何人(なんにん)

何人(なんにん) is the interrogative form of the 人(にん) counter, used to ask about the number of people.

Pronunciation

Read as なんにん (how many people), not なにじん. 何人(なにじん) is a completely different word meaning "what nationality" (e.g., 何人(なにじん)ですか = What nationality are you?).

Common patterns

• 何人(なんにん)ですか: How many people? (e.g., at restaurants)
• 何人(なんにん)で: with how many people
• 何人(なんにん)いる: how many people are there
• 何人(なんにん)分(ぶん): for how many people (portions)
• 何人(なんにん)来(く)る: how many people are coming

Related counters

• 一人(ひとり): one person (irregular reading)
• 二人(ふたり): two people (irregular reading)
• 三人(さんにん)〜: three people and above (regular pattern)