73969
When counting duration in months, is it ~ヶ月間or just ~ヶ月? Example:

  * 私はもう六ヶ月ぐらい日本語を勉強しています。
  * ジルと暮らした四ヶ月間

( btw I don't know what the second example means I just took it from my
textbook so I would appreciate it if someone could help me translate it )

Are both of these sentences correct?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-19T11:26:48.033
73962
2020-01-19T15:50:33.340
36615
question
time
Counting Duration of Months
Either way is fine. The "rules" regarding this are a bit irregular.

**「間{かん}」 optional with:**

秒、分、日、月、年

**「間」 needed with:**

時、週

This is because for instance, 1時 and 1時間 mean completely different things --
"1 o'clock" and "one hour", respectively.

We say something like 「3週連続で」 ("for three consecutive weeks") without a 「間」 as
a set phrase, but 「第三週」 means "the third week of a month". Thus, to refer
specifically to a period of 3 weeks, we say 「3週間」 virtually every time.

Thus, the sentence:

> 「私はもう六ヶ月（間）ぐらい日本語を勉強しています。」

= "I have already been studying Japanese for about 6 months."

is correct with or without a 「間」. With it, it sounds slightly more 'formal' or
"official", but the difference is not that great.

And the noun phrase:

> 「ジルと暮らした四ヶ月間（間）」

= "The 4 months that I lived with Jill."

is also correct with or without the 「間」. This is not a sentence. 「ジルと暮らした」 is
a relative clause that modifies the 「四ヶ月間」.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-19T15:50:33.340
73969
2020-01-19T15:50:33.340
73962
answer