Numbers

1. Kunye, kubili, kutsatfu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Counting forms of 1, 2 and 3

   Grammar Note

   Counting forms. With a noun the stem takes agreement (emalanga lamatsatfu = three days). Do not use Zulu "kuthathu" (th becomes ts, t becomes tf)

2. Kune, sihlanu, sitfupha

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Counting forms of 4, 5 and 6

   Grammar Note

   From 5 on the counting forms start with si- (sihlanu, sitfupha). They differ from Zulu "kuhlanu", "isithupha"

3. Sikhombisa, siphohlongo, imfica

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Counting forms of 7, 8 and 9

   Grammar Note

   8 is siphohlongo and 9 is imfica. Do not use Zulu "isishiyagalombili/-olunye".

4. Lishumi

   Ten

   Usage

   Means ten

   Grammar Note

   A class 5 noun (li-shumi); the plural emashumi gives the tens.

5. Likhulu, inkhulungwane

   One hundred, one thousand

   Usage

   One hundred and one thousand

   Grammar Note

   likhulu = 100 (plural emakhulu), inkhulungwane = 1,000 (plural tinkhulungwane). Siswati uses li- where Zulu has i-.

6. Emashumi lamabili

   Twenty

   Usage

   Twenty, formed as "tens" plus agreement

   Grammar Note

   emashumi (tens) + lamabili (two). Not Zulu "amashumi amabili"

7. Emashumi lamahlanu

   Fifty

   Usage

   Fifty

   Grammar Note

   Composed by regular grammar rather than a fixed set phrase. emashumi (tens) + lamahlanu (five). Built like "emashumi lamabili/lamatsatfu/lamane"

8. Tintfo letimbili

   Two things

   Usage

   The pattern for asking two items; replace tintfo with another noun

   Grammar Note

   tintfo (things, class 10) + letimbili (two, class 10 agreement). Do not use Zulu "izinto ezimbili"

9. Ngineminyaka lengu-27.

   I am 27 years old.

   Usage

   Says your age; the number is written in digits

   Grammar Note

   Composed by regular grammar rather than a fixed set phrase. ngi-ne-minyaka (I-have-years) + lengu-27 (of 27). Do not use the Zulu "neminyaka engamashumi ..."

Browse all TravelPhrases languages