Talking about groups: 〜たち and 〜ら
Japanese has no plural, but it can say “and the others”.要点The idea
Japanese nouns have no plural form, but 〜たち after a person means “and their group” or “people like them”.私わたしたちwatashitachiwe, us
子供こどもたちkodomotachithe children
田中たなかさんたちtanaka-san-tachiTanaka and the othersNot several Tanakas: Tanaka and the group they're with.
彼かれらkarerathey〜ら is less respectful than たち, so don't use it for people you look up to. 彼かれら is common in writing and among friends; in polite speech people usually say あの人ひとたち.
先生せんせい方がたsenseigatathe teachers (respectful)〜方がた is the polite たち.
A猫ねこ が いる。neko ga iru.There's a cat. / There are cats.
B猫ねこ が 三匹さんびき いる。neko ga sanbiki iru.There are three cats.〜匹ひき counts small animals.
- A連休れんきゅう、 どこか 行いく？renkyuu, dokoka iku?Going anywhere over the long weekend?
- B会社かいしゃ の 人ひとたち と キャンプ に 行いく。kaisha no hitotachi to kyanpu ni iku.I'm going camping with some people from work.
- Aいい ね。 何人なんにん で？ii ne. nannin de?Nice. How many of you?
- B五人ごにん。gonin.Five.