The way numbers are formed in a language makes a difference. Many Romance languages follow a similar ‘pattern’. For 20 – 99 we change the word slightly and add -ty twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety. When we get to the tens we change the words, eleven, twelve, thirteen, etc. In English, we count one, two, three, four, five, six, seven eight, nine. The way numbers are constructed varies greatly by language also. I’m going to guess you know which of these Chinese numbers is 1, 2, and 3: 一 二 三 The Chinese numbers for 1, 2, and 3 are quite practical looking. In the many languages which do use numbers, numbers vary greatly. Numbers are not a universal part of human languages. Those few languages without words for numbers use less specific terms such as ‘many’ and ‘a few’. There are about 7,000 languages spoken today and some of them don’t have words for numbers.
![the numbers in different languages the numbers in different languages](http://images.twinkl.co.uk/image/private/t_630/image_repo/73/11/t3-fr-136-one-number-in-10-different-languages-display-posters-french_ver_2.jpg)
Imagine trying to get through a day not using numbers! How would you tell the time, call someone, find an address, or order a two Splenda latte?īut not every language has numbers.
![the numbers in different languages the numbers in different languages](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/31/00/df/3100dfa6e16fc73df788858e402d91f3.jpg)
Numbers are different in different languagesĪs English speakers, we use numbers a lot in our lives and language. I’ve also discovered a relatively easy way to learn numbers which, when I actually use it, makes numbers the easier part of the language.
#THE NUMBERS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES HOW TO#
I’ll show you how to avoid this later in this article. Even if all the other parts of the sentence have been said slowly and deliberately, when we get to numbers, our speech moves into fast mode again.Īlso, most language apps, programs, and classes teach numbers in a way that makes it more difficult to recall them.
![the numbers in different languages the numbers in different languages](https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/718w/public/countinginlanguages_0.jpg)
This is partly because when you listen to a native speaker say numbers they generally say them very quickly. Numbers are difficult for many people to learn in a foreign language.