)
"There is a little water."Approximate Quantities
You can also say the word “approximately” for guess or estimates to a value by using くらい (kurai) or ぐらい (gurai).
くらい is casual whilst ぐらい is a bit more formal.
くらい Example
10人ぐらい来た。
(Juu-nin gurai kita)
"About ten people came."
ぐらい Example
3時間くらい待った。
(San-jikan kurai matta)
"I waited for about three hours.Suffixes to Indicate Plurality
Although Japanese nouns usually don’t change, certain suffixes can be added to indicate plural meaning. These suffixes are mostly used when talking about people or groups and are not applied universally to all nouns.
たち (tachi) – Pluralizing People and Some Nouns
The suffix ～たち (-tachi) is one of the most common ways to indicate a plural meaning, particularly for people. It can also be used for animals in some cases. However, it is not a general plural marker and often carries a sense of grouping or personal connection.
Examples:
私たち
(watashi-tachi)
"We" / "Us"
子供たち
(kodomo-tachi)
"Children"
先生たち
(sensei-tachi)
"Teachers"Just to note, you wouldn’t say 机たち (tsukue-tachi, “desks”) to mean multiple desks. Instead, you’d use a counter (which was covered earlier).
たち is mainly used for animate beings (people and animals) rather than inanimate objects.
ら (-ra) Casual Plural for People
The suffix ら (-ra) is another way to indicate plurality for people, but it’s slightly more informal than ～たち. It is commonly used in casual speech.
Examples:
彼ら
(karera)
"They" (for men or mixed groups)
僕ら
(bokura)
"We" (casual)
あいつら
(aitsura)
"Those guys" (informal/slang)ら is often used for pronouns but can sometimes be attached to nouns (though this is less common).
It has a rougher, more casual tone, so it’s not ideal for polite conversation.
ども (domo) → Humble or Demeaning Pluralization
The suffix ども (-domo) has two primary uses:
- To derogatorily refer to others in an insulting way.
- To humbly refer to oneself or one’s group.
Examples:
私ども (Watashidomo) → "We" (humble)
奴ども (Yatsudomo) → "Those bastards" (insulting)The use of the ども (-domo) suffix is used for extremes to either very formal or very rude, so be careful when using it.
方 (-gata) → Honorific plural for people
The suffix 方 (-gata) is used as a respectful plural form, often for teachers, professionals, or respected individuals.
Examples:
先生方
(sensei-gata)
"Teachers" (respectful)
お客様方
(okyakusama-gata)
"Honored guests"方 (-gata) adds a respectful tone and is commonly used in formal speech.
Summary
| Suffix | Usage | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜たち (-tachi) | People and animals | 子供たち (こどもたち, kodomo-tachi) | “Children” |
| 〜ら (-ra) | People (sometimes animals) | 彼ら (かれら, karera) | “They” (for men) |
| 〜ども (-domo) | Humble or derogatory plural | 私ども (わたしども, watashi-domo) | “We” (humble form) |
| 〜方 (-gata) | Honorific plural for people | 先生方 (せんせいがた, sensei-gata) | “Teachers” (respectful) |
Words That Are Always Plural
Certain words in Japanese imply plurality naturally, even without a plural suffix.
人々 (Hitobito) → "People"
国々 (Kuniguni) → "Countries"
山々 (Yamayama) → "Mountains"
時々 (Tokidoki) → "Sometimes"These are reduplicated words, meaning they repeat the same kanji to emphasize plurality.
The character 々 is called “同の字点” (dō no jiten) or “繰り返し記号” (kurikaeshi kigō), which means “repetition mark” in Japanese. It is used to indicate that the previous kanji should be repeated instead of writing it twice.
Note that:
- 々 is not a kanji—it has no independent meaning. It simply tells you to repeat the previous kanji.
- It does not apply to hiragana or katakana—only kanji words.
- It does not always indicate plurality—some words with 々 aren’t plural, like 国々 (kuniguni, “countries” or “regions”), which can refer to multiple places but doesn’t always mean “many countries” explicitly.