-How do you say "one" in Japanese? 

-"Ichi". 

-And how do you say "person" in Japanese? 

-"Hito". 

-So, "one person" is "ichi hito"? 

-Uh, no, it's "hitori". 

-Oh, so when you count people, the counter becomes a suffix? Hito (person) + ri? Is that correct? Does "ri" also mean one? 

-Uh, no, the "hito" part of "hitori" means one. "Ri" is the "person" part when we write it in kanji. 

-How does that work? That's so confusing. If "ichi" means "one", and "hito" means "person", how can "hito" be "one"? 

-"Ichi" is the number one. If we are counting things, it's different. 

One person: hitori 

One animal:  ippiki 

One small round thing: ikko 

One flat thing:  ichi mai 

One big electronic thing:  ichi dai 

One thing in general: hitotsu 

One day:  ichi nichi 

One long thing:  ippon 

One book:  issatsu 

Nr. one/first:  ichiban

-Gee, that is so complicated. It makes no sense at all! 

-What about Icelandic? Do you know how many ways you have of saying "two" in that language? At least fourty two! 

-Eeeeeeh?! 

-Yep, true. 

Two, masculin, sg.: tveir, tvo, tveimur, 

Two, masculin, pl: tvennir, tvenna, 

Two, feminin, sg: tvær, tveggja, 

Two, feminin, pl:  tvennar, tvennum, 

Two, neutral, sg: tvö, 

Two, neutral, pl: tvenn, tvennt, 

Two (types of): tvenns (konar), 

Nr. two/second, masculin, sg.: annar, öðrum, 

Nr. two/second, feminin, sg.: önnur, aðra, annarri, annarrar, 

Nr. two/second, neutral, sg.: annað, öðru, annars

-Wait, wait, wait... How can you have "two" in singular and plural?! 

-Nothing is impossible, as long as you wish for it hard enough. 

-Who ever wished for multiple numbers?