Language/Swahili-individual-language/Vocabulary/Numbers-and-Counting

◀️ Names and Nationalities — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Days, Months, and Seasons ▶️

Swahili (individual language) Vocabulary → Numbers and Counting

Welcome to the lesson on Numbers and Counting in Swahili! This topic is essential because numbers are the building blocks of communication, helping you in everyday situations such as shopping, telling time, and even making friends. Understanding how to count and use numbers will give you a solid foundation as you continue your journey in learning Swahili.

In this lesson, we will cover the following:

Cardinal Numbers

Introduction to Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers are used for counting. They allow us to quantify nouns and express how many items we are referring to. In Swahili, cardinal numbers play a crucial role as they are used in various contexts, from simple counting to describing quantities in conversations.

Here is a breakdown of some basic cardinal numbers in Swahili:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
moja	/ˈmɔdʒa/	one
mbili	/ˈmbili/	two
tatu	/ˈtatu/	three
nne	/ˈnːe/	four
tano	/ˈtano/	five
sita	/ˈsita/	six
saba	/ˈsaba/	seven
nane	/ˈnane/	eight
tisa	/ˈtisa/	nine
kumi	/ˈkumi/	ten

As you can see, the numbers are quite distinct and easy to remember. Let's expand this table to include numbers from eleven to twenty:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
kumi na moja	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈmɔdʒa/	eleven
kumi na mbili	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈmbili/	twelve
kumi na tatu	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈtatu/	thirteen
kumi na nne	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈnːe/	fourteen
kumi na tano	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈtano/	fifteen
kumi na sita	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈsita/	sixteen
kumi na saba	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈsaba/	seventeen
kumi na nane	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈnane/	eighteen
kumi na tisa	/ˈkumi nɑ ˈtisa/	nineteen
ishirini	/iʃiˈrini/	twenty

Now, let’s look at the numbers from twenty-one to thirty:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
ishirini na moja	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈmɔdʒa/	twenty-one
ishirini na mbili	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈmbili/	twenty-two
ishirini na tatu	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈtatu/	twenty-three
ishirini na nne	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈnːe/	twenty-four
ishirini na tano	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈtano/	twenty-five
ishirini na sita	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈsita/	twenty-six
ishirini na saba	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈsaba/	twenty-seven
ishirini na nane	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈnane/	twenty-eight
ishirini na tisa	/iʃiˈrini nɑ ˈtisa/	twenty-nine
thelathini	/θeˈlathini/	thirty

As you practice, try to count things around you using these numbers. It can be as simple as counting the number of books on your shelf or the number of apples in a bowl.

Ordinal Numbers

Introduction to Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers help us indicate the position or order of items in a sequence. For example, first, second, third, and so on. In Swahili, ordinal numbers are also quite straightforward.

Here’s a list of some essential ordinal numbers in Swahili:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
wa kwanza	/wɑ ˈkwanʣa/	first
wa pili	/wɑ ˈpili/	second
wa tatu	/wɑ ˈtatu/	third
wa nne	/wɑ ˈnːe/	fourth
wa tano	/wɑ ˈtano/	fifth
wa sita	/wɑ ˈsita/	sixth
wa saba	/wɑ ˈsaba/	seventh
wa nane	/wɑ ˈnane/	eighth
wa tisa	/wɑ ˈtisa/	ninth
wa kumi	/wɑ ˈkumi/	tenth

Using these ordinal numbers, you can easily express sequences, such as describing the order of participants in a race or listing your favorite movies.

Counting in Swahili

How to Count Beyond Ten

Once you are comfortable with the numbers up to ten, counting becomes much more manageable. Here’s a brief overview of how counting works in Swahili:

• Eleven to nineteen: As shown above, these numbers are formed by adding "kumi na" (ten and) before the units.

• Twenty and beyond: The pattern continues. For example, twenty-one is "ishirini na moja" (twenty and one), twenty-two is "ishirini na mbili" (twenty and two), and so on.

