Language/Danish/Vocabulary/Numbers-1-100
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Welcome to this exciting lesson on counting in Danish! Mastering the numbers from 1 to 100 is an essential skill for any beginner learning the Danish language. Whether you're planning a trip to Denmark, want to chat with locals, or simply expand your linguistic capabilities, knowing how to count is fundamental.
In this lesson, we'll explore both cardinal (the numbers we use for counting) and ordinal numbers (the numbers we use for ordering). We'll break down the numbers into manageable sections, offer plenty of examples, and provide exercises to reinforce your learning.
Let's dive right in and get counting!
The Importance of Numbers in Danish
Numbers are not just abstract symbols; they play a crucial role in everyday life. In Danish, as in any language, numbers help us:
- Tell time
- Discuss prices
- Describe quantities
- Order items in a sequence
Understanding how to use numbers will enhance your conversational skills and make your interactions more fluid and natural.
Structure of the Lesson
1. Cardinal Numbers (1-100)
- Breakdown of numbers 1 to 20
- Tens (20, 30, 40, ..., 100)
- Combining numbers (21-99)
2. Ordinal Numbers
- First to tenth
- Eleventh to twentieth
- Higher ordinal numbers
3. Practice Exercises
- Engaging activities to apply what you've learned
Cardinal Numbers (1-100)
Numbers 1-20
Let's start with the basic cardinal numbers from 1 to 20. Familiarizing yourself with these will help you understand the structure of numbers in Danish.
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | en | one |
| 2 | to | two |
| 3 | tre | three |
| 4 | fire | four |
| 5 | fem | five |
| 6 | seks | six |
| 7 | syv | seven |
| 8 | otte | eight |
| 9 | ni | nine |
| 10 | ti | ten |
| 11 | elleve | eleven |
| 12 | tolv | twelve |
| 13 | tretten | thirteen |
| 14 | fjorten | fourteen |
| 15 | femten | fifteen |
| 16 | seksten | sixteen |
| 17 | sytten | seventeen |
| 18 | atten | eighteen |
| 19 | nitten | nineteen |
| 20 | tyve | twenty |
You might notice that numbers beyond 10 have distinct patterns when pronounced. For example, "elleve" sounds quite different from "to" but fits within the pattern of counting.
Tens (20, 30, ..., 100)
Next, let's look at the rounded numbers from 20 to 100. Understanding these will help you form other numbers.
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | tyve | twenty |
| 30 | tredive | thirty |
| 40 | fyrre | forty |
| 50 | halvtreds | fifty |
| 60 | tres | sixty |
| 70 | halvfjerds | seventy |
| 80 | firs | eighty |
| 90 | halvfems | ninety |
| 100 | et hundrede | one hundred |
Notice how the Danish language has unique terms for each decade. It’s important to memorize these as they serve as building blocks for forming more complex numbers.
Combining Numbers (21-99)
Now that we have the basic building blocks, let's see how to combine these numbers.
Danish numbers from 21 to 99 are formed by saying the unit first followed by the ten. For example, 21 is "enogtyve" (one and twenty). Here's how it works:
- 21 = enogtyve (1 + 20)
- 22 = toogtyve (2 + 20)
- 30 = tredive (30)
- 31 = enogtredive (1 + 30)
- 32 = toogtredive (2 + 30)
This pattern continues up to 99.
Here’s a table with examples:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | enogtyve | twenty-one |
| 22 | toogtyve | twenty-two |
| 30 | tredive | thirty |
| 31 | enogtredive | thirty-one |
| 32 | toogtredive | thirty-two |
| 40 | fyrre | forty |
| 41 | enogfyrre | forty-one |
| 50 | halvtreds | fifty |
| 51 | enoghalvtreds | fifty-one |
| 60 | tres | sixty |
| 61 | enogtres | sixty-one |
| 70 | halvfjerds | seventy |
| 71 | enoghalvfjerds | seventy-one |
| 80 | firs | eighty |
| 81 | enogfirs | eighty-one |
| 90 | halvfems | ninety |
| 91 | enoghalvfems | ninety-one |
| 99 | nioghalvfems | ninety-nine |
Using this pattern, you can now count to 100 with ease!
Ordinal Numbers
First to Tenth
Ordinal numbers are used to describe the position of something in a list or sequence, such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. Here’s how they look in Danish from 1st to 10th:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | første | first |
| 2nd | anden | second |
| 3rd | tredje | third |
| 4th | fjerde | fourth |
| 5th | femte | fifth |
| 6th | sjette | sixth |
| 7th | syvende | seventh |
| 8th | ottende | eighth |
| 9th | niende | ninth |
| 10th | tiende | tenth |
Notice that the endings of the ordinal numbers are quite distinct. This is something to keep in mind as you continue learning.
