何 + (Counter) + か
Some, Several, A few
Structure
いく + Counter + か
いくつか
Explanation
To express an approximate or unspecified quantity in Japanese, you can use the pattern なん + counter + か. This structure conveys a sense of 'a few,' 'some,' or 'several' of something. The literal meaning, close to 'how many (I'm not sure),' emphasizes the speaker's lack of a precise number.
- パーティーには何人か来ました。A few people came to the party.
- 冷蔵庫にあったケーキを何個か食べちゃった。I went and ate a few of the cakes that were in the fridge.
The interrogative いく, from the kanji 幾 (how many/much), can also be found in this type of construction. While both are used, 幾 is frequently seen in fixed phrases such as 幾ら (how much) and 幾つ (how many/how old). Conversely, なん is more typically used with specific counters.
- この辞書はいくらですか？How much is this dictionary?
- りんごは幾つありますか？How many apples are there?
It is common to see both 何 and 幾 written in either kanji or hiragana, so familiarity with both forms is beneficial.
Caution
Although they share the same kanji, なに and なん have different functions. なん is typically used for counting, whereas なに is used for identifying what something is.
- 店でペンを何本か買いました。I bought a few pens at the store.
- あれは何ですか？What is that?
Examples
デパートで新しいシャツをなん着か買った。
I bought a few new shirts at the department store.
カフェでコーヒーをなん杯か飲んだ。
We had several cups of coffee at the cafe.
台風でなん軒かの家が被害を受けた。
Several houses were damaged by the typhoon.
池にはなん匹かの魚が泳いでいる。
There are a few fish swimming in the pond.
ピアニストはなん曲か演奏してくれた。
The pianist played a few pieces for us.
彼は私よりいくつか年下に見える。
He looks a few years younger than me.
この雑誌のうちなん冊かはもう古い。
Some of these magazines are already old.
新しい靴下をなん足か買わなければならない。
I have to buy a few pairs of new socks.
庭でなん羽かの鳥が鳴いている。
A few birds are singing in the garden.
この書類に間違いをなん個か見つけた。
I found a few mistakes in this document.
この商店街のなん店かは今日閉まっている。
Some of the shops in this shopping district are closed today.
教室には壊れているパソコンがなん台かある。
There are several broken computers in the classroom.