ヶ月
The English phrase "months" is translated into Japanese as ヶ月.
The term ヶ月 is used as a counter to count a duration of months. When you are naming a specific calendar month, such as January or February, you use a different construction where the reading がつ (gatsu) is added after the number.
What does it mean word for word?
The character ヶ in the expression ヶ月 is not actually the katakana ke, but a specialized symbol used in Japanese to indicate a counter or a subdivision.
How does it change in a sentence?
The counter ヶ月 is used specifically to count the number of months.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the counter for a duration of months (ヶ月) with the word for a specific calendar month (such as 月 used in 一月 for January).
Did you know?
- The symbol ヶ is a simplified version of the kanji 箇, which means 'piece' or 'item'. It evolved into a shorthand mark over time to make counting durations faster to write.
- In traditional Japanese poetry and literature, the 'months' are often referred to by their seasonal characteristics rather than their numbers, such as calling the third month the 'month of blossoms'.
- When counting months, the pronunciation of the number itself often undergoes 'euphonic changes' or sounds that blend together, such as 'ik-kagetsu' instead of 'ichi-kagetsu'.
Examples in context
- 1年は12ヶ月です。A year has twelve months.This sentence shows how to state the number of months in a year using ヶ月.Tatoeba #11295457 by small_snow, translation #73060 by CM
- 3ヶ月前に自殺しました。He killed himself three months ago.This sentence uses ヶ月 to express a duration of time in the past.Tatoeba #12137323 by small_snow, translation #7383090 by CH
- ６ヶ月後私たちは結婚した。Six months later we were married.This sentence uses ヶ月 to express a duration of time in the future.Tatoeba #235082 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #72460 by CK
- 81 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking about a training program at work.
- 美咲 Misakiこの研修は何ヶ月ですか？Kono kenshuu wa nankagetsu desu ka?How many months is this training?
- 蓮 Ren全部で３ヶ月間です。Zenbu de sankagetsu-kan desu.It is three months in total.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さん、大変そうですね。Ren-san, taihen sou desu ne.Ren, that sounds tough.
- 蓮 Renはい、頑張ります。Hai, ganbarimasu.Yes, I will do my best.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
