ヶ月(げつ)

かげつ
counter
months (duration)
1. months (duration)
A counter for counting the duration of time in months. Different from 月(がつ) which is used for naming specific months.
日本語(にほんご)を三(さん)ヶ月(げつ)勉強(べんきょう)しています。
I have been studying Japanese for three months.
六(ろっ)ヶ月(げつ)の赤(あか)ちゃん
A six-month-old baby
Note: ろっかげつ with small っ
あと何(なん)ヶ月(げつ)かかりますか。
How many more months will it take?
一(いっ)ヶ月(げつ)で五(ご)キロやせました。
I lost five kilos in one month.
Note: いっかげつ with small っ
十(じゅう)ヶ月(げつ)待(ま)っても、手紙(てがみ)が来(こ)ませんでした。
Even after waiting ten months, no letter came.

ヶ月(げつ) counts duration in months. Written with the small ヶ character (not カ or か, though か月(げつ) is also seen).

COUNTING FORMS:

  • 一(いっ)ヶ月(げつ): 1 month (note the っ)
  • 二(に)ヶ月(げつ): 2 months
  • 三(さん)ヶ月(げつ): 3 months
  • 六(ろっ)ヶ月(げつ): 6 months (note the っ)
  • 十(じゅっ)ヶ月(げつ): 10 months (note the っ)
  • 何(なん)ヶ月(げつ): how many months?

SOUND CHANGES:
The か undergoes gemination (っ) after 一(いち), 六(ろく), 八(はち), and 十(じゅう): いっかげつ, ろっかげつ, はっかげつ, じゅっかげつ.

CONTRAST WITH 月(がつ):

  • ヶ月(げつ): duration (三(さん)ヶ月(げつ) = three months long)
  • 月(がつ): calendar month (三(さん)月(がつ) = March)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:07 · Revised 2026.3.27 8:41
00500/00956_kagetsu