Zulu numbers
Zulu numbers is a Bantu language spoken in South Africa. The Zulu language (isiZulu) belongs to the Niger–Congo languages family, and more specifically to the Bantu branch. Where it is co-oficial with ten other languages. Such as Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, and Xhosa. But also in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
English Numerals | Zulu Numbers |
---|---|
1 | kunye |
2 | kubili |
3 | kuthathu |
4 | kune |
5 | kuhlanu |
6 | isithupa |
7 | isikhombisa |
8 | isishiyagalombili |
9 | isishiyagalolunye |
10 | ishumi |
11 | ishumi nambili |
12 | ishumi nantathu |
13 | ishumi nane |
14 | ishumi naneli |
15 | ishumi namlanu |
16 | ishumi nesithupa |
17 | ishumi nesikhombisa |
18 | ishumi nesishiyagalombili |
19 | ishumi nesishiyagalolunye |
20 | amashumi amabili |
21 | amashumi amabili nanye |
22 | amashumi amabili nantathu |
30 | amashumi amathathu |
40 | amashumi amane |
50 | amashumi amakhulu |
60 | amashumi amashumi esithupa |
70 | amashumi amashumi esikhombisa |
80 | amashumi amashumi esishiyagalombili |
90 | amashumi amashumi esishiyagalolunye |
100 | ikhulu |
200 | izimbili |
300 | izintathu |
400 | izine |
500 | izilishumi |
600 | izithupa |
700 | isikhombisa |
800 | isishiyagalombili |
900 | isishiyagalolunye |
1000 | amakhulu |
Ordinal Numbers (Ordering Numbers):
Ordinal numbers in Zulu are typically formed by adding the suffix “-na” to the cardinal numbers. For example:
- First: kunye
- Second: kubili
- Third: kuthathu
- Fourth: kune
- …
- Twentieth: amashumi amabili nanye
- Twenty-first: amashumi amabili nanye-na-kunye (literally “two tens and one and one”)
- Twenty-second: amashumi amabili nanye-na-kubili (literally “two tens and one and two”)
- …
- One hundredth: ikhulu-na-kunye (literally “one hundred and one”)
- Two hundredth: izimbili-na-kunye (literally “two hundreds and one”)
- …
- One thousandth: amakhulu-na-kunye (literally “one thousands and one”)
.Additionally, numbers beyond the examples provided can be formed using similar patterns.
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