What are common mistakes with संख्याएँ?

Trying to construct numbers compositionally (दो-दस for 20 instead of बीस). Confusing similar-sounding numbers (तेरह 13 vs तीस 30). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English numbers are compositional after 20 (twenty-one, twenty-two). Hindi requires memorizing each form individually. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian numbers are also compositional (двадцать один). Hindi's unique forms for each number are harder to memorize. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech numbers work like English/Russian. Hindi's system requires pure memorization, no shortcuts.

संख्याएँ: rules, examples & exercises | Hindi Grammar A1

संख्याएँ

A1 — संख्या

Numbers 1-100: each with unique Hindi form (not compositional like English)

Can use Hindi numbers 1-100 in everyday contexts

Examples

मेरे पास पाँच किताबें हैं। — I have five books.
उसकी उम्र इक्कीस साल है। — He/She is 21 years old.
यह पचास रुपये का है। — This costs fifty rupees.
कक्षा में तीस बच्चे हैं। — There are 30 children in the class.

संख्याA1

संख्याएँ

Numbers 1-100: each with unique Hindi form (not compositional like English)

Learning Goal

Can use Hindi numbers 1-100 in everyday contexts

Exam Skills:ListeningSpeaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

मेरे पास पाँच किताबें हैं।

I have five books.

उसकी उम्र इक्कीस साल है।

He/She is 21 years old.

यह पचास रुपये का है।

This costs fifty rupees.

कक्षा में तीस बच्चे हैं।

There are 30 children in the class.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

संख्याएँ — Numbers 1-100

Hindi numbers are largely unique — unlike English's systematic tens+ones, each Hindi number up to 100 has its own form.

1-10	11-20	Tens
१ एक, २ दो, ३ तीन	११ ग्यारह, १२ बारह	१० दस, २० बीस
४ चार, ५ पाँच	१३ तेरह, १४ चौदह	३० तीस, ४० चालीस
६ छह, ७ सात	१५ पन्द्रह, १६ सोलह	५० पचास, ६० साठ
८ आठ, ९ नौ	१७ सत्रह, १८ अठारह	७० सत्तर, ८० अस्सी
१० दस	१९ उन्नीस, २० बीस	९० नब्बे, १०० सौ

Key pattern: Compounds like 21-99 exist as unique words (इक्कीस, बाईस…). Memorize in groups of 10. Devanagari numerals (१२३) are used alongside Arabic numerals (123).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Trying to construct numbers compositionally (दो-दस for 20 instead of बीस). Confusing similar-sounding numbers (तेरह 13 vs तीस 30). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English numbers are compositional after 20 (twenty-one, twenty-two). Hindi requires memorizing each form individually.

Common Error Patterns

Trying to compose numbers instead of using unique Hindi forms

Each Hindi number 1-100 has a unique form. Memorize in groups of 10.

Confusing similar-sounding numbers (तेरह/तीस, चौदह/चालीस)

Practice number pairs: तेरह(13)/तीस(30), चौदह(14)/चालीस(40)

मेरे पास पाँच किताबें हैं।

I have five books.

पाँच (5) — one of the first 10 numbers to memorize.

उसकी उम्र इक्कीस साल है।

He/She is 21 years old.

इक्कीस (21) — a unique word, not बीस-एक.

यह पचास रुपये का है।

This costs fifty rupees.

पचास (50) — note how it differs from पाँच (5).

कक्षा में तीस बच्चे हैं।

There are 30 children in the class.

तीस (30) — compare with तीन (3) and तेरह (13).

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

2. Numbers, age and belonging

Frequently asked questions

When is संख्याएँ used?: Hindi numbers are largely unique — unlike English's systematic tens+ones, each Hindi number up to 100 has its own form.
How is संख्याएँ formed?: Key pattern: Compounds like 21-99 exist as unique words (इक्कीस, बाईस…). Memorize in groups of 10. Devanagari numerals (१२३) are used alongside Arabic numerals (123).
What are common mistakes with संख्याएँ?: Trying to construct numbers compositionally (दो-दस for 20 instead of बीस). Confusing similar-sounding numbers (तेरह 13 vs तीस 30). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English numbers are compositional after 20 (twenty-one, twenty-two). Hindi requires memorizing each form individually. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian numbers are also compositional (двадцать один). Hindi's unique forms for each number are harder to memorize. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech numbers work like English/Russian. Hindi's system requires pure memorization, no shortcuts.