Family, numbers and time · 2 of 3

Numbers

Counting things and people.

Before a noun

A number stays the same before a noun, except one: ఒకటి okaṭi becomes ఒక oka, which also serves as "a". The noun after ఒక is singular, and after any higher number plural: ఒక పుస్తకం oka pustakaṁ "one book, a book", రెండు పుస్తకాలు reṁḍu pustakālu "two books". ఒక్క okka means "just one": ఒక్క నిమిషం okka nimiṣaṁ "just a minute".

Counting people

People are counted with their own forms: ఇద్దరు పిల్లలు iddaru pillalu "two children", ముగ్గురు స్నేహితులు mugguru snēhitulu "three friends". From five up, the number takes -గురు or is followed by మంది maṁdi, and from eight up మంది is usual. "How many people" is ఎంత మంది eṁta maṁdi; for things it is ఎన్ని enni.

Eleven and up

Tens and units follow each other: ఇరవై ఒకటి iravai okaṭi 21, నలభై ఏడు nalabhai ēḍu 47. A thousand is వెయ్యి veyyi, and large amounts are counted in లక్ష lakṣa 100,000 and కోటి kōṭi 10,000,000.

Hundreds and thousands are plural, రెండు వందలు reṁḍu vaṁdalu 200 and రెండు వేలు reṁḍu vēlu 2,000, and take the "of" form before another number: రెండు వందల యాభై reṁḍu vaṁdala yābhai 250. One hundred before another number is నూట nūṭa: నూట ఇరవై nūṭa iravai 120.

"First" is మొదటి modaṭi. Other ordinals end in -అవ, which is said -ఓ: రెండవ reṁḍava or రెండో reṁḍō "second", మూడవ mūḍava or మూడో mūḍō "third".

Days of the week and the clock are in Days and time.

Cards from this guide

10 cards

Each card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Family, numbers and time cards.

  • What does ఒకటి (okaṭi, one) become before a noun?

    ఒక (oka), which also means 'a'.

  • After a number from two up, like రెండు (reṁḍu, two), what form does the noun take?

    The plural: రెండు పుస్తకాలు (two books).

  • What does ఒక్క (okka) mean before a noun?

    Just one, only one.

  • How do you say 'two' when counting people, as in 'two children'?

    ఇద్దరు (iddaru): ఇద్దరు పిల్లలు.

  • How do you count people from eight up, as in 'ten people'?

    Number + మంది (maṁdi): పది మంది.

  • ఎన్ని or ఎంత మంది: which asks 'how many' about people?

    ఎంత మంది (eṁta maṁdi)

  • How are numbers like 21 or 47 put together?

    Tens, then units: నలభై ఏడు (nalabhai ēḍu) is 47.

  • How do you say 250?

    రెండు వందల యాభై (reṁḍu vaṁdala yābhai)

  • What's 'one hundred' before another number, as in 120?

    నూట (nūṭa): నూట ఇరవై is 120.

  • How do you make an ordinal like 'third' from మూడు (mūḍu, three)?

    Add -అవ, usually said -ఓ: మూడవ or మూడో.

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