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Where do you place the counter in Japanese when you want to specify how many
of something there are, especially if you're listing multiple things?

I believe the counter usually goes after the particle associated with the
noun:

> I bought 3 pencils => 私は鉛筆{えんぴつ}を三本{さんぼん}買{か}いました。

But what do you do when there are multiple things you want to count? Are these
sentences correct?

> I bought two books and three pencils. =>
> 私は本{ほん}を二冊{にさつ}と鉛筆{えんぴつ}を三本{さんぼん}買{か}いました。 ?
>
> Two books and three pencils are on the desk. =>
> 本{ほん}が二冊{にさつ}と鉛筆{えんぴつ}が三本{さんぼん}机{つくえ}の上{うえ}にあります。

Can you use the の particle to mean the same thing? Would it change the meaning
or nuance?

> 私は二冊{にさつ}の本{ほん}と三本{さんぼん}の鉛筆{えんぴつ}を買{か}いました。 ?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-15T14:34:32.470
17816
2019-11-27T06:47:55.103
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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question
grammar counters quantifiers
How to list numbers of things
In basically all informal daily conversations, the most natural way to express
the numbers and items is:

> Name of item + (particle) + number + counter + verb phrase

Natural: 「ビッグマック + を + **ふたつ** + [食]{た}べた。」 = "I ate two Big Macs."

Natural: 「みそラーメン +を + **よっつ** + [下]{くだ}さい。」 = "(Give us) four miso-ramens,
please!"

Not very natural though grammatical: 「 **ふたつの** ビッグマックを食べた。」 & 「 **よっつの**
みそラーメンを下さい。」

**What this means is that in Japanese, "number + counter" is most often used
adverbially, modifying the verb that follows.**

The not-so-natural versions will be understood by virtually all native
speakers, but you will definitely sound foreign if you say those, **_using the
quantity adjectivally as in English_**.

When you have to express an action involving a list of mutiple things, simply
place them one by one.

> 「ビール（を）2本（と）、ラーメン（を）よっつ（と）、ギョウザ（を）みっつ下さい。」

= "Can we have 2 bottles of beer, 4 orders of ramen and 3 orders of pot
stickers, please?"

In informal conversation at eateries, these particles in parentheses above are
often omitted.

Finally, even though using the "number + counter + の + item name" is unnatural
in everyday conversations as I stated above, it is used in literature, legal
papers, business communication, etc. when the number needs to be emphasized
for a reason.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-07-16T04:26:36.857
17832
2019-11-27T06:47:55.103
2019-11-27T06:47:55.103
17816
answer