Learn How to Count in Igbo and Hausa Languages

How to Count in Igbo and Hausa Languages: Ever wondered why they taught you alphabets and numbers first before any other thing in kindergarten? Letters and numbers may seem senseless now but they are the building blocks of every language.

If you can learn and master them, you will be able to combine them to form words or understand the basics of the language when you hear it. Writing numbers in words have a simple rule of combination that works.HOW TO COUNT IN IGBO AND HAUSA LANGUAGES

Do you want to learn how to count in Hausa? You will find the numbers written in figures and words; in addition, you will also learn how to count in Igbo.

Tips for counting numbers In the Igbo language

There are quick tips that will fasten your learning and help you count easily in Igbo:

  1. Memorise and know the specific words for numbers zero (0) to nine (9).
  2. You don’t need to cram the words for the tens except for ten itself i.e. 20, 30, 40 and so on. The tens are written by adding the multiplier digit after the word for ten.
  • 10 is Iri
  • 20 will be Iri abụọ
  • 30 will be Iri atọ. And so on.
  1. The same rule applies for hundreds, i.e. 100, 200, 300, 400, and so on.
  • 100 is Nari
  • 200 will be Nari abụọ
  • 300 will be Nari atọ. And so on.
  1. Likewise for Thousands, Millions and Billions.
  • 1,000 is Puku, therefore 2,000 is Puku abụọ. And so on.
  • 1,000,000 is nde, therefore Two Million is written as Nde abụọ, and so on.
  • One Billion is Ijeri, therefore Two Billion is written as Ijeri abụọ. And so on.
  1. Compound numbers are written by adding the conjunction “na” between the ten and the unit or between the hundred and ten and also between the ten and the unit. For instance, to write 12, put the word join the word for ten and word for two with “na”
  • 12 – iri na abụọ, 22 – iri abụọ na abuo
  • 1,234 – puku na nari abụọ na iri atọ na anọ

Numbers in Igbo language

  • 0 – adigi
  • 1 – otu
  • 2 – abụọ
  • 3 – atọ
  • 4 – anọ
  • 5 – ise
  • 6 – isii
  • 7 – asaa
  • 8 – asato
  • 9 – itoolu
  • 10 – iri
  • 20 – iri abụọ
  • 30 – iri ato
  • 40 – iri ano
  • 50 – iri ise
  • 60 – iri isii
  • 70 – iri asaa
  • 80 – iri asato
  • 90 – iri itoolu
  • 100 – nari
  • 101 – nari na otu
  • 102 – nari na abụọ
  • 103 – nari na atọ
  • 104 – nari na anọ
  • 105 – nari na ise
  • 200 – nari abụọ
  • 300 – nari atọ
  • 400 – nari anọ
  • 500 – nari ise
  • 600 – nari isii
  • 700 – nari asaa
  • 800 – nari asato
  • 900 – nari itoolu
  • 1000 – puku
  • 2000 – puku abụọ
  • 3000 – puku atọ
  • 4000 – puku anọ
  • 5000 – puku ise
  • 6000 – puku isii
  • 7000 – puku asaa
  • 8000 – puku asato
  • 9000 – puku itoolu
  • 10,000 – puku iri
  • 20,000 – puku iri abụọ
  • 100,000 – puku nari
  • 200,000 – puku nari abụọ
  • 500,000 – puku nari ise
  • 800,000 – puku nari asato
  • 1,000,000 – nde
  • 2,000,000 – nde abụọ
  • 1,000,000,000 – ijeri
  • 5,000,000,000 – ijeri ise

 

Counting Numbers In Hausa language

Counting numbers in Hausa language is almost the same as the system used in Igbo language:

  • 0 – sifili
  • 1 – daya
  • 2 – biyu
  • 3 – uku
  • 4 – hudu
  • 5 – biyar
  • 6 – shidda
  • 7 – bakwai
  • 8 – takwas
  • 9 – tara
  • 10 – goma
  • 11 – goma sha daya
  • 12 – goma sha biyu
  • 13 – goma sha uku
  • 14 – goma sha hudu
  • 15 – goma sha biyar
  • 16 – goma sha shidda
  • 17 – goma sha bakwai
  • 18 – goma sha takwas
  • 19 – goma sha tara
  • 20 – ashirin
  • 21 – ashirin da daya
  • 22 – ashirin da biyu
  • 23 – ashirin da uku
  • 24 – ashirin da hudu
  • 25 – ashirin da biyar
  • 30 – talatin
  • 40 – arbain
  • 50 – hamsin
  • 60 – sittin
  • 70 – sabain
  • 80 – tamanin
  • 90 – tasani
  • 100 – dari
  • 200 – dari biyu
  • 300 – ari uku
  • 400 – dari hudu
  • 500 – dari biyar
  • 600 – dari shidda
  • 700 – dari bakwai
  • 800 – dari takwas
  • 900 – dari tara
  • 1000 – dubu
  • 1001 – dubu daya da daya

Almost the same rules used in Igbo numbering apply to writing compound numbers is Hausa language.