As you continue counting, the structure remains the same. Here’s a quick reference for numbers from thirty to fifty:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
thelathini na moja	/θeˈlathini nɑ ˈmɔdʒa/	thirty-one
thelathini na mbili	/θeˈlathini nɑ ˈmbili/	thirty-two
thelathini na tatu	/θeˈlathini nɑ ˈtatu/	thirty-three
thelathini na nne	/θeˈlathini nɑ ˈnːe/	thirty-four
thelathini na tano	/θeˈlathini nɑ ˈtano/	thirty-five
arobaini	/aɾoˈbaini/	forty
arobaini na moja	/aɾoˈbaini nɑ ˈmɔdʒa/	forty-one
arobaini na mbili	/aɾoˈbaini nɑ ˈmbili/	forty-two
arobaini na tatu	/aɾoˈbaini nɑ ˈtatu/	forty-three
arobaini na nne	/aɾoˈbaini nɑ ˈnːe/	forty-four

This pattern continues, and once you grasp the concept, you can count indefinitely!

Telling Time in Swahili

Introduction to Telling Time

Knowing how to tell time is essential in any language, and Swahili is no different. In Swahili, time is usually expressed in a straightforward manner using cardinal numbers along with the word "saa," which means "hour." For example:

• 1:00 (one o'clock) is "saa moja"

• 2:00 (two o'clock) is "saa mbili"

Here’s a more detailed look at telling time:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
saa moja	/sɑː ˈmɔdʒa/	one o'clock
saa mbili	/sɑː ˈmbili/	two o'clock
saa tatu	/sɑː ˈtatu/	three o'clock
saa nne	/sɑː ˈnːe/	four o'clock
saa tano	/sɑː ˈtano/	five o'clock
saa sita	/sɑː ˈsita/	six o'clock
saa saba	/sɑː ˈsaba/	seven o'clock
saa nane	/sɑː ˈnane/	eight o'clock
saa tisa	/sɑː ˈtisa/	nine o'clock
saa kumi	/sɑː ˈkumi/	ten o'clock

For times beyond ten, Swahili combines the cardinal numbers with "saa" and uses "na" to indicate minutes past the hour. For example:

• 1:15 (one fifteen) is "saa moja na kumi na tano" (one and ten and five – literally).

• 2:30 (two thirty) is "saa mbili na thelathini" (two and thirty).

Here’s a table for reference:

Swahili (individual language)	Pronunciation	English
saa moja na kumi	/sɑː ˈmɔdʒa nɑ ˈkumi/	one fifteen
saa mbili na thelathini	/sɑː ˈmbili nɑ θeˈlathini/	two thirty
saa tatu na dakika kumi	/sɑː ˈtatu nɑ dɑˈkika ˈkumi/	three ten minutes
saa nne na dakika ishirini	/sɑː ˈnːe nɑ dɑˈkika iʃiˈrini/	four twenty minutes
saa tano na dakika thelathini	/sɑː ˈtano nɑ dɑˈkika θeˈlathini/	five thirty minutes

Exercises and Practice Scenarios

Now that you have a good understanding of numbers and counting in Swahili, it’s time to practice! Below are ten exercises designed to reinforce your learning.

Exercise 1: Cardinal Numbers Translation

Translate the following cardinal numbers from English to Swahili:

1. Three

2. Seven

3. Eleven

4. Eighteen

5. Twenty-five

Exercise 2: Ordinal Numbers Translation

Translate the following ordinal numbers from English to Swahili:

1. Fourth

2. Seventh

3. Tenth

4. First

5. Third

Exercise 3: Counting Objects

Count the following objects in Swahili:

1. Five apples

2. Eight books

3. Ten chairs

4. Twelve oranges

5. Sixteen pens

Exercise 4: Telling Time in Swahili

Convert the following times from English to Swahili:

1. One o'clock

2. Three fifteen

3. Five thirty

4. Two forty-five

5. Twelve noon

Exercise 5: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct Swahili cardinal number:

1. ____ (two)

2. ____ (nine)

3. ____ (fourteen)

4. ____ (thirty)

5. ____ (eighteen)

Exercise 6: Write Your Own Sentences

Create sentences in Swahili using the following numbers:

1. Three

2. Ten

3. Seven

4. Twenty

5. Fifteen

Exercise 7: Match the Numbers

Match the Swahili numbers to their English counterparts:

