To express period and frequency—in other words, to say how many times something happened per day, week, and year, and so on—we need the a counter with the target particle. See here for an introduction to counters in Japanese.

【Period】【Number】【Counter】

This structure is most often used with the counter かい, which means “times” (e.g. I go back to my hometown 3 times per year”).

しゅう5回ごかい
Five times per week.
ねん2回にかい実家じっかかえる。
To return to your hometown twice per year.
しゅうほん3冊さんさつみます。
To read 3 books per week.

Note the position of the object particle—before the counter.

In fact, the target particle is often omitted.

しゅう4回よんかいジムにかよう。
To go to the gym four times per week.
ねん2回にかい海外かいがいきます。
To go abroad twice per year.
You May Also Like

Covered in Something

When we want to say that something is covered in or full of something else (e.g. “the bookshelf…

The Passive (される)

First of all, a quick reminder of what we mean by the passive. Present Passive to approve to…

Phrasal Verbs

There are many verbs in Japanese formed by thought a combination of two verbs—the equivalent of phrasal verbs…

The Subject Particle (が) Explained (and the difference between は and が)

Last but by no means least is the subject particle, が. This is the one particle that many…