Information about counting in Somali, a member of the East Cushtic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken mainly in Somali, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya.
Key abbreviation: m = masculine, f = feminine.
If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. If you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Numeral | Cardinal numbers | Ordinal numbers |
---|---|---|
0 | baabah, eber | |
1 | ków, mid, hal | kowaad |
2 | lába | labaad |
3 | sáddex | saddexaad |
4 | áfar | afaraad |
5 | shán | shanaad |
6 | líx | lixaad |
7 | toddobá | toddobaad |
8 | siddéed | siddeedaad |
9 | sagáal | sagaalaad |
10 | toban | tobnaad |
11 | ków iyo toban | ków iyo tobnaad |
12 | labá iyo toban | labá iyo tobnaad |
13 | sáddex iyo toban | saddex iyo tobnaad |
14 | áfar iyo toban | áfar iyo tobnaad |
15 | shán iyo toban | shán iyo tobnaad |
16 | líx iyo toban | líx iyo tobnaad |
17 | toddobá iyo toban | toddobá iyo tobnaad |
18 | siddeéd iyo toban | siddeéd iyo tobnaad |
19 | sagáal iyo toban | sagáal iyo tobnaad |
20 | labaátan | labaatanaad |
21 | koób iyo labataan | koób iyo labataanaad |
22 | lába iyo labataan | lába iyo labataanaad |
23 | sáddex iyo labataan | sáddex iyo labataanaad |
24 | áfar iyo labataan | áfar iyo labataanaad |
25 | shán iyo labataan | shán iyo labataanaad |
26 | líx iyo labataan | líx iyo labataanaadaad |
27 | toddobá iyo labataan | toddobá labataanaad |
28 | siddéed iyo labataan | siddeéd iyo labataanaad |
29 | sagáal iyo labataan | sagáal iyo labataanaad |
30 | sóddon | sóddonaad |
40 | afártan | afartanaad |
50 | kónton | kontonaad |
60 | líxdan | lixdanaad |
70 | toddobaátan | toddobaátanaad |
80 | siddeétan | siddeetanaad |
90 | sagaáshan | sagaashanaad |
100 | boqól | boqolaad, boqlaad |
101 | boqól iyo ków | boqól iyo kowaad |
105 | boqól iyo shán | boqól iyo shanaad |
110 | boqól iyo toban | boqól iyo tobanaad |
120 | boqól iyo labaátan | boqól iyo labaatanaad |
130 | boqól iyo sóddon | boqól iyo soddonaad |
140 | boqól iyo afártan | boqól iyo afartanaad |
150 | boqól iyo kónton | boqól iyo kontonaad |
160 | boqól iyo líxdan | boqól iyo lixdanaad |
170 | boqól iyo toddobaátan | boqól iyo todobataanaad |
180 | boqól iyo siddeétan | boqól iyo siddeetanaad |
190 | boqól iyo sagaáshan | boqól iyo sagaashanaad |
200 | lába boqól | lába boqolaad |
300 | sáddex boqól | sáddex boqolaad |
362 | sáddex boqól iyo lába iyo líxdan | sáddex boqól iyo lába iyo lixdanaad |
400 | áfar boqól | áfar boqolaad |
500 | shán boqól | shán boqolaad |
600 | líx boqól | líx boqolaad |
700 | toddobá boqól | toddobá boqolaad |
800 | siddeéd boqól | siddeéd boqolaad |
900 | sagaál boqól | sagaál boqolaad |
1,000 | kún | kumaad |
2,000 | lába kún | lába kumaad |
2,582 | lába kún iyo shán boqól iyo lába iyo siddeétan | lába kún iyo shán boqól iyo lába iyo siddeétanaad |
3,000 | sáddex kún | sáddex kumaad |
1,000,000 | malyúun, milyúun | malyuunaad, milyuunaad |
1,000,000,000 | bilyan | bilyanaad |
once | hal goor | |
twice | lába goor | |
thrice | sáddex goor |
The numeral 'one' has several suppletive forms. When counting, the numeral is ków, which becomes kóob when followed by iyo 'and' . When used with nouns this word is replaced by hål 'one', e.g. hål baabúur 'one truck'. When the numeral occurs alone as the argument of a verb, it is replaced by mid 'one', e.g. mid kèen 'Bring one!' This word mid is also used in isolation when a verb is understood:
Question: Immisàad dóonaysaa? How many do you want?'
Answer: Mid 'One'
Sources:
- John Saeed: Somali language, grammar. Philadelphia - 1999.
- Д.И. Степанченко и Мохамед Хаджи Осман: Краткий Сомали-Русский и Русско-Сомали Словарь. Abwan Ururusan Af Soomaali Iyo Rusha Rush Iyo Af Soomaaliya. Москва - 1969.
- С.В. Алейников: Сомалийско-Русский Словарь. Eraykoobka Soomaali-Ruush Ah. Москва - 2012.
- Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi: Parlons Somali. Paris - 1996.
Information compiled by Wolfgang Kuhl
Information about Somali | Osmanya alphabet | Borama / Gadabuursi alphabet | Kaddare alphabet | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel | Learning materials
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Alphabetical index | Language family index
[top]
Why not share this page:
If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.
Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.fr
are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.
Get a 30-day Free Trial of Amazon Prime (UK)
If you're looking for home or car insurance in the UK, why not try Policy Expert?
[top]