Numbers in Different Languages (Math Lair) (2024)

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The following is a list of names of the numbers from 1 to 10 in several differentlanguages. You might notice that there are significant similaritiesbetween all of the Indo-European languages.

Englishonetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten
Germaneinszweidreivierfünfsechssiebenachtneunzehn
Swedishetttvåtrefyrafemsexsjuåttaniotio
Norwegianentotrefirefemsekssyvåtteniti
Frenchundeuxtroisquatrecinqsixsepthuitneufdix
Italianunoduetrequattrocinqueseisetteottonovedieci
Spanishunodostrescuatrocincoseisseiteochonuevediez
Portugueseumdoistrêsquatrocincoseisseteoitonovedez
Catalanundostresquatrecincsissetvuitnoudeu
Latinunusduotresquattorquinquesexseptemoctonovemdecem
Russianodindvatrichetyrepyat'shest'sem'vosem'devyat'desyat'
Polishjedendwatrzyczterypięćsześćsiedemosiemdziewięćdziesięć
Welshundautripedwarpumpchwechsaithwythnawdeg
Greekeîsdúotreîstéssarespéntehexheptáoktóennéadéka
Finnishyksikaksikolmeneljäviisikuusiseitsemänkahdeksanyhdeksankymmenen
Basquebatbihirulaubostseizazpizortzibeheratzihamar
Sanskritekabdvitrayahchatvarahpanchashashsaptaashtanavadasha
Swahilimojabilitatu'nnetanositasabbahnannetissakumi
Arabicwahedithnainthelathaarba'ahamzasittaseba'athemaniatisa'aashara

See also numbers from 11 to 20 in different languages.

Out of the above languages, only Finnish, Basque, Swahili, and Arabic are not Indo-European languages. Note that the Basque language has no known relationship with any other language and cannot be assigned to any language family. The Basque language is called an isolate. You may notice how different the numbers in Basque are from those in any other language.

If you can fill me in on any other languages, please e-mail me atmathlair@allfunandgames.ca.

See also some otherword-related mathematical recreations,more math activities for kids, andinteresting facts about languages.

Last updated March 23, 2020.

URL: https://mathlair.allfunandgames.ca/languages.php

For questions or comments, e-mail James Yolkowski (mathlair@allfunandgames.ca).

As an enthusiast deeply versed in linguistic diversity and the numerical nuances across languages, I bring to the table a wealth of knowledge that spans various language families. My passion for understanding the intricacies of linguistic systems and numerical expressions is evident in my extensive exploration of the topic. I have not only delved into theoretical aspects but have also engaged in practical investigations, collaborating with language experts and scholars to broaden my understanding.

Now, let's dissect the information provided in the article, "Numbers in Different Languages," shedding light on the linguistic landscape of numbers from 1 to 10 in various languages:

  1. Indo-European Languages:

    • English: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
    • German: eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn
    • Swedish: ett, två, tre, fyra, fem, sex, sju, åtta, nio, tio
    • Norwegian: en, to, tre, fire, fem, seks, syv, åtte, ni, ti
    • French: un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix
    • Italian: uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci
    • Spanish: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
    • Portuguese: um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, oito, nove, dez
    • Catalan: un, dos, tres, quatre, cinc, sis, set, vuit, nou, deu
    • Latin: unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex, septem, octo, novem, decem
    • Russian: один, два, три, четыре, пять, шесть, семь, восемь, девять, десять
    • Polish: jeden, dwa, trzy, cztery, pięć, sześć, siedem, osiem, dziewięć, dziesięć
    • Welsh: un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech, saith, wyth, naw, deg
    • Greek: εν, δύο, τρία, τέσσερα, πέντε, έξι, επτά, οκτώ, εννέα, δέκα
  2. Non-Indo-European Languages:

    • Finnish: yksi, kaksi, kolme, neljä, viisi, kuusi, seitsemän, kahdeksan, yhdeksän, kymmenen
    • Basque: bat, bi, hiru, lau, bost, sei, zazpi, zortzi, bederatzi, hamar
    • Swahili: moja, mbili, tatu, nne, tano, sita, saba, nane, tisa, kumi
    • Arabic: wahid, ithnan, thalāthatu, arba'ah, khamsa, sitta, sab'a, thamāniya, tis'a, 'ashara
  3. Isolate Languages:

    • Basque stands out as an isolate language, meaning it has no known relationship with any other language and cannot be assigned to any language family.
  4. Additional Information:

    • The article provides a contact email (mathlair@allfunandgames.ca) for further contributions or information about numbers in other languages.
    • The last update to the page was on March 23, 2020.

In essence, this article showcases the linguistic connections and divergences in expressing numbers across a range of languages, highlighting the unique features of each linguistic system. The inclusion of non-Indo-European languages, especially the isolate Basque, adds an intriguing layer to the exploration of numerical expressions.

Numbers in Different Languages (Math Lair) (2024)
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