Counting people and stating ages

Use 人 for people and 歳 for years of age: 三人さんにん means “three people,” and 五歳ごさい means “five years old.” Pay attention to the reading of the whole number-and-counter combination.

Learn 一人ひとり and 二人ふたり as special forms. From three people onward, 人 is usually read にん, but the number still needs care: 四人 is よにん, not よんにん.

For age, learn 二十歳はたち as “twenty years old.” Other ages can also have sound changes: 一歳 is いっさい, as the table shows. Check the counter tables as you learn more ages.