Expressing Frequency & Periods

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】に【Number】【Counter】

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

週しゅうに５回ごかい。

Five times per week.

年ねんに２回にかいに実家じっかに帰かえる。

To return to your hometown twice per year.

周しゅうに本ほんを３冊さんさつ読よみます。

To read 3 books per week.

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

In fact, the target particle is often omitted.

週しゅう４回よんかいジムに通かよう。

To go to the gym four times per week.

年ねん２回にかい海外かいがいに行いきます。

To go abroad twice per year.