Language/Kabyle/Vocabulary/Count-to-10

Kabyle Vocabulary - Count to 10

Hi Kabyle learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will count in Kabyle from 1 to 10. Counting is an essential part of language learning, and knowing numbers will help you communicate in various practical situations, such as telling the time, buying something, or making phone arrangements.

So, let's get started!

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Basic words in Kabyle, Animal, Food items & Family members.

Why Learn Numbers in Kabyle?

Kabyle is part of the Berber group of languages that originated in North Africa thousands of years ago. With over 5 million speakers around the world, Kabyle is the second most spoken Berber language after Shilha.^[1]

In Kabyle culture, like in many other cultures, numbers have symbolic meanings and important cultural connotations. For example, the number 7 is considered a sacred number that represents perfection and completeness. The number 40 is associated with patience and resilience, as it is the number of days that the prophet Jonas spent in the whale's belly.^[2]

Therefore, by learning Kabyle numbers, you not only acquire essential communication skills, but you also gain insight into the culture and traditions of the Kabyle people.

The Kabyle Number System

Kabyle uses a base-10 numbering system, which means that digits are represented by units of ten. Kabyle numbers are pronounced from left to right, unlike English numbers that are pronounced from right to left.

In Kabyle, the number 1 is "yidis" and each of the following numbers is formed by adding the corresponding suffix to the word for 10: "meṭṭ" .

Let's look at the table below for an overview of the Kabyle numbers from 1 to 10:

Kabyle	Pronunciation	English
yidis	yi-diss	One
meṭṭ	meṭṭ	Ten
meṭṭ-awi	meṭṭ-a-wee	Eleven
meṭṭ-zenṭ	meṭṭ-zenṭ	Twelve
thalaθ-t meṭṭ	ta-laṭt meṭṭ	Thirteen
kḥamsat meṭṭ	k-ḥam-sat meṭṭ	Fourteen
sebat meṭṭ	se-bat meṭṭ	Fifteen
tamattuḍt meṭṭ	ta-ma-tuḍḍ meṭṭ	Sixteen
tḥejjet meṭṭ	t-ḥed-jet meṭṭ	Seventeen
merwan meṭṭ	me-rwan meṭṭ	Eighteen
kraben meṭṭ	kra-ben meṭṭ	Nineteen
ɛešrin	e-shreen	Twenty

Take some time to practice pronouncing these numbers out loud, paying attention to the vowel sounds, which may differ from English sounds. If you want to challenge yourself, try counting from 11 to 20 to test how well you have memorized the suffixes.

Using Numbers in Context

One way to practice numbers is to use them in context, such as in a dialogue between two persons:

• Person 1: Meṭṭ-zenṭ? (Twelve?)
• Person 2: Aywa, meṭṭ-zenṭ. (Yes, twelve.)

In this example, Person 1 is asking how to say the number twelve in Kabyle, and Person 2 provides the answer. By engaging in such dialogues, you can improve your conversational skills and learn new words in context.

Another way to reinforce your Kabyle vocabulary is by reading texts, such as news articles or stories, and paying attention to numbers in them. For example, you can:

• Look up the date of a new article and repeat the year out loud
• Count the apples in a recipe
• Note the time an event starts

By doing so, you can progress from memorizing individual words to understanding the role of numbers in Kabyle culture and using them fluently in everyday life.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you just learned how to count to 10 in Kabyle! By mastering these numbers and using them in context, you will improve your communication skills and learn more about Kabyle culture. To improve your Kabyle vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

So, keep practicing and exploring the fascinating world of Kabyle language and culture!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Kabyle_language
• Berber_numerals

Having concluded this lesson, consider checking out these related pages: Counting and Numbers, Days of the Week, Common greetings & Animals.

Other Lessons

• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Drinks
• Basic words in Kabyle
• Education
• Animals
• Months of the Year
• How to say Good Bye?
• Days of the Week
• Ordinal numbers
• Fruits