Numbers

1. Omwe, obilo, otatwe

   1, 2, 3

   Usage

   For counting and for giving quantities

   Grammar Note

   Numerals change their beginning with the noun class; these are the forms for counting on their own, while people take muntu omwe (one person), bantu bobilo (two) and bantu botatwe (three)

2. One, osanwe, cisambomwe

   4, 5, 6

   Usage

   For counting and for giving quantities

   Grammar Note

   one (4) and osanwe (5) change their beginning with the noun class (bone and bosanwe for people); cisambomwe (6) is the standard form for six

3. Ciloba, lusele, fwuka, kkumi

   7, 8, 9, 10

   Usage

   For counting and for giving quantities

   Grammar Note

   These forms stay the same whatever the noun; nine is sometimes written fuka, and kkumi of ten is written with a double kk

4. Makumi obilo, makumi otatwe, makumi one

   20, 30, 40

   Usage

   For ages, prices and quantities

   Grammar Note

   makumi (tens) followed by 2, 3, 4 makes 20, 30, 40; 50 is makumi osanwe

5. Mwaanda

   100

   Usage

   For the hundreds in a price or quantity

   Grammar Note

   A mu- class noun with the plural myaanda; the numeral follows iili, as in myaanda iili fuka (900)

6. Cuulu

   1,000

   Usage

   For the thousands in a price or quantity

   Grammar Note

   A ci- class noun with the plural zyuulu (zyuulu zili kkumi, ten thousand); the same spelling also means an anthill

7. Ndijisi myaka iili makumi otatwe.

   I am 30 years old.

   Usage

   To give your age; change the number part

   Grammar Note

   Literally "I have 30 years"; the same pattern as wakajisi myaka iili mwaanda (he was 100 years old), with the number after iili. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Mazuba obilo

   Two days

   Usage

   For the number of days you stay or a trip takes

   Grammar Note

   mazuba is the plural of buzuba (day); three days is mazuba otatwe

9. Bantu bali kkumi

   Ten people

   Usage

   For a larger head count

   Grammar Note

   For larger head counts the numeral follows bali; the same pattern as basicinsenda bali kkumi (ten men with leprosy). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

Browse all TravelPhrases languages