Eleventh to Twentieth
Continuing with the next group of ordinal numbers, we have:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 11th | elvte | eleventh |
| 12th | tolvte | twelfth |
| 13th | trettende | thirteenth |
| 14th | fjortende | fourteenth |
| 15th | femtende | fifteenth |
| 16th | sekstende | sixteenth |
| 17th | syttende | seventeenth |
| 18th | attende | eighteenth |
| 19th | nittenede | nineteenth |
| 20th | tyvende | twentieth |
These ordinal forms are essential for discussing events, dates, and rankings in Danish.
Higher Ordinal Numbers
As we move beyond twenty, the pattern continues:
| Danish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 21st | enogtyvende | twenty-first |
| 22nd | toogtyvende | twenty-second |
| 30th | tredivte | thirtieth |
| 31st | enogtredivte | thirty-first |
| 40th | fyrretyvende | fortieth |
| 50th | halvtredstyvende | fiftieth |
| 60th | tresende | sixtieth |
| 70th | halvfjerdstyvende | seventieth |
| 80th | firsende | eightieth |
| 90th | halvfemsende | ninetieth |
| 100th | et hundrede | one hundredth |
With this knowledge, you can articulate positions and rank in Danish.
Practice Exercises
To solidify your understanding of numbers in Danish, here are some practice exercises:
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the correct Danish number for the English translations provided.
1. One: ____
2. Fifteen: ____
3. Eighty: ____
4. Fifty-three: ____
5. Four: ____
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following Danish numbers into English.
1. tretten: ____
2. halvtreds: ____
3. enogtredive: ____
4. syvoghalvfjerds: ____
5. nioghalvfems: ____
Exercise 3: Matching Ordinal Numbers
Match the ordinal numbers with their Danish equivalents.
1. Second
2. Fifth
3. Eighth
4. Tenth
5. Eleventh
a. femte
b. elvte
c. tiende
d. anden
e. ottende
Exercise 4: Write the Numbers
Write the Danish numbers for the following.
1. 27: ____
2. 46: ____
3. 89: ____
4. 73: ____
5. 100: ____
Exercise 5: Fill in the Form
Fill in the correct ordinal number for the following positions:
1. 3rd: ____
2. 12th: ____
3. 21st: ____
4. 30th: ____
5. 50th: ____
Exercise 6: Listening Comprehension
Listen to a recording of Danish numbers and write down what you hear.
1. _____
2. _____
3. _____
Exercise 7: Create Sentences
Use the numbers you learned to create sentences. For example, "I have two cats" in Danish would be "Jeg har to katte."
1. I have three apples: ____
2. My birthday is on the 15th: ____
3. There are twenty students: ____
Exercise 8: Guess the Number
Using the clues below, guess the Danish number.
1. It is greater than 50 and less than 60: ____
2. It is the first prime number: ____
3. It is the 10th number: ____
Exercise 9: Number Bingo
Create a Bingo card with random Danish numbers. Call out English numbers, and have students mark their cards with the corresponding Danish numbers.
Exercise 10: Quiz Yourself
Write down all the numbers from 1 to 20 in Danish from memory.
Solutions to Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
1. en
2. femten
3. firs
4. treoghalvtreds
5. fire
Exercise 2: Translate to English
1. thirteen
2. fifty
3. thirty-one
4. seventy-seven
5. ninety-nine
Exercise 3: Matching Ordinal Numbers
1 - d
2 - a
3 - e
4 - c
5 - b
Exercise 4: Write the Numbers
1. syvogtyve
2. seksogfyrre
3. niogfirs
4. treoghalvfjerds
5. et hundrede
Exercise 5: Fill in the Form
1. tredje
2. tolvte
3. enogtyvende
4. tredive
5. halvtredstyvende
Exercise 6: Listening Comprehension
(Answers will vary based on the recording used.)
Exercise 7: Create Sentences
1. Jeg har tre æbler.
2. Min fødselsdag er den femtende.
3. Der er tyve studerende.
Exercise 8: Guess the Number
1. 55
2. 2
3. 10
Exercise 9: Number Bingo
(Answers will vary based on the Bingo card created.)
Exercise 10: Quiz Yourself
(Answers will vary based on individual recall.)
Congratulations! You’ve made it through this lesson on Danish numbers! Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep using these numbers in your daily life. Whether you're counting items, talking about your age, or ordering at a café, you’ll find these skills invaluable.
Videos
Learn Danish - Numbers 1-10 - YouTube
Learn numbers in Danish! (No intro & outro-version) - YouTube
How to understand Danish numbers - YouTube
Sources
Other Lessons
- Food
- Greetings and Introductions
- Food in Danish
- Education
- Modes of Transportation
- Days of the Week
- Food and Drink
- Clothes
- Colors
- House and Home
| ◀️ Questions and Negations — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Days, Months, and Seasons ▶️ |