Introduction to Numbers and Counting
in Kiswahili
Learn how to count in Kiswahili.
|
0 |
Sufuri/sifuri |
|
1 |
Moja |
|
2 |
Mbili |
|
3 |
Tatu |
|
4 |
Nne |
|
5 |
Tano |
|
6 |
Sita |
|
7 |
Saba |
|
8 |
Nane |
|
9 |
Tisa |
|
10 |
Kumi |
|
20 |
Ishirini |
|
30 |
Thelathini |
|
40 |
Arobaini |
|
50 |
Hamsini |
|
60 |
Sitini |
|
70 |
Sabini |
|
80 |
Themanini |
|
90 |
Tisini |
|
100 |
Mia moja |
|
1,000 |
Elfu moja |
|
100,000 |
Laki moja |
|
1,000,000 |
Millioni moja |
The
numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 in Kiswahili are like adjectives. So, when using
them, you must attach the proper adjective prefix.
Kwa
mfano [for example]:
● Mtu mmoja
- One
person
● Kiatu
kimoja - One shoe
Mbili [2]
as an exception: When attaching an adjective prefix to mbili, the
stem changes to wili.
Kwa
mfano:
● Mikoba miwili -
Two
bags
● Matunda mawili -
Two
fruits
For the
other numbers, the stem does not change when used as an adjective.
Kwa
mfano:
● Watoto
watatu - Three children
● Miti
minne - Four trees
● Wanafunzi
watano - Five students
● Vitu
vinane - Eight things
Composite
Numbers
When it
comes to composite numbers you should pronounce every place [ones, tens,
hundred, etc.] clearly with a ‘na’[and] before the one’s place or
the last place in use.
This same
rule applies to multiple thousands, hundred thousand, millions, etc.
Kwa
mfano:
35-Thelathini
na tano
1000-
Elfu moja [one thousand]
15,000-
Elfu kumi na tano [fifteen thousand]
450,000-
Laki nne na hamsini [four hundred and fifty thousand]
10,000,000-
Milioni kumi [ten million]
When it
comes to multiple hundreds they are pronounced in the following way:
● 100-
Mia moja [hundred one]
● 500-
Mia tano [hundred five]
For
more mixed numbers, all the above rules are combined.
Mifano
zaidi
● 355-
Mia tatu hamsini na tano [three hundred and fifty-five]
● 2,262-
Elfu mbili miambili sitini na mbili [two thousand two hundred
and sixty-two]
● 16,345-
Elfu kumi na sita mia tatu arobaini na tano [sixteen thousand three
hundred and forty-five]
● 320,847-
Laki tatu elfu ishirini mia nane arobaini na saba [three
hundred and twenty
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven]
Numbers and Noun Classes
|
M-WA |
m- |
Mtu mmoja |
[one person] |
|
wa- |
Watu wawili |
[two people] |
|
|
M-MI |
m- |
Mti mmoja |
[one tree] |
|
mi- |
Miti mitatu |
[three trees] |
|
|
JI-MA |
No prefix |
Jino moja |
[one tooth] |
|
ma- |
Meno manne |
[four teeth] |
|
|
KI-VI |
ki- |
Kiatu kimoja |
[one shoe] |
|
vi- |
Viatu vitano |
[five shoes] |
|
|
N |
No prefix |
Nyumba moja |
[one house] |
|
No prefix |
Nyumba tatu |
[three houses] |
|
|
U |
No prefix |
Ukuta mmoja |
[one wall] |
|
No prefix |
Kuta mbili |
[two walls] |
Practice
Exercise A
Write
the following numbers in Kiswahili.
a.
15
b.
26
c.
29
d.
38
e.
47
f.
55
g.
61
h.
72
i.
88
j.
92
Practice
Exercise B
Translate the following sentences Kiswahili
a. Five cars
b. Three heads
c. Eight workers
d.
A hundred books
e. Ninety-eight houses
f. Thirty-four friends
Practice
Exercise C
Write
these numbers in Swahili.
a.
899
b.
5,978
c.
132
d.
642
e.
67,000
f.
544
g.
1,220
h.
794
i.
885