Language/Tigrinya/Vocabulary/Count-to-10
Hi Tigrinya learners! π
In this lesson, you will learn how to count from 1 to 10 in Tigrinya. Numbers are essential in any language, and they are useful in various contexts- for example, when telling time or counting money. Knowing how to count in Tigrinya is an excellent way to improve your language skills and make a good impression on native speakers. Let's get started!
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: How to greet someone in the Tigrinya language, Drinks, Colors & Clothes.
Tigrinya Numbers[edit | edit source]
Tigrinya is a Semitic language spoken in Eritrea and Ethiopia. It uses the Ge'ez script, which is the script used for other Ethiopian Semitic languages such as Amharic and Tigre. Counting in Tigrinya is relatively easy, and it follows a straightforward pattern. In Tigrinya, the numbers from one to ten are:
| Tigrinya | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| α£α½α | aΕ‘en | One |
| αα₯α | ribΓ€Κ | Two |
| ααα¨α΅ | mihret | Three |
| α£ααα₯α΅ | argabΓ€t | Four |
| αα΅α«α | msiraq | Five |
| αα΅αα | msgΓ€n | Six |
| α°α£α΅ | sebat | Seven |
| α΅ααα΅ | smint | Eight |
| αα α | zeten | Nine |
| α₯α΅α¨ | ΙskΓ€ | Ten |
It is worth noting that Tigrinya does not have separate words for eleven, twelve, or thirteen. Instead, it uses a combination of the words for ten and the remaining numbers. For example, eleven in Tigrinya is "ten-one." Twelve is "ten-two," and Thirteen is "ten-three." Additionally, there are different ways of saying numbers in Tigrinya, depending on the context. For example, when counting money, Tigrinya speakers might use a different word for "one" than they would when counting objects.
Reading and Writing Tigrinya Numbers[edit | edit source]
Reading and writing numbers in Tigrinya can be a bit tricky, especially for beginners. However, with a bit of practice, you will soon become an expert. The following table shows the numbers one through ten in Tigrinya, along with the transliteration and how to write them in the Ge'ez script:
| Tigrinya | Transliteration | Ge'ez script |
|---|---|---|
| α£α½α | aΕ‘en | α α½α |
| αα₯α | ribΓ€Κ | αα₯α |
| ααα¨α΅ | mihret | ααα¨α΅ |
| α£ααα₯α΅ | argabΓ€t | α£ααα₯α΅ |
| αα΅α«α | msiraq | αα΅α«α |
| αα΅αα | msgΓ€n | αα΅αα |
| α°α£α΅ | sebat | α°α£α΅ |
| α΅ααα΅ | smint | α΅ααα΅ |
| αα α | zeten | αα α |
| α₯α΅α¨ | ΙskΓ€ | α₯α΅α¨ |
To write numbers in Tigrinya, you need to know the Ge'ez script. The script is an abugida, meaning that each symbol represents a consonant with a vowel added, and vowels are added using diacritic marks. Writing the numbers in Ge'ez is relatively easy as each number has its specific symbol. However, it can be challenging to learn the script without taking a specific course or finding resources online.
Let's practice reading and writing numbers in Tigrinya together. Read the numbers below out loud and try to write them in Ge'ez script:
- 1. α£α½α
- 2. ααα¨α΅
- 3. αα΅α«α
- 4. α΅ααα΅
- 5. αα α
How did you do? Don't worry if it's challenging at first- like any skill, writing in the Ge'ez script takes practice and persistence.
Numbers in Tigrinya Culture[edit | edit source]
In Tigrinya culture, numbers play an essential role in everyday life. For example, people use numbers to communicate dates, times, and prices. Additionally, numbers are significant in traditional Tigrinya music, where rhythms and beats often follow distinct patterns based on numeric intervals.
In Tigrinya, there are some interesting number-related expressions that are worth mentioning. For example, when someone is feeling sad or down, Tigrinya speakers might say, "αα΅ α³αα α΅ααα΅ α΅αααΆ ααΈαα," which means "let us count the nails on the roof together." This expression is used to encourage someone to take their mind off their worries and focus on something else.
During celebrations, it is customary to present the honoree with money or gifts in amounts ending in the number one. For example, instead of giving someone 20 Nakfa, you would give them 21 Nakfa. This practice is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the honoree.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Person 1: α£α½α ααα¨α΅ αα΅α«α α£ααα₯α΅ αα΅αα α°α£α΅ α΅ααα΅ αα α α₯α΅α¨ α©α£ α² α₯α α²α© α αα (I can count from 1 to 10).
Person 2: α₯αα΅ α£αα΅αα΅αα α₯αα³ (That's great!)
Person 1: αα α ααΆ α£ααα ααα α΅α α₯αααα«α΅α αα΅αα αα΅ααα? (How much does a banana cost in the market?)
Person 2: αα΅αα αα΅α©α ααα£ αα΅ααα©α ααα ααα» ααα α£ αα± αα΅α«α αα΅αα αα²α«α£ α₯ααα αααα (A banana costs about 2 Nakfa, but it depends on the size. I bought five bananas for 10 Nakfa yesterday.)
Person 1: α₯α² αα α΅α ααα α₯αα αααα΅ α£ααα£ ααα¨α₯ αα΅ αα΅ αααα² αα΅α°ααααα α΅α ααα³α α£αα°α¨ααα½αα’ (For this time of year, fuel is expensive. I don't understand why it's so expensive.)
Person 2: α£αα ααα²α΅ αα΅ααα΅ ααα ααα α΅ ααα£ α¨α ααα΅αα« α₯α© αα΅α α₯α«αα ααα΅α³ α°αα αͺ α¨αα α΅ααα α΅ααα¦ αααα α₯α©α’ (Well, the new fuel tax is high, and when the price of fuel is high, everything becomes more expensive. You should try to carpool with a coworker.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations! You have now learned how to count from one to ten in Tigrinya! Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep practicing and using Tigrinya numbers in everyday conversations, and you will soon become comfortable with them. To improve your Tigrinya vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Days of the Week, Fruits, Feelings and Emotions & Food.
Videos[edit | edit source]
learn how to count 1-10 in Tigrinya Eritrean language - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Learn Tigrinya for Kids! Counting 1 - 10 - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Feelings
- Fruits
- Animals
- Health
- Feelings and Emotions
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Geography
- Education
- Express Surprise