1. Kumi

2. Tatu

3. Nne

4. Mbili

5. Saba

Exercise 8: Identify the Ordinal Number

Identify the ordinal number in the following sentences:

1. She is the third in line.

2. This is my first book.

3. That was the second time I visited.

4. He finished in fourth place.

5. I am the seventh child.

Exercise 9: Time Conversion Challenge

Convert the following times to English:

1. Saa mbili

2. Saa tano na kumi

3. Saa tatu na dakika ishirini

4. Saa kumi na tatu

5. Saa nne na dakika kumi na tano

Exercise 10: Create a Number Dialogue

Write a short dialogue in Swahili using at least five different numbers. You can include cardinal and ordinal numbers.

Answers and Explanations

Below are the answers and explanations for the exercises:

Answer for Exercise 1

1. Tatu

2. Saba

3. Kumi na moja

4. Kumi na nane

5. Ishirini na tano

Answer for Exercise 2

1. Wa nne

2. Wa saba

3. Wa kumi

4. Wa kwanza

5. Wa tatu

Answer for Exercise 3

1. Maziwa matano

2. Vitabu nane

3. Viti kumi

4. Oranges kumi na mbili

5. Kalamu kumi na sita

Answer for Exercise 4

1. Saa moja

2. Saa tatu na kumi na tano

3. Saa tano na thelathini

4. Saa mbili na arobaini na tano

5. Saa kumi na mbili

Answer for Exercise 5

1. Mbili

2. Tisa

3. Kumi na nne

4. Thelathini

5. Kumi na nane

Answer for Exercise 6

1. Nina apples tatu.

2. Nina chairs kumi.

3. Nina books saba.

4. Nina oranges ishirini.

5. Nina pens kumi na tano.

Answer for Exercise 7

1. Kumi - Ten

2. Tatu - Three

3. Nne - Four

4. Mbili - Two

5. Saba - Seven

Answer for Exercise 8

1. Tatu

2. Kwanza

3. Pili

4. Nne

5. Saba

Answer for Exercise 9

1. Two o'clock

2. Five ten

3. Three twenty minutes

4. Thirteen o'clock

5. Four fifteen

Answer for Exercise 10

Example dialogue can vary, here is one possible answer:

• A: "Saa ngapi?" (What time is it?)

• B: "Saa mbili." (It's two o'clock.)

• A: "Nina mtoto wa kwanza." (I have the first child.)

• B: "Nina vitabu vitatu." (I have three books.)

• A: "Tuna watoto saba." (We have seven children.)

• B: "Ninataka orange kumi." (I want ten oranges.)

Congratulations on completing this lesson! Remember to practice your numbers regularly for better retention. The more you use them, the easier they will become. Keep up the great work, and continue to embrace the beauty of the Swahili language!

Table of Contents - Swahili (individual language) Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Swahili Grammar

• Nouns
• Verbs
• Cases
• Adjectives

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings and Farewells
• Names and Nationalities
• Numbers and Counting
• Days, Months, and Seasons

  ---

Swahili Culture and Society

• History of Swahili
• Food and Drink
• Music and Dance
• Religion and Beliefs

  ---

Swahili Syntax

• Word Order
• Negation
• Questions
• Dependent Clauses

  ---

At Home and Around Town

• House and Home
• Travel and Transportation
• Shopping and Commerce
• Medical and Health

  ---

Swahili Literature and Art

• Oral Narratives
• Visual Arts
• Contemporary Literature
• Popular Culture

  ---

Advanced Topics in Swahili Grammar

• Conditional Clauses
• Passive Voice
• Causative Verbs
• Nominalization

  ---

Nature and the Environment

• Animals and Wildlife
• Plants and Vegetation
• Environmental Issues
• Geography and Landscapes

  ---

Swahili Festivals and Celebrations

• Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
• Sherehe za Mapinduzi
• Weddings and Marriage
• Maji and the Maridadi

  ---

Idioms and Proverbs

• Idioms
• Proverbs
• Swahili Dialects
• Slang and Colloquialisms

Other Lessons

• Vegetables
• Education
• Health
• Hobbies
• Animals
• Count to 10
• Games
• Farm
• Transportation
• Days of the Week

◀️ Names and Nationalities — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Days, Months, and Seasons ▶️